*** I went out to Indianapolis on Friday to check out 2022 Rivals250 defensive lineman Joe Strickland. This is a prospect that we've been talking about lately, and since he's so close to me, I wanted to make sure to get an in-game eval before the end of the season. Unfortunately, I only got to see about a half of Strickland. His Brebeuf Jesuit team completely dominated Yorktown, so we had a running clock in the second half, and Strickland didn't play much. He finished the game with a couple of assisted tackles and a few quarterback hurries. But again, he just didn't have to do much.
*** There has been debate on whether or not Strickland would be a take for Michigan. I can tell you that he is high on the board after checking in with a source. In fact, I planned on putting in a FutureCast this weekend for the Wolverines to land Strickland. Of course, that was before Michigan embarrassed itself against Michigan State. Anyway, Strickland fits the bill as that athletic strong-side defensive end that Michigan loves to recruit and slide inside. Strickland reminds me a little bit of Michigan commit TJ Guy from a build standpoint. He's not as athletic as Guy, but he is further along from a technical standpoint.
*** I could see Strickland staying at the five-tech at the next level. I really like the way he uses his hands and power off the edge. He's at his best on third downs when he can pin his ears back and get after the quarterback, which he did especially well in pass rushing situations towards the end of the first half. Strickland faced double teams and had to play offensive tackle. I think that limited his motor a bit as well as his play against the run. I loved Strickland at practice in the summer, so I was expecting to see him be a little more dominant. I think that will come once he fully focuses on the defensive side of the ball.
*** Overall, I do think Strickland should be a take for the Wolverines. While he didn't kill it on Friday night, he showed a lot of upside, and his build is outstanding for his age. He would be a great fit at Michigan both from a scheme and culture standpoint. Remember, Strickland is an excellent student in the classroom and really values academics. That high IQ transitions well to the football field. Again, I think Michigan has the early lead, but there are a lot of moving parts coming out of the weekend debacle.
*** There has been debate on whether or not Strickland would be a take for Michigan. I can tell you that he is high on the board after checking in with a source. In fact, I planned on putting in a FutureCast this weekend for the Wolverines to land Strickland. Of course, that was before Michigan embarrassed itself against Michigan State. Anyway, Strickland fits the bill as that athletic strong-side defensive end that Michigan loves to recruit and slide inside. Strickland reminds me a little bit of Michigan commit TJ Guy from a build standpoint. He's not as athletic as Guy, but he is further along from a technical standpoint.
*** I could see Strickland staying at the five-tech at the next level. I really like the way he uses his hands and power off the edge. He's at his best on third downs when he can pin his ears back and get after the quarterback, which he did especially well in pass rushing situations towards the end of the first half. Strickland faced double teams and had to play offensive tackle. I think that limited his motor a bit as well as his play against the run. I loved Strickland at practice in the summer, so I was expecting to see him be a little more dominant. I think that will come once he fully focuses on the defensive side of the ball.
*** Overall, I do think Strickland should be a take for the Wolverines. While he didn't kill it on Friday night, he showed a lot of upside, and his build is outstanding for his age. He would be a great fit at Michigan both from a scheme and culture standpoint. Remember, Strickland is an excellent student in the classroom and really values academics. That high IQ transitions well to the football field. Again, I think Michigan has the early lead, but there are a lot of moving parts coming out of the weekend debacle.
