Recruiting: Michigan's Summer Camp Risers/Fallers

Well, we haven't written anything in the past few weeks due to a bunch of other obligations, but in the Michigan recruiting world, much has happened. Some of the largest and most 'prestigious' summer camps/combines have recently taken place (Rivals100 Challenge and The Opening) in addition to various 7 v 7 tournaments and other events. With some very 'mixed' reviews between the main recruiting websites, we decided to give our opinion of Michigan's biggest Risers/Fallers. This analysis really isn't radical or groundbreaking, but with so many polarized reports, here's what we think....

Risers

Both Jake Butt and Jourdan Lewis received 'All Tournament' Awards at The Opening

• Jake Butt, TE- Butt made his first splash on the camp circuit this summer with his performance at the Illinois NFTC which earned him an invite to The Opening in Oregon. Butt also turned in a wonderful performance at The Opening and proved to be Tyrone Swoopes's (5* TX Commit) most reliable targets. Butt measured in at 6'6" and 231Lbs, and was still able to gain consistent separation from some of the nation's top defenders. Michigan has not seen a TE prospect with Butt's size and receiving capabilities in a long time.

Read More

Rivals.com- Preseason State Recruiting Rankings

Our last post looked at how Michigan's Ohio recruits stacked up positionally against the other players in their home state. Since Rivals.com just released their preseason state rankings, we can now see how the rest of our players "fit in" compared to other home state talent. Are we getting

#3 Ranked play in Michigan, Jourdan Lewis v Michigan's Devin Funchess

Michigan
1. Shane Morris, #1QB
3. Jourdan Lewis, #1DB
4. David Dawson, #1G, #2OL
5. Wyatt Shallman, #1ATH
6. Jon Reschke, #1LB (MSU)
8. Csont'e York, #1WR
10. Gerald Holmes, #1RB (MSU)
23. Khalid Hill, #2TE

Read More

Owning Ohio: OhioPreps.com Ranks 2013 Prospects

OhioPreps.com, a Rivals.com subsidiary, has finished releasing its positional rankings of Ohio's Class of 2013 prospects... 8 out of 8 Michigan verbal commits from Ohio rank in the top three at their respective positions. Needless to say, it is extremely apparent that Hoke and Co. are putting an enormous focus on recruiting the Buckeye state, and we are securing both quality and quantity with their effort.

6'6", 250lb DE, Taco Charlton 

Take a look at the Top 3 players in Ohio by position according to the guys at OhioPreps

Read More

Know Your Opponents: Ohio's 2013 Recruiting Class

Urby has not lost his touch on the recruiting trail, and he will be challenging Hoke & Co. for the top recruiting class in the B1G. OSU's class has gotten somewhat overshadowed due to the fact that Michigan has 18 verbal commitments already, but their 11 kids are very, very good. As much as Sparty may want to deny it, if Hoke and Meyer can continue to recruit at this level, the B1G will most likely be determined by either Michigan or Ohio year in, and year out. Dantonio has done a fine job at MSU, but State fans will NEVER attribute any of their 'success' to the fact that Michigan and OSU were amidst some of their worst seasons in history. Well, I think those dark days are over for both programs, and the recruits in these classes will be battling for the B1G championship before we know it....Michigan v Ohio State for the B1G Title... the way it should be...

Read More

2012 and 2013 Recruiting Rankings Compilation- Offense

Same idea as last time... Just the offensive side of the ball...


Offensive Line

Patrick Kugler

	Rivals	Scout	ESPN	24-7	Total
Kyle Kalis	*****	*****	****	****	4.5 Star
Ben Braden	***	***	***	***	3 Star
Blake Bars	****	***	***	***	3.25 Star
Erik Magnuson	****	****	****	****	4 Star
David Dawson	****	****	****	****	4 Star
Patrick Kugler	****	*****	****	****	4.25 Star
Kyle Bosch	****	****	****	****	4 Star
Logan Tuley-Tillman	****	****	****	****	4 Star
Chris Fox	****	****	****	****	4 Star
Averages	4 Star	4 Star	3.78 Star	3.78 Star	3.89 Star

This group is absolutely outstanding. With 9 prospects on the offensive line, the four services have a general consensus on the talent level of this group. Every recruit in the 2013 class is considered a 4 star or above (Scout has Kugler as a 5), and Rivals and Scout are the most 'bullish' with their rankings of our OL. The only noticeable 'outlier,' if there is one at all, would be Rivals' ranking of Blake Bars. The other three services graded him as a high 3 star. Overall, this group really could not be any better. This has to be one of the best 2-year OL recruiting hauls in the history of online recruiting rankings. 

Fergodsakes Postion Grade- A+

Read More

2012 and 2013 Recruiting Rankings Compilation- Defense

While looking at our ridiculously good recruiting classes of 2012 and 2013, I decided to compile the star-rankings of the four major websites (Rivals, Scout, ESPN, and 24-7) over the past two recruiting cycles. With around 4 spots remaining in the class of 2013, I only expect the 'star-averages' to either remain the same or improve, since we are really only pursuing highly rated prospects at this point in time. In this breakdown, we are able to see how well we have recruited positionally, and we can see how each service evaluated our talent.

Defensive End 

	Rivals	Scout	ESPN	24-7	Total
Tom Strobel	****	****	***	****	3.75 Star
Mario Ojemudia	***	****	****	***	3.5 Star
Chris Wormley	***	****	****	****	3.75 Star
Taco Charlton	****	***	****	****	3.75 Star
Averages	3.5 Star	3.75 Star	3.75 Star	3.75 Star	3.68 Star

At defensive end, Michigan has a versatile, balanced group of prospects. I could see Chris Wormley playing some 3-Tech DT at some point in his career, but I could also see Godin and Poggi at 5-Tech. Either way, Michigan will have solid depth and options at every spot on the DL with these two classes. Every end prospect received a 4 Star ranking by at least two of the recruiting services, but none were consensus four stars. These are all solid players, but I feel like Taco Charlton has the highest ceiling out of these prospects due to his height, speed, and explosiveness off the edge. I hate to compare anyone to Will Gholston, but after a few years in a college S&C program, Taco could be very reminiscent of Tom G. 

Fergodsakes Position Grade- A-

Read More

The Future of Legends Jerseys

After Junior Hemingway proudly donned first 'Legend Jersey' in the Maize and Blue, news has surfaced that Roy Roundtree will be the predecessor for Desmond Howard's #21. The criteria for earning a 'Legend Jersey' remains somewhat unclear at this point. As Michigan AD Dave Brandon introduced the concept to fans at the 2011 Notre Dame game, he stated, "The concept is a visible representation of iconic figures in our program's storied history that fans across the country will see every Saturday." Brandon also stated that it is imperative that "Hoke and all future Michigan head coaches will assign this historic jersey to a special player who is deserving of the honor..." Brady Hoke and Desmond Howard both agreed that the 5th Year Senior from Trotwood, OH is deserving of the honor for the 2012 season, and they lauded him for his leadership abilities, team-centric attitude, and academic achievements.

In my opinion, I foresee that after a player is deemed a 'Michigan Legend,' the coaching staff will try to find a player to wear the jersey every season. I don't think a player will necessarily have to put up gaudy numbers as a prerequisite for the honor, but he will have to demonstrate his ability to live up to the 'Michigan Man' ideals and the responsibilities of carrying on a Michigan Legend's legacy. 

As the concept's future remains somewhat unclear, I will aim to provide my opinion on what 'Legends Jerseys' we will see in the future, and who I think could be deserving of the honor...

Read More

All-Michigan First Team

These last few weeks have been prettttyyy slow, so I decided it could be fun to try and create an 'All-Michigan' Depth Chart.  Michigan has had some amazing players over the years, and I started to imagine what a team of  all-time greats would look like. When you are trying to rank players that are all very, very good, the difference between a Second-Team and Third-team Guard is pretty minuscule, so keep that in mind. In that same respect, some of my choices were strictly a product of my bias toward certain players, their playing style, or maybe just my memories. When you see Tom Brady as a First-Team QB, don't think, "BUT OMG HE SUCKED AT MICH..." because this isn't a best career at Michigan list, but it is a list of who I would want to play on our "hypothetical" team against any other school, team, etc, and I wouldn't trade Tommy B at QB for almost anyone from any team.

As another disclaimer, I realize that there are some outstanding old Michigan players that deserve much of the credit for Michigan's success, significance, and tradition on the gridiron, but they don't ever seem to 'fit' on these lists when I see them. Maybe I'm weird and that's just me, but so be it.  Obviously, Tom Harmon, Bennie Oosterbaan, and Willie Heston are some of the most valuable players in Michigan's history, so imagine this more like a All-Michigan Post-1950 Team, just to save my ass from missing a plethora of potentially deserving players.

EDIT- As I find more and more out about some of the players that are less talked about, creating this list getting more and more difficult... We really have had some outstanding players...

Read More

Know Your Opponents: ND's 2013 Recruiting Class

YAHHHHHHH

Today, we'll be taking a look an the prospects that will eventually be subjected to a colorful, spit-filled, chew-out at some point in their near futures. Unsurprisingly, Notre Dame has continued its success on the recruiting trail with 12 verbal commitments. Notre Dame knows what it means to recruit nationally (cue Mark Dantonio joke), and they have 12 players from 11 different states. The Fighting Irish have 5 OL commits that all had a Michigan offer at some point in time and 8 commits with Michigan offers in total according to Rivals.com. Highly talented recruiting classes are nothing new in South Bend, and we expect that Brian Kelly will continue to assemble a Top 10/15 class before all is said and done...

Read More

Know Your Opponents: MSU's 2013 Recruiting Class

In this series of posts, I will provide some analysis on the verbal commitments of Michigan's closest rivals, OSU, MSU, and ND...Most of the time, we only see their classes holistically in team recruiting rankings, so taking a look at specific prospects can give us a better idea of the teams our rivals will field in the near future.

First up, The Michigan State University Spartans...

Read More

Taylor Lewan- First Round Pick in the 2013 NFL Draft?

The Situation

Outside of a few "interesting" rumblings that hinted at possible early departures from Denard Robinson and JT Floyd (-_-), the Wolverines have not had to worry about players leaving for the NFL Draft. However, if ridiculously early NFL Drafts , NFL.com prospect rankings, or Mel Kiper's opinion matter at all, Taylor Lewan may be in Radio City as early as next April. Kiper recently said Lewan was definitely one of his "Five-Star Guys," and after watching Taylor's progression over the past three years, we definitely agree that he has elite NFL potential.

Where do we think Taylor projects? What could it mean for the Wolverines in 2013?

Read More

Shane Morris Wins MVP at Columbus Elite 11

Michigan's star recruit of the 2013 Class won the MVP award at the Columbus Elite 11 tryout, after a somewhat disappointing showing at the Dallas tryout. As a result, Shane has earned himself an invite to the national Elite 11 quarterback camp later this summer.

Morris beat out other B1G recruits for the honors, including, MSU commit, Damion Terry, OSU commit, Jalin Marshall, Northwestern commit, Matt Alviti, Purdue commit, Danny Etling, ND commit, Malik Zaire, in addition to many other prospects.
Look for Shane to build on this performance in quest of a National MVP award and the chance to solidify himself as one of the best, if not, the best QB prospect in his class.

A huge congrats to Shane, and good luck to the rest of the Wolverine commits participating in the Columbus NFTC this weekend! GO BLUE!

Read More

A Dream Fulfilled

Former Rutgers DT, Eric LeGrand, signed today with the Tampa Bay Bucs...

Read More

The Devin Gardner Dilemma

Michigan has a problem. Fortunately, it's a good problem. Devin Gardner is too athletic to be standing on the sidelines. Reports from spring ball say this has been addressed and Borges found a way to Devin some work at WR. There is no doubt in my mind that this kid could be an absolute stud. I mean come on. He's 6'4", 204 lbs, and has shoulders like Dwight Howard (THIS IS AN EXAGGERATION; NO ONE has shoulders like Dwight Howard)



...But #7 is getting close, right? Anyway...


So, here is my hypothetical rambling about what should, could, and will happen this year with Devin:

The reports coming out of spring ball have emphasized that Devin is NOT a full time WR and that he will probably play more of Charles Woodson type of receiver, if at all, to prevent injury. Sorry, but I don't buy it. Charles Woodson was definitely a great receiver, but he also started and was the best DB to ever play at Michigan. There was a reason to keep Woodson off the field, but it wasn't injury. College football is too tiring to be playing both sides of the ball 100% of the time. If he did (which I'm sure he could have), he probably wouldn't have been as spectacular as he was on defense. Further, let's try to keep any comparisons to Mr. Woodson reserved for when they're really applicable (mostly never).

Yes, I understand the argument that Devin needs to learn the position. But don't tell me sitting on the sidelines is helping. I think Devin's biggest problem at QB is that he hasn't been out there enough. Some game time experience will definitely help him down the road. The QB-WR connection is a two-way street. We've seen guys like Ryan Tannehill go from lowly ranked WR to first-round draft pick in the NFL, and on the flip side there are guys like Keith Nichol at (QB to WR at Michigan State) or Antwaan Randle El (QB at Indiana, WR/KR in the NFL). Knowing how to play one position in the symbiotic relationship helped/helps these guys play the other. Devin benefits from this. OH, and did I mention how big he is? Yes, yes I did. Don't tell me some 5'9" CB is going to lay him out and end his career (I'm knocking on wood as I type).

(Still knocking on wood...)



(Still....still knocking.......)

Read More

FGS Interview: You Gon' Love Ondre Pipkins

Obligatory "Goin' To Work" Caption

FGS got the opportunity to chat with one of our favorite recruits for the 2012 class, Ondre Pipkins. We talked about football, but also about the young man as a scholar and what he likes to do for fun. Without further ado, here's the best from our conversation with the man they call PeeWee:

FGS: So what are you working on this summer, in terms of personal workouts before being able to practice with the team, in order to get ready for the 'Bama game?

PeeWee: Well, you've got to stay light on your feet, especially if you're in the middle [of the line], and with the type of defense that Coach Mattison runs, you never know what you might be playing. You might be playing nose guard one day, and then the next day you could be playing 3-tech or 5-tech, so I'm working on footwork right now, speed getting off the ball, and eating right to maintain my diet and trim up some weight, 'cause I was overweight at the Army Bowl [laughs]

Read More

Poll Results: Michigan's Most Important Remaining Target in 2013

Just because i'm going to miss Junior.....

LaQuon Treadwell, WR (6'3", 190)- 96 Votes, 51%
Mr. Treadwell was overwhelmingly deemed the most important remaining target in the Class of 2013. Treadwell is a tall, athletic receiver that can help Michigan's passing game in numerous facets. He displays the ability to stretch the field with his speed, but he also displays great athleticism in running his short/intermediate routes over the middle of the field. Michigan is in need of a 'go to' receiver as they transition back to a Pro-Style offense, and Treadwell exhibits a wealth of potential. Treadwell has offers from 'everyone' in the country, and he seems like he his really enjoying the recruiting process. Once considered a decently heavy Michigan lean, we still feel like Michigan has a great shot, but this could drag out until after Treadwell has taken all of his visits.

Read More

Trey Burke

A special season awaits on the hardwood next year. Overwhelming excitement in Ann Arbor. Pride is finally restored at Crisler... for good!

Read More

2013 NFL Draft Preview

The Stock of Future Wolverine Prospects

First and foremost, we all want to personally congratulate DT Mike Martin (Rd. 3, No. 83 OVR), C David Molk (Rd. 7, No. 226 OVR), & WR Junior Hemingway (Rd. 7, No. 238 OVR) for being selected in the 2012 NFL Draft! 

Additionally, as the weekend concludes, news has been trickling in about undrafted free agents. Of note, several Michigan players have indeed reached contractual agreements to sign with numerous NFL franchises. Congratulations DE Ryan Van Bergen (Carolina), DB Troy Woolfolk (Dallas), RB Michael Shaw (Washington), and LB Brandon Herron (Tampa Bay) for receiving the opportunity! Also, we wish TE Kevin Koger a speedy recovery after suffering an Achilles tendon injury.  Most analysts pegged Koger as a late-round pick, and we’re hopeful that he will be added to this list shortly as an undrafted signee.

Read More

Reasoning the Rest Pt.2 (Class of 2012)

This just makes me happy....

Onto the rankings......

These players all have the potential to play at a high level, or else they would not have a full-ride scholarship to play at The University of Michigan. But through discussions, film, and myriad other recruitnik's analyses, the remaining players in the class all exhibit some sort of question mark that prevented us from giving them a higher ranking. 

Jeremy Clark (79) is a very intriguing prospect, and we actually felt like we could have rated him even higher if we had more available film. Our best player comparison for Clark would probably be a taller Jarrod Wilson, to be honest. I hate to use the term 'Center-Fielder' again, but Clark's film looks a lot like Jarrod Wilson's in the way that they make breaks on the ball when it is in the air. Clark does a good job of tracking the ball, while still maintaining great awareness (had 4 touchdowns on INT returns last season). For someone as lanky as himself, he is also not afraid to come up to make a hit. We actually decided to list Clark as an ATH, because we feel like his skill-set would also translate extremely well to WR, and  we would not be surprised to see that position switch when he arrives on campus. At 6'4", with decent speed  and physicality, Clark could be a big target in the passing game. 

Read More

Reasoning the Rest Pt. 1 (Class of 2012)

Evidently, Ferdgodsakes Joe's writing style did not resonate well with many members of the Michigan Football community... In light of the MGoMob calling for his head, I've decided to take the liberty in reasoning the rest of our rankings for the 2012 class... 

We do still hold an extremely high opinion of Ben Braden, Devin Funchess, Dennis Norfleet, Matt Godin, and Willie Henry. We are not guaranteeing that these players end up as All-Americans and on the Cover of NCAA '16, but we think they will outplay their recruiting rankings from the other websites....

Read More

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY

Fergodsakes Sean's 21st is tonight... So GO BLUE and happy birthday to a big Michigan fan, a great student, and a good guy....

Read More

Reasoning our Recruiting Rankings (Class of 2012)

"YOU GUISE HAVE TERY RICHARSEN RANKD LO BUT ALSO DARVIN FUMCHES RANK HIGH HOW COME?"

First of all, calm down and stop shouting.

WAIT WAIT I CAN EXPLAIN DON'T HURT ME

Secondly, keep in mind that recruit rankings is as inexact a science as they come. Sure, the consensus five-star guys generally end up in the NFL and overwhelmingly the low three- and two-star guys end up...well... not in the NFL. But all those guys in between? They're usually up for grabs. Scout, Rivals, ESPN, and 24/7 are generally considered the National Recruiting High Council, and even their rankings show a tremendous amount of disparity.

Read More

GET JACKED UP

Try not to get excited after watching this video....

Read More

The Jesse Williams Problem

After a Spring Football season that yielded some unexpected results, Michigan’s eyes are now on ‘Jerryworld,’ where they will face the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide’s dominance is no secret, but they also have to replace a number of superstars on the defensive side of the ball, which may not be too difficult since they seem to have a stockpile of 4/5 Stars at every position. One of Michigan’s greatest areas of concern heading into the fall is the interior OL. Ricky Barnum, a 5^th Year Senior seems to have taken well to his switch to C, but the LG spot seems wide open.

The candidates:

Joey Burzynski, 6-1 284, RS Soph

Elliot Mealer, 6-5 310, RS Senior

Kyle Kalis, 6-5 305, Freshman

Between these three players, Michigan should be able to come up with a viable option at LG, but each player also has their own respective question mark. How can a short, light walk-on be a good sign for our offense? Why hasn’t a 5^th year senior been able to really make his mark? Will a true freshman be mentally prepared to play football on the big stage?  These are the questions coaches will need to ask while preparing for the Tide and the nightmare that anchors their defense…. 6’4”, 320lb behemoth NT, Jesse Williams

Williams is a JUCO transfer that originally hails from Australia. He is supposedly Bama's strongest guy in the weight room, and it really shows on the field as

well. Williams is very quick off the snap and has impressive speed for someone his size. Williams is extremely versatile and actually played a 5 tech DE (Craig Roh's position, for reference...uh oh) in Bama's 3-4 last year when Josh Chapman lined up at NT. On passing downs, he moved inside when Alabama employed a 4 man front.

Read More

In the Trenches with Kenton Gibbs

First of all, Gibbs is a straight shooter. Fresh off of a Div-1 State Championship over perennial power, Detroit Catholic Central, the defensive tackle seems hungry to go to work for his senior year. Kenton seems to get lost in the shuffle in recruiting discussions, but we feel that he is only at the cusp of reaching his potential.

Here’s what he had to say:

Read More

Why Devin Funchess Might Be The Most Important Player In The 2012 Class

3RD WR PLZ

After spring practices, it's evident that the WR position is one of Michigan's weakest positions. Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon have stepped up, but Michigan is still looking for a 3rd WR, specifically someone who poses a deep threat. Yeah, Dileo, JRob, and Jeremy Jackson might see time, but we've yet to see any consistent production from any of them.


Incoming TE/WR Devin Funchess might just be what Coach Borges is looking for. His 6'5", 225 lb frame and great vertical ability presents a match up nightmare for smaller DBs (See right for evidence). He is great at going up over defenders and has exceptional hands, although he does need to work on his blocking. While Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson, the other two incoming WRs, have great potential, both will require some time to develop in order to produce on the field.

Read More

Why Dennis Norfleet will exceed your expectations

The Dennis Norfleet in its natural habitat, leaving defenders in the dust...

Many Michigan fans in the recruiting world were pleasantly surprised when all-purpose running back Dennis Norfleet (Detroit Martin Luther King) switched his commitment from Cincinnati to Michigan the night before National Signing Day. However, many people may be underestimating the immediate impact that he can have on the offense, in addition to the key role he will likely have on special teams. Here is why I think Dennis could surprise some people when he suits up for the Maize and Blue this fall:

Read More

Michigan's Most Memorable: Penn State '05

There are some moments in Michigan Football history that never seem to fade away. You don't just recognize the plays and anticipate the endings...it's much deeper than that. You feel the uneasiness in your joints and the nervousness in your throat, as if you aren't sure what's going to happen. 


Seeing plays like this remind you of the emotional investment in your fandom. These plays foster a sense of community and a sense of belonging, and we reminisce like we all went through it together. And to me, that is the beauty of these moments... The plays on their own are amazing, but the collective memories of every single fan make them last forever...

Read More

Position Battle: Frank Clark v Brennen Beyer

Michigan D-Coordinator, Greg Mattison, faces the task of replacing three starters on a D-Line that played an integral role in the resurgence of Michigan’s Defense. Senior DE Craig Roh has been somewhat of a fixture on the D-Line, but with his move over to the Strong-side, (RVB’s spot) two Sophomores will compete throughout the fall to become the starting Weak-side End.

Brennen Beyer, Soph. 6’3”, 225 (250?)

Strengths: Motor, Consistency, Coordination

Weaknesses: Size, Strength, Experience, Burst, Shedding Blocks

Fergodsakes Projection: We fully expect that Beyer will weigh 245lbs+ by the fall, but that is still small for a B1G Defensive End. Beyer’s limited experience at SAM LB in 2011 displays his athleticism, and he will have to use great technique and high effort to beat B1G OL. Beyer looks much “thicker” than last year, but he will still have to rely on his motor and smarts to thrive in one on one matchups with TE’s, tackles, and pulling guards.

                                    

-33 Total Tackles, 2 Sacks, 7.5 TFL

Read More