Monday, January 23, 2017

Michigan Monday: Could This Recruiting Class Have A Big Hole In It?

I'm sure you have heard by now that FL OT Kai-Leon Herbert has de-committed from the Wolverines.   This wasn't a surprise as Kai-Leon had been dating other schools for some time now.   He is most likely going to stay close to home and attend a Florida school.

That leaves Michigan with the following commits on the offensive line (at OG or OT):  Chuck Filiaga, JaRaymond Hall, Joel Honigford, and Andrew Stueber (Ruiz of course is a Center prospect).  Which in normal years would seem like plenty of recruits.  This is a unique year for the offensive line recruiting and Michigan probably needs/prefers to have two more prospects and probably tackle prospects. 

So who is left?

  • VA OT Mekhi Becton is now trending strongly to Virginia Tech. 
  • FL OG TJ Slaton may have some admission issues and is a HS teammate of Kai-Leon.
  • PA OL CJ Thorpe who was planning an official to A2 for next weekend, re-confirmed his commitment to Penn State on Sunday.   He is a legacy Penn State kid and was a huge long shot of signing with Michigan anyway.
  • Clemson OT transfer Jake Fruhmorgen is interested in Michigan but would have to sit out a year.  He would also take up a scholarship if he did transfer to Ann Arbor.
  • OH OT Thayer Munford from Massillon, OH is 6'6 325 with a number of big offers including Alabama, Penn State, Louisville, Kentucky, Tennessee, MSU and others.  He really wants an OSU offer and doesn't have one yet.   There are some reports that Michigan is interested but hasn't offered yet.
It doesn't look great for any of those guys on the above list outside of Jake.   Thinking these guys probably wouldn't play next year, might help ease your mind on Jake jumping on board and he could be a ready starter in a year. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan tried to get a new name 3 star OT on campus this weekend and tried to flip them before a week from Wednesday.    Also Michigan will need to be busy with some raw preferred walk-on's on the offensive line.

If your wondering about any instate guys that Michigan might like to steal, here are a couple names (I'm just pulling these players off the 24/7 top in state players list, I have no information if Michigan is interested in these guys)

-Mustafa Khaleefah from Dearborn, 6'6 282 pounds MSU commit.  No Michigan offer and mostly MAC offers outside of State.

-Larry Borom from Brother Rice, 6'5 338 pounds and a Mizzu commit.   Missouri seems to be his only offer, which is strange.

-Emani Mason from Detroit, 6'4 268 pounds has a Louisville and Cincinnati offer, is not committed anywhere and has taken an un-official to Ann Arbor a year ago.

-Robert Hudson from Walled Lake, 6'8 320 pounds committed to Iowa State, mostly MAC offers.

- Kelvin Ateman Jr. from Cass Tech, 6'5 300 pounds, committed to Toledo

All the above guys are 3 stars on 24/7 and probably too long of a shot to get an offer.

  • WR Oliver Martin was planning a quick visit to Columbus this weekend and then cancelled it.   If he comes to Ann Arbor this weekend or week for a quick visit, I think Michigan has a fighting chance. 

  • Jimmy will do an in-home with Nico Collins this week.

  • RB commit O'Maury Samuels visited A2 this past weekend and seemed to have a good time.  Hopefully, he will stick with his commitment and sign on 2/1.

  • Jimmy is expected to visit VA LB Ellis Brooks on Tuesday.

  • Jimmy visited with Syracuse S commit Ifeatu Melifonwu at his basketball game on Saturday.   He is another guy that might visit and could be on flip watch.  Update: He will visit Ann Arbor on Tuesday.

  • The rumor mill is spinning that Michigan is heading to Rome for a Spring Football trip.

  • Update: Reports are Jeremy Clark isn't getting a 6th year and will now look to the NFL.  Michigan will have a very young secondary next year.  

5 comments:

Mike Tebbe said...

Becton would be nice. But I wouldn't reach for anyone just to get someone.

We have 9 upper classmen coming back.

Your list did not include Ruiz. 5 OL commits a year is not light.

Bummer he left but as you said this has been cooking for months.

Bob said...

Good catch on Ruiz, was thinking about OT or OG but I didn't explain that in the post.

ScottyDoggs said...

Very informative (as usual)...Thought Harbaugh effect would bring in Tackles, and guards like crazy. Of course it's not over till it's over. What 8 days left?

Tim said...

With Coach Wheat leaving and if it is in fact because his contract was not renewed do you think there is any chance junior leaves?

Cormac said...

Sam Webb said that Wheatley was offered an extension or renewal. He also said that Wheatley wasn't interviewed for the WMU HC job. Wheatley wants to be a HC, so he went with is seen as a job promotion to JAX.

I understand that DickRod's OL coach, Greg Frey was in A2 for a job interview. I don't want anyone connected with DR back in A2. I don't care if John U. Bacon said that LC sabotaged DR by telling SE MI hs coaches not to send their guys to A2.