Michigan Football Recruiting 2013: 5 Linebackers Who Would Make Great Wolverines

While the Wolverines landed an excellent crop of linebackers in 2012, they certainly won't neglect the position in 2013.

Teams can never recruit enough linebackers, and for good reason. The position requires perhaps the most versatility of any on the squad. They're required to be solid tacklers in the running game, and cover athletic receivers in the passing game. This versatility often allows them to switch positions, which obviously makes them more valuable.

Jake Ryan, for example, played both linebacker and defensive end against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

Ryan goes into spring practice as the odds-on favorite to retain the strong side (SAM) linebacker spot, while Kenny Demens will man the middle (MIKE) and Desmond will play on the weak side (WILL). The only linebackers on the roster with any appreciable experience are Cam Gordon and Brandin Hawthorne.

So the arrival of four more in the 2012 class couldn't have come at a better time. The early enrollment of Joe Bolden and Kaleb Ringer helped, too. James Ross and Royce Jenkins-Stone will be available over the summer.

Michigan already has one linebacker commit for the 2013 class. He's Michael McCray, Scout's 20th-rated outside linebacker from Trotwood (Ohio) Madison. At 6'2”, 220 lbs, McCray also played tight end for the Ohio Division-II champions.

Overall, Michigan already has 14 verbals and is off to its best start in years, both in quantity and quality. Scout has Michigan with three 5-star commits, six 4-stars and two 3-stars.

Michigan has no doubt recovered from the three troublesome seasons under Rich Rodriguez. Potential players are once again interested in Michigan, and Coach Brady Hoke is getting more selective on the recruiting trail. In fact, scout.com reported Thursday that prospects Alex Anzalone and Shane Jones had their visits cancelled.

The Wolverines should complete the 2013 class with three or four linebackers, and it shouldn't take long to land the last few commits. 

The following are five linebackers who are definitely interested in Michigan. A few of them will eventually become Wolverines.

Dorian O'Daniel: 6'1", 205 Lbs, Good Council HS, Olney, MD

Wolverines fans are very familiar with Good Council HS in Olney, Maryland.

Cornerback Blake Countess, who broke into Michigan's starting lineup as a freshman last fall, has his eye on a couple of ex-teammates.

Dorian O'Daniel, Scout's 11th-ranked outside linebacker, has Michigan in his top four along with Ohio State, Clemson and Tennessee.

O'Daniel plans on visiting Ann Arbor for the spring game, on April 14. Making it more interesting is that he'll be bringing teammate Kendall Fuller along with him. Fuller, a 4-star cornerback, is also interested in becoming a Wolverine.

E.J. Levenberry, Jr.: 6'3", 220 Lbs, C.D. Hylton HS, Woodbridge, VA

E.J. Levenberry, Jr. has never played a game for Michigan nor taken a class in Ann Arbor.

But the Woodbridge, Virginia junior could already be a Michigan recruiter.

From perennial power C.D. Hylton HS, Levenberry could not have been more impressed with the Wolverines. "I really enjoyed my visit at Michigan," Levenberry told scout.com.  

"I had a chance to talk with (commits) Shane Morris and Dymonte Thomas, and they were talking to me about how much they like Michigan. They are really nice guys it is like we had known each other for some time. They were telling me good things about Michigan and their point of view of it."

At the moment, Michigan is in Levenberry's top three, along with Florida and Florida State.

He plans on visiting Ann Arbor again for the spring game next month. 

Ben Gedeon: 6'2", 200 Lbs, Hudson HS, Hudson, OH

A Thursday (March 5) visitor to Ann Arbor, linebacker Ben Gedeon is another recruit close to choosing Michigan. 

"It was great," Gedeon told scout.com. "We got to see a lot of the campus I hadn’t seen. My dad loved it. He enjoyed talking with the coaches. Overall it was awesome."

With only two or three linebacker spots remaining, Gedeon may indeed commit soon.

Here it is early March, and recruits are actually thinking of moving the process forward. What a difference a year makes.

Gedeon also has offers from Ohio State, Stanford, Duke and Northwestern. 

Peter Kalambayi: 6'2", 235 Lbs, Butler HS, Matthews, NC

Armed with offers from Florida, Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan, Peter Kalambayi should be able to write his own ticket.

Scout's fourth-rated middle linebacker, Kalambayi has meshed good size, speed and athletic ability. As a junior, the Matthews, NC star finished the 2011 season with 80 tackles despite missing the final three games with an ankle injury.

Kalambayi originally received his Michigan offer as an Ann Arbor camper in 2010, and Coach Hoke naturally renewed it. It's been a while since Kalambayi visited Michigan, but he remembers it well.

"Michigan has one of the nicest campuses because it’s not in the middle of nowhere," said Kalambayi. "I like Ann Arbor and the facilities are great. They are up there with all of them."

Kalambayi has planned another visit to Ann Arbor this spring.

Jaylon Smith: 6'3", 225 Lbs, Bishop Luers HS, Fort Wayne, Indiana

It won't be easy, but coaches Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison must wrestle Jaylon Smith away from Notre Dame and Ohio State.

That's not even the tough part. "My brother (running back Rod Smith) is at Ohio State," Smith told ESPN. "It would be interesting if I chose Michigan," he added. "If I were to go to Michigan that would be the hypest game for both of us. Our whole family would be there."

Smith, a 5-star prospect and Scout's No. 1-rated outside linebacker, showed plenty of potential at the recent Best of the Midwest combine. ESPN reported that Smith ran a pair of 40-yard dashes in 4.4 seconds each.

With 15 offers nationwide, Smith has just a bit of mail to sift through before he makes a decision.

"I haven’t been to see the Big House yet," said Smith. "I haven’t seen their facilities but I went down there for a camp and I saw the school. I am just looking forward to getting to know them better and getting down there and seeing everything."