Class of 2010: University of Michigan Recruiting Update

It was a solid week-end for Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff as he pulled in three verbal commitments, from blue-chip quarterback Devin Gardner (albeit a somewhat silent verbal, the cat is out of the bag). And Ohioans D.J. Williamson and Antonio Kinard.

I’m not going to go into detail describing the Michigan verbals. Hard-core Michigan recruit-nicks already know pretty much all they need to know about them. Instead, I’m going to provide you with some analysis and facts that you will not find elsewhere.

Here goes!

Early Verbals

First, we are going to take a look at the trend for more and more early verbals over the past few years. The recruiting process in college football is accelerating, and Michigan is following that trend, going from two to four to six early verbals the past three years at approximately the same time. Below is the breakdown.

Mar. 16, 2009

Six early verbals: Devin Gardner (be he silent or public), Ricardo Milller, Jeremy Jackson, Jerald Robinson, D.J. Williamson and Antonio Kinard

Apr. 1, 2008

Four early verbals: Will Campbell, Teric Jones, Isaiah Bell, J.T. Turner

Apr. 7, 2008

Two early verbals: Boubacar Cissiko, Dann O’Neill

Early Offers

Now we are going to take a look at the reported verbals that Michigan has extended over the past three years. As you can see below, Michigan is well ahead of the then-record pace established by Coach Lloyd Carr and his staff during their final recruiting spring in 2007.

It’s also interesting to note how the new coaching staff obviously got off to a relatively slow start in extending offers a year ago. I would not be surprised to see the staff almost double last years early offer total by Apr. 1.

Mar. 16, 2009

Quarterbacks 6

Running Backs 11

Wide Receivers 14

Tight Ends 2

Offensive Linemen 13

Defensive Linemen 12

Linebackers 14

Defensive Backs 15

Total: 87

Apr. 1, 2008

Quarterbacks 6

Running Backs 8

Wide Receivers 9

Tight Ends 1

Offensive Linemen 7

Defensive Linemen 10

Linebackers 4

Defensive Backs 11

Total: 56

Apr. 7, 2008

Quarterbacks 2

Running Backs 4

Wide Receivers 8

Tight Ends 7

Offensive Linemen 15

Defensive Linemen 5

Linebackers 17

Defensive Backs 13

Total: 71

Re-establishing a Presence in Michigan

Landing Jeremy Jackson was to be expected as he is the son of Michigan assistant coach Fred Jackson.

The early decision on the part of Devin Gardner, however, was a pleasant surprise. Not only is he potentially the top overall prospect in the state, but he could well also be the top dual-threat QB in the nation, making him an ideal fit for Michigan’s spread offense.

The biggest bonus in landing Gardner is that as a marquee quarterback recruit he will be a magnet in helping to attract other in-state and some top out-of-state prospects to Michigan.

Here are the in-state prospects either have already received a Michigan offer or who I believe have the best chances of eventually receiving an offer:

Robert Bolden QB/DB 6'3", 191lbs, 4.61 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Michigan

Bolden has a Michigan offer, however it is unlikely he will end up at Michigan with Gardner on board.

Austin White RB/DB 6'0", 184lbs, 4.46 Livonia Stevenson Michigan

White is the most highly touted Rb in the state and runs with good speed and cutback ability. He has a Michigan offer, but two brothers attend his fathers’s alma mater, Michigan state.

That being said, some feel that this could come down to a Michigan-Illinois battle. He is a good friend of Devin Gardner.

Nick Hill RB 5'7", 179lbs. 4.38 Chelsea Michigan

Hill is a short but very quick, fast and powerful back who reminds some of Mike Hart. He runs with a low center of gravity and is a sprinter in track. Michigan has yet to offer but there have been rumblings that he could receive one either in the spring or during summer camp.

If so, I would expect him to commit.

Tony Jones WR 5'11", 162lbs. 4.52 Grand Blanc Michigan

Sleeper in-stater (at least to Michigan fans) who the coaching staff should evaluate. Played this past season with two of the top sophs in the state (Ryan Morley and Justice Hayes), so building a relationship with him and the Grand Blanc coaching staff can’t hurt.

He is very quick.

As a junior he had 69 receptions for 1,065 yards and seven TDs and nine KRs for 414 yards and one TD. He visited Michigan for the Illinois game and already has offers from Northwestern and Indiana.

Kazeem “C.J.” Olaniyan TE/DL/LB 6'5", 235lbs Warren Mott Michigan

Had a huge junior season and is a legit big-timer. Macomb County not known for putting out a lot of Michigan-caliber talent but it is the strongest year since the Allen Jefferson/Bud Gereg/John Vitale era for prospects out of Warren, and Kazeem is the best of the bunch.

Paul Jorgenson OL/DL 6'7", 253lbs, 5.32 DeWitt Michigan

It is not a very good year for offensive linemen in Michigan, but Jorgenson is a legit high-level BCS prospect. The problem for the Wolverines is that he is from the Lansing area and may be tough to pry away from the Spartans.

William Gholston DL/TE 6'8", 237lbs, 4.82 Detroit Southeastern Michigan

Gholston is arguably the top overall prospect in the state and a spending DE. He has a Michigan offer but is considered to be a strong Michigan State lean.

Johnathan Hankins DL/OL 6'3", 326lbs, 5.10 Detroit Southeastern Michigan

Hankins isn’t quite the prospect as his teammate Gholston, however he is a real space-eater who could potentially earn himself an offer.

Austin Gray LB 6'2", 203lbs, 4.60 Warren Fitzgerald Michigan

Another talented prospect out of Warren who has yet to receive a Michigan offer but already has some solid Big Ten offers. He really likes Michigan, but how long is he willing to wait?

Ishmael Thomas LB 6'4", 200lbs, 4.62 Detroit Renaissance Michigan

One of the top prospects out of the Detroit PSL is a bit on the raw side but is a tall, rangy and athletic ‘backer with a great frame that could easily add 30 pounds. Comes from a program with some stud underclassmen.

Dior Mathis CB 5'9", 160lbs, 4.31 Detroit Cass Tech Michigan

The latest blue-chipper to emerge out of Cass Tech. He has an early Michigan offer and Michigan has made a push to emerge as the prohibitive favorite over former leader Miami and several others.

Daniel Easterly DB/WR/LB 6'5", 193lbs, 4.40 Detroit Cass Tech Michigan

Cass Tech has several quality skill athletes this year, but Easterly is the one to most likely join Mathis as a high-BCS level prospect. A tall safety reminiscent of another former PSL star in terms of his stature—Earnest Shazor.

Yet to receive a Michigan offer but one could materialize sometime before summer.

Mylan Hicks DB 5'11", 175lbs, 4.42 Detroit Renaissance Michigan

A very good year for DBs in the PSL and Hicks is another kid who could eventually earn himself a Michigan offer. As a junior RB/DB on a 5-4 team, he had 104 carries for 685 yards (6.59ypc) and 4 TDs, 3 receptions for 28 yards, 9 tackles, 6 assists, 15 PBUs and 1 INT.

As a sophomore on a 6-4 team, he started at DB and at RB had 23 carries for 211 yards (9.17 ypc) and 2 TDs, 2 tackles, 2 assists. He could be a RB or CB in college, with CB being his best projected spot due to his quickness and closing speed.

Very quick and athletic...at RB, he runs tough and has a quick burst through the line. Very elusive.

Earnest Thomas S 6'2", 200lbs Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Michigan

From a program that once was a Michigan pipeline. Prep LB who projects as a safety in college. Has some early Big Ten offers, but not from Michigan. Junior starter at LB and he recorded 85 tackles, 4 sacks and 1 INT.

Sophomore starter at LB on a powerful 10-3. A nice-sized safety who can run, cover and come up and hit you

Pipeline Schools

Every program depends on a select handful of pipeline programs to send them their blue-ship prospects on a regular basis. Ohio State has Cleveland Glenville, Florida State has Tallahassee Lincoln, Miami (Florida) has Miami Northwestern.

These are just a few examples of the many “college pipeline” programs across the nation.

Sometimes after a few years pipelines run dry. It could be because of a change of coaching staff at either the high school or college, a lack of D-I talent continuing to emerge from the high school or simply because a few players to head down the road less taken.

Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central, Cincinnati (OH) Colerain, Villa Angela (OH) St. Joseph, Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary are examples of former Michigan pipeline schools.

Back in the 1970s, Cass Tech was a pipeline school, sending such greats as Harlan Huckleby, Curtis Greer, Tom Seabron and Roosevelt Smith to Michigan.

Things then dried up for a quite a few years at the school (excepting Clarence Williams back in the 90s) until recently with the likes of Boubacar Cissiko, Will Campbell, Thomas Gordon and Teric Jones all signing with Michigan and the possibility of another couple joining the fold next February.

Who are some of the other potential Michigan pipeline programs? Here are a few.

Inkster

Michigan landed WR/LB prospects Cameron Gordon in February and has a verbal from blue-chip QB Devin Gardner for next year. Several of Gardner’s teammates joined him this past weekend at Michigan for “Junior Day”, but I doubt that they will receive Michigan offers.

There are, however, a couple of underclassmen to watch out for in the years ahead:

Donovan Lindsay DB 5'11", 180lbs Inkster

Lindsay will be one of the top overall Class of 2011 prospects in the state. He started as a sophomore for a state runner-up team and is an athletic, physical, tough and instinctive safety prospect with great upside

Marquise Wallace OL 6'3", 255lbs Inkster Michigan

Wallace has scary potential and is my top-rated freshman lineman in the state. He started as a freshman for the powerful Inkster team. A name to remember—scary potential.

Pahokee

Martavious Odoms in 2008, Vincent Smith and Brandin Hawhtorn in 2009. In 2010, Pahokee could have their deepest group of D-I prospects in several years. ALL of the prospects listed below are legitimate BCS-level scholarship prospects. Some already have big-time offers.

Johnson has a Michigan offer and is the most highly rated of the bunch. The Florida “Big Threeiorda Big Three” have all offered”.

Pickett recently transferred from neighboring power Glades Central to join his cousin Johnson at Pahokee. Florida State and West Virginia have already offered.

Willis has reported early offers from Oregon and UCLA. Ford from West Virginia and FIU. Allen from Miami, Rutgers and West Virginia.

Noel has come on like gangbusters at winter combines and passing camps and is looking more and more like qa big-time corner. It is downright scary how talented and deep this group is.

Don’t be surprised to see Michigan end up offering three or four of these youngsters. Too bad the Pahokee run will soon be coming to an end as the sugar comp any that basically employs most of the people in the town will be closing down as part of a government deal to preserve the Everglades.

DeJoshua Johnson WR 5'11", 143lbs, 4.38 Pahokee Florida

Fred Pickett WR 5'10", 167lbs, 4.58 Pahokee Florida

Dennis Hall WR 5'9", 163lbs, 4.65 Pahokee Florida

Willis Bowles OL 6'3", 285lbs, 5.20 Pahokee Florida

Doral Willis OL/DL 6'0", 328lbs, 5.83 Pahokee Florida

Antonio Ford DL/OL 6'4", 265lbs, 5.00 Pahokee Florida

Richard Ash DL/OL 6'4", 260lbs, Pahokee Florida

Zachary Allen LB/DL 6'2" 200lbs, 4.60 Pahokee Florida

Corey Hill LB/RB 5'10", 190lbs Pahokee Florida

Merrill Noel DB 5'10", 180lbs, 4.37 Pahokee Florida

Trotwood-Madison

Michigan landed three prospects out of this Ohio program in 2008 (Ray Roundtree, Brandon Moore and Michael Shaw), but did not offer anybody in 2009 (Chris Freeman was the op prospect).

The 2010 class has about nine D-I prospects (Willie Ballard-QB, Anthony Render-OL/DL, Alvin Hall-WR, Justin Favors-TE, Rodney Peters-WR/TE, Greg Gainey-TE, Darion Delaney-OL, Anthony Gibson-OLB, Jordan Paschal-DB), however at this point none of these prospects appear close to receiving a Michigan offer.

Things may change, however, after summer camp. Hall, Gibson, Render, Favors and Paschal are the most likely to garner late attention.

The school does have several blue-chip underclassmen including two DEFINITE Michigan offer types in Class of 2011 WR A.J. Jordan (6-3, 190, 4.41; As a sophomore WR, he caught 30 passes for 500 yards and 4 TDs) and Class of 2012 DB George Bradley (6-1, 195; rare freshman starter).

Class of 2011 Marcus Graham is also a very talented dual-threat QB to watch out for.