Noah Furbush Commits to Michigan: Wolverines on Path to Play Smashmouth D

Michigan has notched another commitment in its quest for an eventual No. 1 recruiting class, as it's being reported that Noah Furbush from Kenton, Ohio, has committed to the Wolverines.

Steve Lorenz of 247Sports reported the commitment via Twitter:

This is another good commitment for Michigan, but lost in the hype surrounding this class is that Brady Hoke and Co. are putting together quite a defensive unit.

It's one that could be capable of playing "old school" power football in the years to come.

Furbush represents commitment No. 15 for the red-hot recruiter Hoke, and he's also a notable pickup from the state of Ohio. That's always a plus for Michigan.

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Furbush is the No. 43 outside linebacker in the nation and the No. 32 recruit from Ohio. 

Lorenz goes on to talk more about Furbush's commitment in his actual report on the news:

"Furbush burst onto the recruiting scene a few months ago with an offer from the Wolverines, visited a few times and ended up pulling the trigger earlier than originally anticipated.

He gives the Wolverines two very large middle linebackers, with he and initial commitment Michael Ferns both standing 6'3" and above and also 240 pounds.

"

Furbush is a big linebacker indeed, checking in at 6'4'', 240 pounds, according to 247Sports. He's so big, in fact, that 247Sports says he can play weak-side defensive end. That said, one last note from Lorenz, he tweets that Michigan recruited Furbush as an inside linebacker:

That's a lot of size up the middle, so it looks like Michigan is setting itself up to play some power football in the near future. That makes sense, considering the offensive transition from the Rich Rodriguez era to a pro-style set under Hoke. With Greg Mattison at the helm defensively, it appears as if that unit wants to go big or go home as well.

If he stays committed, Jabrill Peppers, 5-star athlete/cornerback, should be a star on the edges of Michigan's defense.

He's big enough to jam receivers at the line and will be extremely physical against the run. He should be able to set the tone from the cornerback position—he's that rare of an athlete—and recruits like Ferns, defensive tackle Bryan Mone, defensive end Lawrence Marshall and now Furbush should be able to follow suit.

Mattison is already known to be an aggressive play-caller, but now he's adding big-time athletes to his defense. He's already done wonders for Michigan with his abilities as a defensive coordinator, but now he'll have athletes who he can mold into superstars. 

Remember, Mattison once coached for the Baltimore Ravens, a team known for playing stout defense.

Identity is everything for a defense, and it looks like Michigan's 2014 class could usher in an era of smashmouth football in Ann Arbor.