Post-Camp U-M Football Recruiting Thoughts: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good
The surprise verbal of Detroit Cass Tech rising junior William Campbell. This was important as Michigan is not heavily involved with many rising senior defensive tackles and it also helps to re-establish the Cass Tech pipeline after landing Boubacar Cissiko this year. The Joseph Barksdale fiasco still lingers…..
Speaking of rising junior class, the state of Michigan looks to be on the verge of producing a third consecutive class that would be considered at least slightly above average. The in-state rising juniors performed well, with a couple of other offers being extended. It looks to be a great year for in-state skill prospects, led by WR/CB James Jackson, WR Cameron Gordon and RBs Larry Capers and Hersey Jackson. I think the summer camp has actually become more important in identifying the top young talent and starting to establish relationships with these prospects. The Michigan coaching staff is starting to do a good job in adapting to the accelerated recruiting time line and kudos have to go to recruiting coordinator Chris Singletary with respect to this.
In my view, a limited number of new camp offers is a good thing. This means that the staff is further along in the evaluation process than they used to be in the old days, when summer camp was once early in the evaluation period.
New offers to rising seniors went out to the following prospects:
QB John Weinke
RB Jonas Gray
OL Rocko Khoury
OL Kevin Zeitler
CB Marc Anthony
The Weinke offer was not a big surprise once I learned he would be attending camp. He is one of the fastest-rising QBs in the nation and Michigan has been cslow in evaluating and offering QBs this year, in part because it is a down year for the position.
Gray finally received his offer after wowing onlookers at the camp, including running a 4.37 forty.
Khoury and Zeitler were the gong show winners among a large group of offensive linemen were were battling for a scholarship offer. A few camp offers needed to be given out here as Michigan has a need at the position and has finished second on a few higher-regarded prospects.
Anthony is one of the fastest-rising CB prospects in the nation. He lacks real jets, but has open hips and excellent coverage skills. It is also a position where Michigan needs to build some depth.
Here are a few campers who did not earn offers but who looked good enough to remain on the offer watch list heading into high summer:
RB/LB Glenn Winston
DE Glen Foster
DE Sean Progar
LB Kenny Demens
QB Nathan Stanley
LB/RB Brandon Beachum
WR Damion Dixon
CB/WR D.J. Woods
OL Deonte Pannell
Winston and Foster are two Glenn’s who have tremendous size/speed ratios and are really put together well. Classic high ceiling types who are still raw as football players.
Progar is a prospect to really watch out for. He has liked Michigan for some time and looked very good at the camp.
Stanley seemed to be possibly third on the Micvhigan QB target list after Mike Glennon and John Weinke. An offer could go out to him at any time.
Demens and Beachum could receive offers if Michigan misses out on some of their top LB targets.
Dixon could receive an offer down the road, especially if the news on Jon Baldwin is true.
The top uncommitted campers who have been offered by Michigan:
1. Ethan Johnson
2. Michael Floyd
3. Jonas Gray
4. Marcus Dowtin
5. Fred Smith
6. Kevin Koger
Michigan really helped themselves with Johnson, who has relatives nearby. Floyd is a longshot and could end up at Notre Dame. Dowtin, Smith and Koger are all seriously considering Michigan but none of them are locks.
The Bad
Thus far, there have been no rising senior verbals. It must also be disconcerting that prospects such as Rocko Khoury and Kevin Zeitler did not commit immediately and are considering Michigan State and Wisconsin, respectively. In the old days, Michigan would have locked up on these kids early.
I’ve heard from three separate sources that Michigan has fallen behind Notre Dame in the Jonathan Baldwin sweepstakes. This is the first bit or REAL bad news in the recruiting front this year. The other prospects Notre Dame has beaten U-M out for this year are all solid kids, but none are the difference-maker type of prospects that Baldwin is. Wolverine fans won’t be able to spin this one away should Baldwin go Irish.
Tyler Hoover to Michigan State. When is the last time Michigan State beat out Michigan for an in-stater that both schools offered. OK, so a lot of people aren’t enamored with Hoover as a DE, and the name Pat Massey is often heard in the conversation. Nevertheless, Hoover is a tall, rangy and athletic DE/TE/OT who I think could make an outstanding OT down the road. A loss, albeit not huge, for Michigan, but a huge get for MSU. These things are relative, after all.
The feeling that Michigan State could really make a big push when it comes to in-state recruiting. Michigan may have waited too long to offer Jones Gray, and with teammate Kenny Demens not yet sporting a Wolverine offer, I would not be surprised to see both verbal to the Spartans sooner rather than later. The longer this thing plays out the better for Michigan. I also think Michigan has a battle on their hands with Michigan State for both Fred Smith and Nick Perry. Michigan State just seems to be showing the in-staters a lot more love than the Wolverines. Perhaps this is because these are the biggest fish that Mark D’Antonio and company have to fry while Lloyd Carr and crew have a smorgasbord of blue-chippers to recruit and choose from.
Biggest camp disappointments:
None of the in-state quarterbacks (Mifsud, Lum, Follett, Krauss, Kay) emerged as an offer candidate.
People were waiting to see how Mike Hart’s cousin, Anton Harris, who was a star for Bitburg High in Germany, would do. Hes a hard-nosed runner like his cousin but didn’t show the speed to be a top flight recruit.
A lot of people were eager to see how small school in-state OT Zac Hueter would perform. He looks to be MAC-bound.
Was New York LB/RB Latavius Murray a now-show. Hes from Mike Hart’S school and could have earned himself an offer with a good camp performance.
Detroit CB Anthony Hollis was another no-show that puzzled people.
Yet another CB who failed to show was Illinois DB Tommie Thomas.
Pennsylvania WR/DB Vaughn Carraway was another no-show, albeit it one with an offer. Has his love affair with Michigan cooled?
The Ugly
One of the things that has really worried me in recent years has been our recruitment of the “Big Uglies”: the offensive linemen. In the past several years we have only landed a couple of consensus first or second team all-american recruits at that position: Steve Schilling and Justin Boren. And we almost lost Boren, a U-M legacy, to Ohio State because we waited so long in tendering an offer. Jake Long is a great talent and coming out of high school I REALLY liked him (as did a few other astute followers of U-M recruiting), but he was not a consensus national top 100 prospect.
I remember a few months ago when Dan O’Neill committed to U-M and Lloyd Carr told him that he would be part of the best OL class in the nation. Well, that is not necessarily happening. Sure, Kurt Wermers and Elliott Mealer are solid prospects, but they are not super elite linemen. Neither are new offerees Kevin Zeitler and Rocko Khoury. It should tell you something that Mealer failed to receive an Ohio State offer and we are battling Michigan State for Rocko and Wisconsin for Zeitler. Solid prospects, but not the supers we need to compete with the USCs, Ohio State’s and Florida’s of the world.
Here is how I have the linemen/prospective linemen ranked for Michigan as compared to our competitors (cumulative OL rankings, not divided between center, tackle, guard):
Michigan
17 Dan O’Neill
25 Zebrie Sanders
45 Kurt Wermers
48 Elliott Mealer
60 Rocko Khoury
62 Kevin Zeitler
Ohio State
5 Michael Brewster
6 Mike Adams
13 J.B. Shugarts
USC
1 Tyron Smith
3 Matt Kalil
33 Matt Meyer
Nebraska
10 Baker Steinkuhler
16 Trevor Robinson
28 Bryce Givens
31 Dan Hoch
Notre Dame
30 Lane Clelland
50 Braxston Cave
54 Mike Golic
As you can see, USC has managed to receive verbals from two offensive linemen in the past few months who are more highly rated that ANYBODY Michigan has signed at the position in, say, over ten years. Ohio State is on the verge of putting together an offensive line class for the ages. Nebraska’s class is also stronger and includes several kids they beat U-M out for. Currently, Michigan’s class is only slightly better than Notre Dame’s, and that’s simply because of O’Neill and the fact that Notre Dame already has a ton of Offensive line prospects on campus.
The offensive line class that Michigan is putting together this year reminds me quite a bit, both in terms of numbers and talent level, of the 2005 freshman class of Justin Schifano, Mark Ortmann, Cory Zirbel, Dave Moosman and Tim McAvoy. Schifano had a national ranking similar to O’Neill’s while all the others were more or less middling prospecst who were not national elite top 20 linemen. Entering their third year in the program perhaps one, likely Ortmann, will be a starter, and that is probably due to the fact that Schilling has missed so much time due to injury. Lots of road-graders who are fine agaist the likes of Indiana, Minnesota and even Michigan State, but have a tough time holding up against the athletic defenders at programs like USC. The proof is in the pudding.
It’s interesting to note that U-M has had very little success in recruiting both offensive linemen and the state of Illinois since Andy Moeller has been responsible for both at Michigan.
2007 University of Michigan Football Camp Preview
The University of Michigan football camp kicks off on Monday, June 18.
Below is my overview of some of the top rising senior prospects who have indicated that they will or may be attending the camp. Please keep in mind that this is a very fluid list. Often players who say they plan on attending do not show up while others decide to attend at the last minute.
QuarterbacksThere is a need for Michigan to sign a QB this year as only Ryan Mallett and Dave Cone will be around in 2008. An incoming freshman would likely have a two year gap with Mallett probably not red shirting this year.
Michigan has only offered one QB that I believe it has a legitimate shot at signing and that is Mike Glennon out of Virginia. Don't be surprised to see the most impressive camp QB receive an offer and possibly even commit. It's a deep year for borderline U-M caliber QBs in Michigan and Krauss, Kay and Mifsud will all battle for that elusive offer. I also wouldn't be surprised to see in-staters Adam Follett, Craig Sacha and Chris Lum show up as well.
1 Jacob Charest QB 6'3 178 4.97 Charlotte Butler North Carolina Offers: LOU, NCST, MD, CAL, ILL Will camp Will be interesting to see if this Butler player shows up
2 Spencer Krauss QB/LB 6'1 212 Clinton Michigan Offers: STAN Will camp Fast-rising in-stater has a gun for an arm and is tough, but may be too short
3 Brendon Kay QB/ATH 6'4 218 4.77 Marine City Michigan Offers: EMU Will camp and Camped in 2006 On the radar for a while. Make or break time
4 Anthony Mifsud QB 6'4 184 4.90 Dearborn Michigan Will camp Least touted of the top four QBs camping but for some reason I suspect he is the most likely to receive an offer
Running BacksMcGuffie is the RB that U-M really wants and they may be reluctant to offer a similar sort of back in fear of scaring McGuffie away (which is, in my view, unlikely, as McGuffie loves competition).
Michigan will need to decide what to do about highly touted in-stater Jonas Gray. Ray is another in-stater who has blown up recently and watch out for super sleeper Anton Harris, who played this past year in Germany.
1 Sam McGuffie RB 5'11 191 4.32 Houston Cy-Fair Texas Offers: 20+ April Offers: KAN, TT, A&M, KANST, OK, MICH, GT, ND, FLA, AL, AZ, MIN, BAY, MIA, IAST, FSU, CAL, PSU, OKST, BC, USC Will camp Already offered
2 Jonas Gray RB 5'10 214 4.53 Birmingham Detroit Country Day Michigan Offers: MICHST, COL, ILL, MIN, FLA, IA, CIN, PUR, LOU, TEN, WISC, NEB Will camp and Camped in 2006 If he isn't offered here, he may never be offered by U-M
3 Caulton Ray RB/DB 5'9 195 4.34 Birmingham Brother Rice Michigan Offers: EMU, CMU, BG, CIN Will camp Blew up at Nebraska camp, but skills may be too similar to McGuffie to earn an offer unless he is willing to play CB
4 Andre Smith RB 5'11 185 4.40 Bakersfield East Bakersfield California Offers: ORE, COLST Will camp Curious to see if he will show up
5 Anton Harris RB/LB 5'9 200 4.50 Bitburg Germany Will camp Mike Hart's cousin was the top DOD player in Europe this past year. A super sleeper
6 Darrin Williams RB/WR/DB 5'6 163 4.34 Detroit Martin Luther King Michigan Offers: CIN, HOWARD, CMU Will camp Cincinnati verbal who is cat-quick
7 James Cravens RB 6'0 217 4.47 Centerville Ohio Will camp Nice combo of power and speed
8 Jezrel White RB 5'11 190 Kalamazoo Hackett Michigan Will camp Small school stud to keep an eye on
9 DeAndre Johnson RB/DB 5'9 180 4.50 Madison Heights Madison Michigan Will camp Big numbers on the field but a bit small for U-M?
10 Glenn Winston RB/LB 6'1 213 4.39 Detroit Denby Michigan Will camp Rare size/speed ratio could make Winston this year's James Rogers. Watch him closely!
11 Mario Crawford RB/DB/WR 5'8 157 4.40 Romulus Michigan Offers: CMU Will camp Quick but too small
12 Dominique White RB/DB 5'7 171 4.70 Orchard Lake St. Mary's Michigan Camped The best in a down year at St. Mary's
13 Angel Clybourn RB/LB 6'1 220 4.60 Princeton The Hun School New Jersey May camp Prep school star who is a sleeper as he only played in 3 games as a junior due to transfer rules.
14 Teddy Frommann RB/DL/LB 6'0 231 4.90 Portage Northern Michigan Will camp Nice-looking fullback who may be a step slow.
15 Charles Hollowell RB/WR 5'9 171 4.40 Detroit Renaissance Michigan Will camp Too small
Wide ReceiversU-M is feeling pretty good about current offerees Jon Baldwin, Darryl Stonum and Fred Smith, so I would be surprised to see new WR offers emerge unless someone truly stands out. Damion Dixon could be the most likely prospect to receive an offer (assuming Fuller does not show up).
1 Jeffrey Fuller WR 6'5 200 4.50 McKinney Boyd Texas Offers: 25 June Offers: A&M, OK, BC, BAY, DUKE, OKST, WISC, TCU, COL, MO, ILL, LSU, OHST, NEB, AL, TEX, FLA May camp Great offer list but will he show and will we offer a receiver at the camp? I doubt it for both.
2 Sedrick Johnson WR/LB 6'4 190 4.60 Arp Texas HOU, A&M, OKST, TULSA, NEB, MICH, FLA, COL May camp Reportedly already has an offer but will he show and, if so, will U-M fast-play him. Doubt it on both.
3 D.J. Woods WR/DB 6'0 175 4.35 Strongsville Ohio EMU, MIA (OH), KENTST, BALLST, IN, IA, PITT, NEB, AIR FORCE, WVU, WISC Will camp Tests great but plays a bit stiff. Could project at DB
4 Damion Dixon WR 6'4 180 4.50 Port Allen Louisiana AUB, FLA Will camp Sleeper to really watch out for. This year's LaTerryal Savoy?
5 Samuel Gaymon WR/DB 6'3 182 4.60 Detroit Renaissance Michigan CMU, EMU, TOL, CIN, BC Will camp One of the top prospects in Detroit but U-M has bigger fish to fry.
6 Jarrett Boykin WR 6'0 185 4.70 Charlotte Butler North Carolina Will camp Another Butler prospect
7 Lars Knudsen WR 6'4 173 4.50 Whitefish Bay Wisconsin Likely camper Good prospect, at least for the state of Wisconsin.
Tight EndsBrandon Moore is already on board while Kevin Koger and Tyler Hoover are offerees who could also play TE. Ladner is a likely no-show after committing to CAL recently. Graham already has an offer. I don't really see any new offers at this position during camp week.
1 Spencer Ladner TE/WR 6'7 240 4.81 Kansas City Pembroke Hill Missouri Offers: 19 May Offers: MO, KAN, KANST, WISC, CLEM, WASH ST, NEB, MICH, OK, CAL, IA, COL, MO, UVA May camp Committed to California recently so I doubt he shows up
2 Hubie Graham TE/DL 6'4 225 4.70 Scranton West Scranton Pennsylvania Offers: 25 May Offers: PITT, SYR, VANDY, MICH, MIN, PSU, CLEM, IA, WISC, ILL, GT, VT, CFLA, NCST, SCAR, MICHST, FSU, BUFF, FLA, UCONN, BC, LOU, OK, UCLA, RUT Will camp Seems pretty open so it will be interesting to see if he shows
3 Cody Aughney TE 6'6 220 4.90 Henderson Green Valley Nevada Will camp Sleeper who looked solid at USC skills camp
4 Joe Collura TE/OL/DL 6'4 250 Hyattsville DeMatha Maryland Will camp Solid blocker
Offensive LinemenMuch like QB, there will be a real gong show going on for possible offers on the OL. Pocic may feel some heat to commit before the OL fills up as at least one of several in-staters along with Kevin Zeitler could well emerge with an offer this week.
1 Dan O'Neill OL/DL 6'8 291 Grand Haven Michigan Offers: WMU, CMU, PUR, MICH, MICHST, NEB, UCLA, FSU May camp and Camped in 2006 Michigan verbal
2 Graham Pocic OL 6'7 313 5.62 Lemont Illinois Offers: 20+ May Offers: ILL, WISC, NW, VANDY, IN, DUKE, PUR, MD, PSU, FSU, NCST, TEN, COL, FLA, MICH, BC, MIN, MIA, NCAR Will camp Already has an offer. From the same school as Dave Molk but a very different sort of lineman.
3 Elliott Mealer OL/DL/TE 6'6 280 5.20 Wauseon Ohio Offers: 13 April Offers: MIA (OH), BG, PUR, CIN, NW, DUKE, EMU, IN, MICHST, MICH Will camp Michigan verbal
4 Deontee Pannell OL/DL 6'6 300 Birmingham Groves Michigan Offers: MICHST, EMU, CMU, MIN, PUR, PSU, WISC Will camp Really blowing up this spring and has as good a chance as any lineman to land an offer at the camp. I so, the commitment watch would begin.
5 Rocko Khoury OL/DL 6'6 282 5.00 Traverse City West Michigan Offers: WMU, EMU, CMU, MICHST Will camp Right up there with Pannell as one who has a legit shot of receiving an offer with a solid camp
6 Kevin Zeitler OL 6'4 288 Milwaukee Wisconsin Lutheran Wisconsin Offers: AIR FORCE, ARMY, MIN, PUR, WISC, NILL Will camp One of the top prospects in Wiscosnin and has a great chance to receive an offer.
7 Zac Hueter OL/DL/TE 6'6 270 5.10 North Branch Michigan Offers: CMU Will camp Sleeper OT with a great frame and quick feet. With a great camp another offer, and commitment watch, possibilty
8 Andrew Sampson OL/DL 6'4 275 Aurora Overland Colorado Offers: WASH, AZST, COLST, UTAH May camp Will he show?
9 Chad Hounshell OL/DL 6'6 302 5.36 Mentor Lake Catholic Ohio Offers: 6 May Offers: COL, KAN, WMU, KENT ST, IN, MIA (OH) May camp; 2006 Camp Similar in a lot of ways to Pocic and has had a good spring
10 Carlin Landingham OL 6'2 275 5.69 Muskegon Michigan May camp May be too short to receive an offer
11 Matt Lipski OL 6'9 362 5.56 Ashland Oregon Will camp Athletic for a big guy, but needs to redistribute his weight.
12 Mohamad Moukdad OL 6'2 315 5.47 Dearborn Fordson Michigan Will camp Powerful road grader whose lack of ideal height hurts
13 Chris Groth OL 6'4 295 South Lyon Michigan May camp Sleeper OG prospect who is certainly on my possible offer radar
14 Ethan Ruhland OL 6'6 257 5.51 Lake Orion Michigan Offers: ARMY, AIR FORCE, EMU, CMU, WMU, MIA (OH) Will camp Plays for a strong program and has a nice frame
15 Marc Stevens OL/DL 6'5 298 5.59 Lexington Ohio Offers: 6 MAC Offers as of May: AKRON, BG, BALLST, WMU Will camp Stevens and everyone listed below would really have to surprise to be offered
16 Blaec Walker OL 6'6 317 Middletown Ohio Offers: BG, ILL, EMU Will camp
17 Neal Dieters OL 6'9 342 Elmhurst York Illinois Offers: UVA, TOL Will camp
18 Chip Robinson OL 6'6 370 6.41 Middletown Ohio Offers: BG, EMU, ILL Likely camper
19 Donald Mathis OL/DL 6'2 317 5.10 Detroit Crockett Michigan Will camp
20 Lawrence Young OL/DL 6'3 270 Detroit Renaissance Michigan Offers: CMU Will camp
21 Cory Christianson OL 6'2 278 5.30 Richfield Academy of Holy Angels Minnesota May camp and Camped in 2006
22 Guy Reynolds OL 6'2 314 5.44 Avondale Westview Arizona Offers: ID May camp
23 Austin Holtz OL 6'5 265 5.20 Holt Michigan Offers: EMU, BUFF Will camp
24 Paul Hashagen OL 6'4 270 5.00 West Grove Avon Grove Pennsylvania Will camp
25 Jeremy Snook OL/DL 6'4 289 Highland Milford Michigan May camp and Camped in 2006
26 Cameron Wagner OL 5'11 310 Batesville South Panola Mississippi May camp; Camped in 2006
27 Erik Radzilowski OL 6'3 300 Birmingham Groves Michigan Will camp
28 Lloyd Morrison OL/DL 6'3 271 Oradell Bergen Catholic New Jersey Will camp
Defensive LinemenU-M really needs defensive linemen, especially DEs, in this class. Not a deep group of prospective campers but pretty top-heavy. Johnson will be camping the entire week and is the top prospect in Oregon. Koger could well commit this week. Glenn Foster is a very athletic edge rusher who is one of my top offer candidates this week.
1 Ethan Johnson DL/OL 6'5 253 5.16 Portland Lincoln Oregon Offers: ORE, ORE ST, COL, ND, AUB, USC, MIN, AZST, NEB, WASH, MICH, UVA Will camp One of the top DEs in the nation and will camp the entire week. Which is a good thing
2 Michael Martin DL/OL 6'1 290 4.89 Novi Detroit Catholic Central Michigan Offers: 15 June Offers: NW, IA, PUR, MICHST, PSU, IN, MIA (OH), DUKE, MICH Will. Camp Michigan verbal
3 Kevin Koger DE/TE 6'4 2404.55 Toledo Whitmer Ohio Offers: MICH, OHST, several others. Will camp. Has been offered and there is a very good chance that he will verbal this month.
4 Glenn Foster DL/LB 6'4 233 4.40 Chicago Mount Carmel Illinois Offers: 14 June Offers: COL, IN, ILL, BALLST, EMU, WMU, WYO, KANST, NEB, MICHST, AKRON, TOL, BG, MIA (OH) May camp U-M needs DEs and Foster, who was cut from the 60 man frosh team in 2004, is a high ceiling type who could fit the bill
5 Eric Herman DL/OL 6'4 265 4.90 Toledo Central Catholic Ohio Offers: OHIO, WMU Will camp A good year for linemen in Toledo area, and Herman is a sleeper as he was injured much of his junior campaign
6 Dan Giordano DL 6'4 245 Frankfort Lincoln-Way East Illinois Offers: EMU, EASTERN ILL Will camp Road grader
7 Chinedum Umachi DL/TE 6'6 235 4.70 Detroit Renaissance Michigan Will camp Outstanding frame and athleticism but VERY raw
8 David Dick DL/OL 6'3 290 5.00 Dayton Chaminade-Julienne Ohio Will camp Plays hard
9 Josh Lott DL/TE 6'2 230 4.70 Warren Howland Ohio Will camp
LinebackersAnother position of need for U-M this year. Wilson is actually being recruited by U-M as an H-Back and already has an offer, as does Perry. Beachum, Demens and Murray are all blue-chippers who are battling for an offer. They all have a decent chance of eventually receiving one.
1 Christian Wilson LB/RB 6'3 235 4.65 McKees Rock Montour Pennsylvania Offers: 44 May Offers: LOU, MICH, OHST, MD, UVA, VT, AUB, IA, CLEM, PITT, PSU, PUR, FLA Will camp Already offered so unsure if he will camp
2 Nick Perry LB/DL/TE 6'3 211 4.51 Detroit Martin Luther King Michigan Offers: MICHST, MICH, WVU, IN, PUR, MIN, ILL, BG, IA, TOL, OHST, PSU, WISC May camp Already offered but U-M needs to do some selling here
3 Brandon Beachum LB/DB/RB 6'0 214 4.82 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney Ohio Offers: 25+ June Offers: CIN, MIA(OH), OK, NEB, IN, IAST, PITT, ILL, WISC, COL, MICHST, SYR, LSU, STAN, WVU, FSU, PSU, NCST, OK, BC, LOU May camp Highly touted but yet to be offered. A good perfomance could change that
4 Kenny Demens LB/RB 6'1 211 4.60 Birmingham Detroit Country Day Michigan Offers: MICHST, PUR, ILL, IA, NEB, BC, MIN, WISC Will camp Package deal with Gray and is an offer possibility
5 Latavius Murray LB/RB 6'3 215 4.64 Nedrow Onondaga New York Offers: SYR, BC, CFLA, UCONN, MD Will camp Two-way back from Mike Hart's school. Runs well and has a nice frame. Could emerge with an offer
6 Brett Nagel LB/TE/QB 6'4 218 Lemont Illinois Offers: NW, VANDY, PUR, KANST, COL, STAN, IN, COLST, MICHST, AIR FORCE, BC May camp Bigger than older brother Aaron (ND signee), but the Domers have not yet offered
7 Dexter Heyman LB/DL/TE 6'4 216 5.09 Louisville Male Kentucky Offers: LOU, CIN, NW, IN, KY Will camp Was once more highly touted but offer list does not justify earlier AA status
8 Celester Barnes LB/TE 6'2 225 Montclair New Jersey Will camp Szabo has really been digging the Jersey shore in search of 'backers
9 Nick Schneider LB 6'3 225 4.70 Cincinnati St. Xavier Ohio Offers: BG, EMU Likely camper Prep star who may lack the athleticism and speed to play at U-M
10 Chad Sprayberry LB 6'3 230 4.70 Oak Forest Illinois Offers: AIR FORCE Will Camp Sleeper who has been moving up a bit in the spring, but doubt he will be offered
11 Mitch Zajac LB/OL 6'1 245 4.80 Holt Michigan Offers: WMU, CMU Will camp Run-stuffer who is an offer longshot, as are those listed below
12 Matt Carroll LB/QB 6'3 220 4.60 Kennett Square Unionville Pennsylvania Will camp
13 Zach Fortier LB/DL/RB 6'2 215 Spring Lake Michigan Will camp
14 Armond Staten LB/DL 6'2 210 Inkster Michigan Will camp
15 Matt Eisenzoph LB/RB/DB 6'0 202 Menominee Michigan May camp
16 Paul Swan LB/RB 6'1 190 Oconomowoc Wisconsin Will camp
Defensive BacksSafety is a top priority for U-M this year, but there are a few big names that U-M has already offered and has a decent shot at landing (in particular the two New Jersey backs Will Hill and Brandon Smith), so offers may not be handed out so easily. McCarthy and Carraway already hold offers. Three CBs who are fighting for an offer are Marc Anthony, Tommie Thomas and Anthony Hollis. I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one emerge with an offer.
1 Boubacar Cissoko DB/WR 5'9 175 4.40 Detroit Cass Tech Michigan Offers: MICH, MICHST, PSU, IA, TEN Michigan verbal
2 Daniel McCarthy DB 6'2 190 4.50 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney Ohio Offers: 13 March Offers: OHST, AKRON, IN, MICH, LSU, OK, ND, MIA (OH), STAN, IA Will camp Talented safety who has a brother at ND and also likes the Buckeyes. Already offered.
3 Vaughn Carraway DB/WR 6'2 170 4.57 Laureldale Muhlenberg Pennsylvania Offers: UCONN, MICH, PSU, BC, PITT, WVU, SYR, TEN, TEMP, AKRON Likely Camper Has an offer, but he may want to play WR while U-M likes him at safety
4 Eddie Whitley DB 6'1 169 4.40 Charlotte Butler North Carolina Offers: LOU, DUKE, NCAR, UVA, NCST, KY, CAL, ORE, MD, ILL, GA Will camp and camped in 2006 and 2005 Possibly the only Butler DB who will show up, and the only one without an offer
5 Marc Anthony DB/WR 6'0 175 4.75 Chandler Arizona Offers: UTAH, WASH, BOISE ST, WASHST, AZST, WY, OREST, SDST, COLST, ILL, COL, UTEP Will camp On the rise prospect who could hang with Cleopatra but not Jerry Rice. Definite offer possibility.
6 Tommie Thomas DB/QB/ATH 6'0 165 4.40 Oak Lawn Richards Illinois Offers: PUR, ILL, IN, BALLST, CIN, COL, KANST, AKRON Will camp TomTom is definitey one who could receive an offer with an impressivge performance.
7 Anthony Hollis DB/WR 5'10 175 4.40 Detroit Northwestern Michigan Offers: BALLST Will camp and camped in 2006 A couple of inches away from being a definite offer type, but he still may get one
8 James Wade DB/WR 6'3 180 4.50 Ann Arbor Pioneer Michigan Will camp Rangy safety makign the voyage across the street in search of a schollie.
9 Russell Ellington DB/WR 6'3 205 4.60 Flossmoor Homewood-Flossmoor Illinois Offers: LOU, WMU, EASTERN ILL Will camp Safety is a need so Russell has a shot, albeit a long one, at an offer
10 Bruce Horner DB/WR 6'1 170 4.45 Birmingham Groves Michigan Offers: EMU, BUFF, CIN Will camp Cincinnati verbal who is part of a strong Groves senior class. Did I say Groves?
11 Dan Atwood DB/RB 6'0 185 4.50 Gaithersburg Maryland Will camp Longshot for an offer
12 Darius Reeves DB/RB/WR 6'1 170 4.50 Gahanna Lincoln Ohio Will camp Son of former U-M safety Jeff Reeves. Could he surprise like another rising son, Troy Woolfolk, did last year?
13 Eli Biakabatuka DB 6'2 200 Montreal Lynx Canada May camp and Camped in 2006 Touchdown Tim's bro has a great frame for a safety but laskd brother's great skill set.
14 Cortez Smith DB/LB/RB 5'11 196 4.54 Detroit Cass Tech Michigan Offers: BALLST, IN May camp and Camped in 2006 Cortez is one of deep group of PSL DBs who just may be a step too slow or a bit too small to earn a U-M offer
15 Quinn Parnell DB/RB 5'9 168 4.40 Detroit Renaissance Michigan Will camp
16 Jeray Carraway DB/QB 5'11 179 Detroit Renaissance Michigan Will camp
17 Floyd Simmons DB/LB/TE 6'0 185 4.50 Detroit Crockett Michigan Will camp
18 Kyle DeMaster DB 6'1 180 4.50 Macomb Dakota Michigan Offers: EMU, BALLST Will camp
19 Chris Lopes DB/WR 5'9 170 4.50 Brockton Massachusetts Will camp
Most Likely To Be Offered (Assuming They Show Up)1 Jeffrey Fuller
2 Brandon Beachum
3 Glenn Foster
4 Deontee Panell
5 Rocko Khoury
6 Kevin Zeitler
7 Kenny Demens
8 Latavius Murray
9 Zac Hueter
10 Jonas Gray
11 Tommie Thomas
12 Damion Dixon
13 D.J. Woods
14 Marc Anthony
15 Anthony Hollis
16 Anton Harris
17 Spencer Krauss
18 Brendan Kay
19 Chris Groth
20 Chad Hounshell
21 Glenn Winston
22 Caulton Ray
Most Likely To Commit In the Next Month (Including Non-Campers)1 Fred Smith
2 Sam McGuffie
3 Kevin Koger
4 Darryl Stonum
5 Tyler Hoover
6 Christian Wilson
7 Nick Perry
8 Deontee Panell
9 Vaughn Carraway
10 Graham Pocic
11 Rocko Khoury
12 Latavius Murray
13 Kevin Zeitler
14 Glenn Foster
15 Brandon Beachum
16 Zac Hueter
17 Anthony Hollis
18 Tommie Thomas
19 Hubie Graham
20 Anthony Mifsud
21 D.J. Woods
22 Anton Harris
23 Spencer Krauss
24 Brendan Kay
25 Sedrick Johnson
26 Chris Groth
27 Marc Anthony
28 Glenn Winston
Favorite Sleepers (No Order)Glenn Winston
Glenn Foster
Anton Harris
Zac Hueter
Anthony Hollis
Jezrel White
Anthony Mifsud
Spencer Krauss
