With defensive end a major need for the 2008 and 2009 recruiting classes, Michigan finally received a commitment at the position last week, and when it rains, it pours. Craig Roh, a standout at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Arizona, has pledged his word to sign with Michigan in February. Roh (6-5, 230, 4.6) becomes the 18th Michigan commitment for 2009.
Player Notes
Roh has great measurements for the defensive end position, though he will likely need to add weight with Mike Barwis to become a fixture along the defensive 
front. Roh is a high-energy player with excellent speed for a lineman. He was on Jim Stefani’s early list of prospects that Michigan should pursue. He is a tweener-type, though not the bad kind: he can play either a pass-rushing or run-stopping role from the defensive end spot, though if he specializes in one or the other, he could become a more intimidating player. It is expected that he will stay at the weakside (pass-rushing) end position. Roh has been selected for the ESPNU All-Star game, which certainly puts him among the top prospects in the country. He is considered a 4-star to both Rivals and Scout.
Recruiting Notes
Roh is originally from Michigan, and still has family in the Mitten. Roh’s family takes vacations in West Michigan each summer, so he is familiar with the area. He was extended a scholarship offer early in the recruiting cycle (though perhaps not early enough for some who follow recruiting to be satisfied), and expressed a lot of interest in Michigan. He visited Ann Arbor multiple times in a single week around the Fourth of July, the second visit to ensure he could meet with headman Rich Rodriguez. The visit did not result in a commitment, but not too long after, he narrowed to a top five list of several West Coast schools and Michigan. Roh then set up an official visit to Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ opening tilt against Utah. Following the visit, Craig gave the standard “I was blown away” lip service, but indicated that he would not commit to Michigan until after giving the USC Trojans a chance. His official visit to the Coliseum for Southern Cal’s win against Ohio State never came to fruition, and instead he took an unofficial visit to Arizona State last weekend. On Tuesday, he announced that he would make his college choice on Tom Luginbill’s ESPNU show Thursday night. When it came time to reveal his decision, Craig picked the Michigan Wolverines.
Posted under Recruiting
Tags: commitments, craig roh, Football, Recruiting