Though he had previously been committed to the Stanford Cardinal, GBW’s front page is reporting that OH DB Courtney Avery has dropped his Stanford pledge and committed to the Michigan Wolverines. The cornerback out of Lexington, Ohio stands 5-10, 165. He is Michigan’s 15th pledge in the class of 2010.
Recruiting Notes
Avery was on the 2010 Recruiting Board when it debuted, though it was as a dual-threat QB. However, Michigan never seemed to be in strong pursuit of the two-way player. He committed to Stanford in early April, and I removed him from the board. Avery was not quite done with his recruitment yet, though. He visited Michigan this week for summer camp, where he was one of the more impressive players in attendance. When he left, the Michigan coaches let him know that he would receive a Michigan offer. Shortly after that, Avery changed his mind from the Cardinal to the Wolverines, pledging to the Michigan staff.
Player Notes
As mentioned above, Avery is a quarterback for his high school team, in addition to his duties in the defensive backfield. In fact, he is a rather excellent high school signal-caller, and was named his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year as a junior. However, when he gets to Michigan, he will play strictly defensive back, where he tried out in summer camp. He has good hip fluidity and agility, which help him make up for a slight lack in top-end speed. One of the biggest knocks on Avery is his size: he’s listed anywhere from 5-8 to 5-10, which is small even for a cornerback. However, he is rumored to be up to nearly 5-11 now, which not only indicates that’s he’s made up some of the height disparity, but also that he may continue growing. By the time he hits campus, he could be as tall as 6-1. Camp offers are typically a time to say “throw out the rankings” (NR on Rivals, 3* to Scout), since the coaches have been able to evaluate a prospect in the flesh.
The situation of TX LB Holmes Onwukaife is much less clear, but it appears as though he’s been given the same treatment that FL CB Travis Williams received when he tried to commit earlier this spring: The coaches told him to wait it out, and make sure he was making the right decision. In other words, they told him not to commit.
Sam Webb Detroit Newsfluff on the Sound Mind, Sound Body Camp in Detroit. Included is the indication that MI QB Commit Devin Gardner is all but assured to take over the throne as the to player in the state of Michigan, replacing recent MSU commit DE William Gholston (though the indications have been piling up since long before Gholston’s pledge). Gardner has excelled at QB in such events recently, so much so that he’s taken to showing off his athleticism at WR as well.
The paring down of QBs will be done a little more liberally, now that it’s unlikely that Michigan is in the market for another.
OH DE Darryl Baldwin seems to have settled on a final list of schools that does not include Michigan. The Buckeyes, Spartans, Nittany Lions, and Irish will vie for his services. I’ll leave him on the board for now, since that’s the first I’ve heard of such a narrowing. However, don’t expect him to remain much longer: Ohio State may be receiving a commitment soon.
DC LB Javarie Johnson has named a top 4 of Michigan, Michigan state, Maryland, and Miami of Florida. The linebacker, who only likes schools starting with the letter “M,” has not formed a timetable for a decision (and no, he hasn’t committed to Michigan, though that would likely make the Wolverine coaches ecstatic).
TX LB Corey Nelson bizarrely named Michigan his leader a while back, sight unseen (and despite holding offers from other bigtime schools). The teammate of RB commit Tony Drake has since changed his tune, however, and it doesn’t seem like Michigan is in his top 5 or top 10, much less his leader. Drake may not have a ton of time to sway Nelson, since the linebacker intends to shorten his timetable for a decision.
OH LB Jordan Hicks has named three of his official visits. Ohio State, Texas, and USC will receive officials, with Alabama, Georgia, and Florida likely to be contending for his 4th and 5th visits. Michigan is nowhere to be seen on the list, but with his teammate, TE Alex Smith, apparently very interested in the Wolverines, they have some upward mobility in his favorites list. Still, the Buckeyes and Longhorns are probably a prohibitive top 2.
SC CB/WR Nick Jones has Michigan among his favorite schools, and claims a Michigan offer (the veracity of which I’m skeptical about). He’s yet another Byrnes, SC product that Michigan is recruiting, though it seems less and less likely (i.e. rapidly approaching zero probability) that any of the bigtime prospects from that school – RB Marcus Lattimore and DEs Brandon Willis and Corey Miller – will even visit Ann Arbor, much less pick Michigan. Miller, at least, has not begun to narrow his list of suitors yet.
GBW and TheWolverine are both reporting on their front pages that South Carolina QB/Athlete Cornelius Jones has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine. Jones hails from Spartanburg HS in Spartanburg, SC, and is Michigan’s 14th public commitment in the class of 2010. The signal-caller stands 6-2 and 190 pounds.
Recruiting Notes
Aside from the obvious prospects like Devin Gardner, Jones was one of the first players to enter Michigan fans’ collective radar for the class of 2010. Despite not playing football his freshman or sophomore year, apparently due to a disciplinary issue (or problem with the previous coaching staff; it’s never really been cleared up, Jones’s highlight tape from a spring scrimmage found its way into the hands of Michigan’s coaching staff. Rich Rodriguez and company liked what they saw, and extended a verbal offer (which the Detroit media, in full anti-Rodriguez mode at the time, spun to indicate that Rod was clueless or something). As it turned out, the offer did not come through at that time, but Michigan offered him in January, and was still among his first offers. It was that early interest that helped Michigan stay in the forefront of his recruitment, as the Wolverines led wire-to-wire. Jones always maintained that he was trying to work out a visit to Michigan, and that visit eventually ended up taking place for the Wolverines’ 2009 summer camp. At that time, he realized Ann Arbor was the place for him, and he committed to don the maize-and-blue.
Player Notes
Jones is a dual-threat quarterback in the same mold as Devin Gardner, who can really hurt you with his feet, and has some improving to do in the passing game (certainly understandable for a high school junior). Jones isn’t quite the physical specimen that Garnder is, but might be a slightly better passer at this time. That’s an exciting prospect for Michigan fans, as he’s only played football (and quarterback) for one year thus far! With further coaching at both the high school and college levels, he should blossom into a true threat in both phases of the game.
Some things that didn’t fit in Thursday’s update is thrown in here as well, so it should be a JAM-PACKED! update. Here’s the 2010 Michigan Recruiting Board.
Super-non-informative article on the recruitment of PA QB Anthony Gonzales (#6). He’s fast enough to play QB for his high school team, and is described as “slippery.” Though Michigan hasn’t offered yet, that certainly fits the description they’re looking for in this class: a good second QB who can potentially change positions down the road if everything works out with the other players. There is no Michigan mention in the article, and Penn State is presumed to be the favorite by the author, with Pitt just behind. Still, if the Wolverines don’t have a second QB committed by the time the season rolls around, Gonzales may be a candidate to pick up an offer.
LSU has jumped into the fray for IA QB/Ath AJ Derby (info in header). He is becoming a bigger and bigger prospect, which means he may be less likely to accept an offer to play second fiddle to Devin Gardner in the QB class of 2010. Of course, it’s still highly likely he plays at Iowa, where his dad played. The Chicago Sun-Times’s Second Season blog thinks it’s Iowa or Florida for him.
Continuing the deluge of QB news, SC prospect Cornelius Jones has set up a summer visit to Ann Arbor (info in header). Smart money is on this visit happening for camp this week. Jones has had Michigan at or near the top of his list for quite some time now, so a good visit with the Wolverines might be enough to convince him to commit.
Removed MI QB Robert Bolden, who does not have the Wolverines on his list of 6 finalists. I’m not disappointed, because I still maintain that Bolden is more of a pro-style QB than a true dual-threat who would thrive in the Rich Rodriguez spread.
Fluff/brief recruiting info on FL RB Cassius McDowell from SoFlaFootball. McDowell is out for the spring with a broken leg, and has been using his newfound free time to pick up the pace with schoolwork, and enroll early in the fall at his school of choice. The teammate of 2009 signees Denard Robinson and Adrian Witty counts the Wolverines among his offers.
Removed FL RB Darion Hall, who committed to Miami. This is not a surprise. You may recall that I was not particularly stoked on Hall, especially considering he apparently has some maturing to do “on and off the field.”
FL/MI WR Ricardo Miller has apparently changed his tune about which Ann Arbor-area high school he’ll be attending, according to Sam Webb. Rampant speculation and semi-disturbing high school fantasy football leagues by Michigan fans have cluttered the interwebs this weekend, but the fact of the matter is, he’s going to go to the school that gives him the best education and opportunity to succeed on the football field.
PA WR Andrew Carswell‘s continued interest in Michigan (they’re in his top 3 with BC and Pitt) may be explained by the fact that he’s a multiple-position player. If he ends up committing to Michigan (I still think it’s something of a longshot at this point), he could end up playing linebacker on defense.
In your latest breathless MN OL Seantrel Henderson update, a couple fun factoids that may play a role in his recruitment. First, new Gophers OL coach Tim Davis might send his son to Cretin-Derham Hall. That would certainly not hurt Minnesota for Seantrel (unless said son is a total d-bag, but I digress). Another interesting friend item on Henderson:
According to Lemming, Henderson may want to attend the same school as friend J.D. Pride, another Minneapolis-area player. According to Rivals.com, the only offer Pride holds is from Minnesota.
If the Wolverines ever offer Pride, a QB/Ath, it would certainly help their case. Also, maybe Pride could net an Eastern Michigan offer? That could still help the Wolverines land Henderson. I believe both Henderson and Pride are camping at Michigan, and Eastern’s coaches traditionally head across town to take part.
Recruiting info on GA DT Jeff Whitaker, with nary a mention of Michigan. It sounds like he probably won’t end up with an offer. With the Wolverines perhaps having less of a need for DTs in the unconventional defense of Greg Robinson, perhaps they’ll only need one tackle in this class.
MI DT Jonathan Hankins may be their guy at the position, as a camp offer is likely to come through, especially considering even the stingy Buckeyes have deemed him worthy of a scholarship. Sam Webb had a “gut feeling” on the Recruiting Roundup Thursday that Hankins would be blue if offered. For those who are unfamiliar with the WTKA morning show, Sam’s “gut feeling” means that he has heard directly from a source that the information is true.
Removed SC DT AJ Cann. He is down to a final list that does not include Michigan, and the Wolverines are out of the race for his services.
FL DE Lynden Trail is favoring Florida as he quests to add more weight to give his body a more appropriate DE size (he’s currently at 210 pounds, standing 6-7).
Removed PA DE Dakota Royer. He has released a final five list that does not include Michigan. He plans to make a commitment in July. In a really odd twist, especially considering The Sporting News’s Recruitnik blog has an article on Royer from the same timeframe, also featuring direct quotes, that Royer is down to a top 10, with narrowing to a top 5 by the end of July. Either way, Michigan isn’t on his list, so he gone. Adios, guy who did this:
FL DE/LB Corey Lemonier is playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense this year at Hialeah, which is probably fairly comparable to the hybrid roles in Michigan’s new defense under coordinator Greg Robinson. It should come as no surprise, then, that Lemonier plans to use one of his official visits on a trip to Ann Arbor. DE/LB is the new WR in this recruiting class, as far as “how many of these guys can we fit in the class?”
MI S/LB/Ath Daniel Easterlycurrently favors Illinois, but his feelings about the Wolverines are hard to tell, because he won’t name schools that haven’t offered him among his favorites. He is going to camp at Michigan, so if he earns an offer there, the Wolverines would likely be a serious player in his recruitment.
FL CB Nickell Robey is going to visit Ann Arbor this summer along with FL S commit Marvin Robinson (info in header). This is obviously good news as far as Robey’s recruitment, but there’s also some moderately bad news that relates to Robinson: he still wants to take a visit to Chapel Hill to check out the Tar Heels (info in header). He still plans to honor his verbal commitment, so this isn’t exactly “ACK FREAK OUT”-type news, but the verbal is less than solid, it seems.
Removed OH CB Jordan Paschal. The Trotwood-Madison (Roundtree, Shaw, Moore) product committed to Louisville.
The word on Wilkins? Well, a good source at Trinity who knows the football program well said Wilkins is talented, but isn’t as athletic as Andrew Sweat, a Trinity linebacker two seasons ago who is now at Ohio State. “He doesn’t have the agility that Sweat had,” the source said.
Wow, a defensive end doesn’t have the same agility as a linebacker. You deserve a medal for figuring that one out, guy.
More Nike Camp recap from Josh Helmholdt in the Free Press. Relevant players include MI QB commit Devin Gardner:
the 6-5, 210-pound Gardner is dual-threat quarterback and many of his best attributes are not showcased in a non-contact camp setting. Still, Gardner showed that he has spent a good portion of the offseason working on his passing. His footwork is vastly improved and even though he still has an atypical throwing motion, he was able to make all the throws and did so with adequate arm strength and accuracy.
Livonia Stevenson’s Austin White took home the MVP honors at the running back position with considerable ease. The 6-1, 185-pound White was nearly unstoppable in the one-on-one portion of the camp, using his speed to outrun would-be defenders. White’s footwork and agility in the drills portion of the camp also solidified his MVP honors.
Although they did not take home MVP honors, Southeastern defensive linemen Johnathon Hankins and William Gholston both had good performances, too. The 6-3, 320-pound Hankins has put a lot of work into his conditioning this offseason and it showed in his performance Saturday. The 6-7, 240-pound Gholston is the state of Michigan’s top ranked prospect and his combination of size, speed and athleticism is hard to find anywhere in the country.
Other standout performers for the state of Michigan included Saginaw class of 2011 wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett, Inkster running backs/safeties Daniel and Nathan Lindsey, Ypsilanti Willow Run defensive tackle Garret Davis, Warren Fitzgerald linebacker Austin Gray, Cass Tech athlete Daniel Easterly, Lansing Sexton quarterback Taurean Jackson and Hartland 2011 wide receiver Matt Poches.
Removed OK AB/WR DeMarco Cobbs. He’s down to a top 8, which Michigan is nowhere near. He also plans to go down to a top five soon, so there’s little room to sneak onto his top list.
Shortly after a visit to Michigan for the Big House BBQ, and slightly opening the door on his recruitment, OH TE Alex Smith (seen at left) has fully decommitted from Cincinnati. Michigan will probably among the favorites to land his signature, as he’s been on campus multiple times. If they’re able to land Smith, it would certainly help with his teammate, LB Jordan Hicks. Hicks is one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation, and plans to graduate early. He has a top 6 list that he plans to reveal in short order. Ohio State and Texas are locks to be on the list, and Cincinnati will probably make it as well. Your guess is as good as mine for the last three.
MD OL Arie Kouandjio has landed a coveted Ohio State offer, and considering how selective they can be with offensive line recruits (though the results may not be there over the past two years), it certainly means he’s kind of a big deal. He plans to narrow his scholarship offers to a top five by the time his senior season rolls around.
Speaking of OL prospects (and one Michigan has a much better shot with), FL OL Torrian Wilsonhas modified his top 5, removing Tennessee in favor of… FIU? Lol Kiffin and whatnot. Alabama, Stanford, and Miami of Florida are the others in his favorites list, along with the Wolverines.
OH DE Darryl Baldwin is likely staying close to home when he ultimately selects a school. Though that immediately makes one think he’s likely to be a Buckeye, that’s certainly not set in stone. The original quote from his coach was “Everybody across the country was interested in him, but he’s a Midwest guy and he’s leaning towards staying close to home.” That sounds a bit more positive for coaches across the midwest, no?
Video fluff on FL LB Christian Jones. He still sounds like he’s going to Florida State, so I wouldn’t give him tooooo much thought.
I just added him Monday, but don’t expect GA LB Tyrone Cornileus to stay on the board long. He has a top 3-ish substance without Michigan in it, and he plans to make a commitment within a month.
MI S/LB Daniel Easterlywill camp at Michigan in hopes to land an offer from the Wolverines. He hails from the developing Michigan pipeline of Cass Tech.
Removed LA S Ronnie Vinson, who committed to LSU. He spoke early about really liking Michigan, partially due to a connection to Adam Kraus. However, he hadn’t mentioned the Wolverines in a while, and was probably no longer a realistic option.
Added OH twins DT Terry Talbott and CB Terrence Talbott. Michigan has offered both of the brothers (info in header).
This may be weird coming from me, but how about some hoops-related recruiting news? 2009 commit Darius Morris will report to Ann Arbor on June 22 for enrollment in summer classes (info in header).
This update is getting FULL. The rest of the info will be saved for a Monday update.
Pennsylvania Linebacker/Defensive End Ken Wilkins, from Washington Trinity High School, has pledged his word to become a member of Michigan’s class of 2010. Wilkins stands 6-4 and 235 pounds, and is the Wolverines’ 13th verbal pledge in the class.
Recruiting Notes
Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame may have seemed like the early favorites in the race for Wilkins’ services, as each team boasts one of his ex-teammates (Andrew Sweat, Mike Yancich, and now-Cleveland Brown Travis Thomas). However, he grew up liking Michigan, and by the time a Wolverine offer came through, Michigan and Pitt were in his top 2. Other schools, such as Penn State, Ohio State, UVa, and others were all in pursuit, but when Wilkins made it to campus for the Big House BBQ, he saw all that he needed to see in order to confirm what he had been feeling for quite some time: he belonged in Maize and Blue.
Player Notes
Though recovering turnovers on defense is mostly a luck proposition, Wilkins sure knows what to do with the ball once it’s in his hands: he scored 2 defensive touchdowns last season. He was named first-team all-state at defensive end. One thing that may be holding back his rankings a bit is the fact that he’s something of a tweener: Scout lists Wilkins as a 3-star defensive end, and Rivals has him ranked as a 3-star outside linebacker. It seems as though he’ll play mostly linebacker in college, though at Michigan he’ll have the hybrid role available to him. The low rankings certainly aren’t due to lack of exposure: on top of his all-state selection as a junior, he’s been attending the Pittsburgh Scout combine since his freshman year.
2010 Michigan Recruiting Board. Yes, I’ve been slacking a bit in updating the actual board, but I hope to bring it up to date today.
Super fluff about incoming freshman Denard Robinson. Great leadership in football and track, etc. Teammate Cassius McDowell, a 2010 RB, mentions that Robinson will certainly be missed in Deerfield Beach.
As far as 2010 news goes, nothing is more pressing at the instant than the news that PA LB/DE Ken Wilkins is set to announce his college commitment tomorrow afternoon. He is expected to pick Michigan.
With Jake Heaps off the board to BYU, Tennessee is now on the hunt for a new quarterback in the class of 2010 (you may recall that Lane Kiffin idiotically didn’t take one last year, despite a pressing need). The Vols are expected to land TN QB Barry Brunetti, though Penn State had reportedly been leading for his services. Michigan’s chances at Brunetti decrease again, though they hadn’t offered him and it didn’t seem inevitable that they would.
CA RB Brennan Clay has committed to play for Oklahoma. I’ll leave him on the board for now, because there’s no word on whether he still plans to take his scheduled trip to Michigan early in the season. If he does indeed take that trip, Michigan will have Tate Forcier in his ear trying to change his mind.
CA Ath/RB Dietrich Rileydid not give a silent commitment to Tennessee, which ok, I hadn’t even heard that as a rumor worth addressing. Still, he says Michigan is recruiting him the hardest, and he plans on visiting several schools this summer, including a trip to Ann Arbor. The recruiting criteria for him include a staff with NFL experience, so that may ding Michigan in his eyes. Also, distance doesn’t matter to him because he has family “throughout the south,” which doesn’t sound particularly promising for Michigan, either. However, a trip to campus is always an opportunity to win over a recruit, so don’t count Rich Rod and company out just yet.
OH WR/DB Commit DJ Williamson continues proving that he’s fast as hell. As long as he can translate that to the football field in the fall, he should see the recruiting services rate him higher by Signing Day 2010.
Re-added OH TE Alex Smith, who will still consider Michigan despite being a Cincinnati commit (info in header). He visited for the Big House BBQ, and apparently liked what he saw enough to officially soften his commitment to the Bearcats.
MN OL Seantrel Henderson is beginning to narrow his list, and though he’s just getting into that process, Michigan is in the top 10. Remember, he plans to visit Ann Arbor again this summer, so don’t be surprised if the Wolverines manage to make their way into his top 5 as well.
Added OH OL Travis Jackson. He’s interested in Michigan, despite no offer (info in header). Jackson is slightly undersized, but considering Michigan’s last player to come out of St. Francis DeSales was slightly undersized as well (Patrick Omameh), and they might view him as someone they can try to mold a bit. Deales has also had a run of D-1 players over the past couple of years, so keep an eye on the present AND future there.
Temper any possible enthusiasm about FL DT Richard Ash. He’s basically all but committed to be a Gator, but wants to take a couple official visits to experience the recruiting process. He’ll make his commitment official on September (or is it November?) 25th, and it will almost certainly be for the Florida Gators.
Inched closer to removing SC DT AJ Cann. After originally expressing interest in Michigan, he has narrowed his list to a group of schools in the Southeast. Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if his Michigan interest was just a ploy to get a free trip to see the Western Michigan game, as his older brother plays for the Broncos.
Removed KS DE Geneo Grissom, who committed to Kansas. He expressed Michigan interest very early in the process, but all had been quiet on that front pretty much ever since. With Michigan’s DE class so far, and taking into account the amount of pressure that the coaches clearly didn’t put on him, and Grissom is certainly no big loss.
Removed IL DE Louis Trinca-Pasat, who has committed to Iowa. Same story with Trinca-Pasat as with Grissom: Michigan didn’t seem to want him particularly badly, so he’s certainly not a big loss.
Removed TN LB Justin Maclin, who committed to LSU. Despite receiving a Michigan offer a little while back, he never seemed particularly interested in the Wolverines, so it comes as no surprise that he has committed to another school.
Fluff on FL QB Jeffrey Godfrey of the “he’s a QB even though he’s 5-11” variety. Godfrey has been told he’s not a QB his whole life, etc. Not to completely discard the article (despite the fact that it was clearly written by someone who should have a job writing things), but Godfrey really sounds like the type of guy Michigan would want to bring in, give a shot at QB for a year or two, then move to a different position down the road.
SC RB Marcus Lattimore and TX RB Lache Seastrunkthoroughlyenjoyed their visits to Auburn last weekend (along with seemingly every prospect south of the Mason-Dixon Line), and both are extreme longshots, especially with Lattimore trimming his list to 8 non-Michigan schools earlier this week. Still no word on whether he intends to take the official visit for the Ohio State weekend as he had planned, so I’ll leave him on the list for now. Seastrunk has stated in no uncertain terms that he’ll probably end up playing his college football on the Plains, barring unforeseen developments.
FL RB Darion Hall is talented, but “needs to mature on and off the field.” With the Wolverines already filling up at running back in this class, I would be surprised if they took a guy who might be a risky prospect. He was suspended for half of his school’s spring game.
After cutting down his list earlier this week, MN OL Seantrel Henderson, who is at or near the top of most prospect lists, has started planning out some summer visits. He plans to stop by Michigan for sure, possibly for summer camp. While we’re on the subject, let’s look at the reasons that coaches so covet Henderson:
With Michigan visits both in his past and future, the Wolverines are likely among his top schools.
It appears as though the bridges between Tennesse and Pahokee may be on the mend. FL DT Richard Ash has the Volunteers near the top of his list, despite the disparaging remarks made about his hometown by UT headman Lane Kiffin. However, the Gators definitely still lead for the big man from the muck.
Added LA DT Harold Legania. No word as yet on particular interest from Michigan but he may be a prospect down the road. He is a high school teammate of QB prospect Munchie LeGeaux at Edna Carr high school, and the Wolverines might be interested in a package deal for players at two positions of need.
Previously-removed IL DE Chance Carter says he’s only considering Notre Dame, Stanford, and Nebraska, but might also give the Wolverines some consideration if they offer him. With the current players committed (Antonio Kinard, Jordan Paskorz) or on their way to being committed (Ken Wilkins – see below), I don’t see him getting an offer, so I’ll leave him off the board.
OH DE Marcus Rush, who was previously believed to be heavily favoring Michigan, is approaching a decision (info in header). Considering that development came shortly after visiting Ann Arbor for the Big House Barbecue, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was still feeling the Wolverines – enough to commit. However, with several DE/LB tweeners already in the class, I don’t know if there would be room for him at this point.
MI LB/DE William Gholston has named a top-9 list that includes Michigan (along with Michigan State, Ohio State, USC, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Miami of Florida, and Oklahoma). Still, for some odd reason, I’m not holding my breath.
PA LB Ken Wilkins has set a date for his college announcement: Next Tuesday. Wilkins was in town for the Big House Barbecue, and reportedly enjoyed himself immensely. He is expected to pick Michigan at that time.
VA LB Aramide Olaniyan, despite his Duke commitment, is still saying positive things about the Wolverines. I’d left him on the board for the time being, and it seems as though that decision was justified. He’s planning to take other visits, so we’ll see if anything comes of it.
“If they try to throw to my side, I’m going to come down with the ball and make a play on it for my team,” Hollywood Hills cornerback Tony Grimes said. Along with a physical style of play and ball-hawking skills, Grimes brings leadership as well. Hollywood Hills coach Scott Barnwell has noticed the impact it has had on his team.
“With his leadership and having a person of that caliber, these kids pick up their game also and they get to see all of the different college recruiters coming out, and it just raises the level of everyone’s game, which for the team is tremendous,” Barnwell said.
Though the Michigan visit (and a planned return in the fall) seem to bode well for Michigan, that may be more of a pipe dream, as the Hurricanes of Miami are expected to be a heavy favorite.
Michigan has offered SC CB John/Johnavon Fulton. The offer has helped them vault towards the forefront of his recruitment (info in header). However, he still really likes Alabama, and the Wolverines are definitely in catch-up mode.
From Bill Kurelic at ESPN: IL WR Kyle Prater, IA QB AJ Derby, and MI CB/Slot Dior Mathis are all planning to take all 5 of their official visits before coming to decisions. This might leave Mathis and perhaps Derby out of luck, but Michigan would probably make room for Prater if he ultimately decided on the Wolverines.
And now, for the latest edition of your intermittent 2011 recruiting updates: Sam Webb brings the fluff on 2011 MI WR DeAnthony Arnett from Saginaw, seen at right. The Wolverines were the first school to offer Arnett, a true WR with the ability to play slot (think more Je’Ron Stokes than Jeremy Gallon), and are considered the likely favorite for his services. He’s also taken southward trips recently, to camps such as Tennessee, so this will be no cakewalk to land DeAnthony, and Michigan will have to work to earn a commitment from him.
The Michigan Wolverines have added their 12th commitment of the class of 2010, according to both premium sites. OH OL Christian Pace (6-3, 260, 5.7) has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine in February. Pace is the first offensive lineman to commit in the class.
Recruiting Notes
Michigan fans have known about Pace for quite some time, as he was among the earlier offensive linemen offered post-signing day. He received an offer in early April, and almost immediately hit campus for the Wolverines’ spring game. Though he spoke effusively about his trip to Ann Arbor, a visit to Northwestern “wowed” him, so fans weren’t sure how sincere his interest in Michigan was. A return trip to the University of Michigan, however, sealed the deal. He went home without committing, but the premium sites mentioned that his timetable might accelerate considerably. Accelerate it did, and he phoned Rich Rodriguez today to share the good word.
Player Notes
Pace is currently a little undersized for an offensive lineman, at just 260 pounds. However, he has a big frame, and will be able to pack on enough muscle to compete well at the college level. He is likely to be an interior line prospect with his height limiting his ability to play on the outside. Pace is very aggressive and nasty with his blocks, and shows an ability to get to the second level of defenders. His strength and technique are pretty good for a high school player, especially one with the low weight that he currently carries. When he teams up with Barwis upon arriving in Ann Arbor, he could be converted into a beast. One big knock on Pace is his pass protection. His high school apparently has a predominantly running scheme, and he’ll have to improve in protection. Pace is a 3-star prospect to both recruiting services.
For the second year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines will be hosting a “Barbecue at the Big House” recruiting event, of which the title is self-explanatory. For those of you who haven’t quite gotten the picture, Josh Helmholdt explains in the Free Press, and includes a couple expected visitors who aren’t on other free lists: FL CB Tony Grimes and OH OL Christian Pace (pictured at left). The guest list is rarely definite for recruiting events, but let’s take a look at some of the other expected visitors, courtesy of Rivals’s Mike Farrell:
Among those expected to attend include committed linebacker Antonio Kinard, defensive backs Latwan Anderson and Cullen Christian, linebacker Ken Wilkins, offensive linemen Skyler Schofner and Andrew Donnal, running backs Tony Jones and Andre Givens, defensive ends Jibreel Black and Marcus Rush and wide receivers Brandon Ifill and Andrew Carswell. This is, of course, in addition to the majority of the top prospects in the state of Michigan.
Others have mentioned possibly making it in to Ann Arbor for the event:
NJ RB Tony Jones will be making it in (not to be confused with the MI WR by the same name).
OH LB Jewone Snowwill be there, and may bring along a couple teammates – including star 2011 DE Steve Miller.
Bill Kurelic shares that a couple more Ohio guys, including Pace’s teammate, TE Dan Schneider (who Michigan might even be looking at as an offensive tackle) and TE Brad Harrah, should be in attendance.
As Farrell mentioned, expect many of the top in-state players from Michigan and some from Ohio, especially those who are already committed to Michigan, or live in close proximity. Jeremy Jackson is a mortal lock to be there, Devin Gardner will likely show, etc.
The Wolverines also may be receiving a verbal commitment or two over the weekend. Cullen Christian, Marcus Rush, and Ken Wilkins have maintained Michigan as their favorites for some time. Some are surprised that none have dropped for Michigan yet, and Ken Wilkins told mgoblog’s Tom Van Haaren that he might commit to the Wolverines at the first opportunity.
Moved to committed:
GBW and TheWolverine are both reporting on their front pages that South Carolina QB/Athlete Cornelius Jones has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine. Jones hails from Spartanburg HS in Spartanburg, SC, and is Michigan’s 14th public commitment in the class of 2010. The signal-caller stands 6-2 and 190 pounds.
Super-non-informative article
2010 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Board
Shortly after a visit to Michigan for the Big House BBQ, and 
CA Ath/RB Dietrich Riley 
2010 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Board.
For the second year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines will be hosting a “Barbecue at the Big House” recruiting event, of which the title is self-explanatory. For those of you who haven’t quite gotten the picture, Josh Helmholdt