UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[Hannibal]

Don't worry, guys, we just got a slow, plodding, 2* running back to make up for the loss.

[Rocky Bleier]

A Jay Harbaugh recruit. Hassan Haskins looked impressive on film... against slow, small white kids. Height 6-1, weight 202 lbs., and runs a 4.7/40. Another Kurt Taylor? Woo Hoo!!! But, but, but Sam Webb keeps saying he could be another Le'Veon Bell...


Offer list is extremely unimpressive:

https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Hassan-Haskins-104116/RecruitInterests

[Cody_Russell]

2018 is shaping to be an unimpressive class.
But hey, if Peters (or McCaffrey) is the answer at QB, that hides a lot of issues.

[Rocky Bleier]

Can't throw while you're on your back.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I stole this from mgoblog. Not that it is slam-dunk evidence that M's 2018 class will end up a lot better than it looks right now, the recruiting chaos precipitated by the likelihood that UCLA and Tennessee will be looking for new HCs and Florida already is makes it seem like it might. Note this post comes on the heels of another mgoblog post expressing concern (ripping might be a better term) about Harbaugh's recruiting (Note at the end pertains):

In a Freep recruiting article this morning, Steven Lorenz writes about several high profile recruits Michigan is in on.

LINK: http://www.freep.com/story/sports/co...ase/816002001/

With the firing of McElwain at Florida, several of their commitments are reopening their recruitment. JaMarr Chase, a 5 star wide receiver from Louisianna currently ranked 25 overall in the country, is considering an official visit to Michigan. (4 of his 5 officials are already set.) EDIT: Chase already holds a Michigan offer.

In addition, Lorenz writes that Butch Jones' days at Tennessee may be numbered. This would open things up for top 100 prospects Cade Mays on the OL and Greg Emerson on the DL. Lastly, if Mora is canned at UCLA, this could open things up for top 50 CB Olaijah Griffin. EDIT: Neither Mays or Emerson are listed with an offer at 247, although Griffin holds one.

I would be cautious in assuming that Michigan's recruiting is tanking in this cycle. Both Michigan and Harbaugh are still rising, and behind the scenes, there are numerous recruits still in play for Michigan.

While it is unlikely, Michigan could easily win out this year. (I expect they will win a minimum of two more games, more likely three, four unlikely.) Regardless, I would consider this performance a success, given all the new players. The amount of youth already on the field bodes well for the future, and is something potential recruits like to see.

I would echo others who feel that it is important to stay somewhere in the top 15 recruiting rankings. If you have a few key studs, along with top 15 recruiting year in and year out, it will pay off.

EDIT: I choose not to take shots at anyone else who feels differently about Michigan's recruiting prospects. All I'll say is that I'm all in for Harbaugh and for Michigan, and that I fully expect the coaching staff to attack recruiting with an enthusiasum unknown to mankind.

[iam416]

Cade Mays is going to stick at Tennessee. He's a like a multi-generational legacy. In any event, even if he is actually looking he has his 5 OVs scheduled, including one to OSU. When I see shit like that in an article then I almost have to assume the rest of it is as poor.

HARBAUGH!!!!! may reel in some late surprises. Certainly possible. But, goodness, that's a nonsense article, IMO.

Also, I'd be surprised to see M much higher than 14, where they are now.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Yeah, the Cade Mays part was already debunked by another mgoblog poster after this post was made.

Lorenze is regarded as somewhat fanciful in the M recruiting world. He does have some connections we are told but the post I just mentioned was very pointed about Mays and that suggesting he was actually a possibility at M kinda-of made the Lorenze piece not terribly reliable.

[iam416]

Exactly. I'm not a big fan. He is, IMO, the quintessential click-bait writer. He couches everything in terms of the "possible" without much distinction between the remotely possible and very possible.

Sure, it's possible Mays may commit to M. It can't be ruled out. I'd say it's less than 1% that he will, perhaps even orders of magnitude less, but it's possible.

Bill Kurelic is an OSU writer that does the same shit. He also refuses to state an opinion (he's known as Mr. 50/50). It's worthless.

I'm sure there are a few recruits that UT/UF/UCLA are in on that M may have a real chance at. But just picking the really highly rated guys and finding some remote justification to say it's "possible" is click-bait shit the Nth degree.

[WM Wolverine]

Class of '18 Recruiting Board

Offense
QB: Joe Milton & Kevin Doyle
RB: Christian Turner, & Hassan Haskins
WR: Chris Olave, & TreShaun Harrison, & Shocky Jaques-Louis
TE: Luke Schoonmaker & Mustapha Muhammad
OT: Jalen Mayfield, Ryan Hayes, & Jalen Goss
OG:

Defense

DT: Tyler Friday & Michael Thompson
DE: Aidan Hutchinson, & Eyabi Anoma, Jayson Oweh
LB: Cameron McGrone & Otis Reese
CB: Myles Sims, Gemon Green & Josh Jobe
S: German Green, Sammy Faustin, & Bryan Addison


Added a few longshots...

This won't be a good class by the standard of the last two ('16 & '17), for one it'll be much smaller. Two, those last two classes affect M's ability to sell playing time. A 'down' class doesn't hurt you much as long as you find recruits that help eventually are starters and/or give you depth...

What kills you is when you recruit two bad classes in a row, a kiss of death for even elite programs. That makes the '19 class critical if M wants to be a top 10 program, four years from now. With the '19 class off to an excellent start, I don't see much to worry. Yet.

I don't see the potential departures from Tennessee, Florida, UCLA having much if any impact on M. I did add one name to the recruiting board who showed interest in M before committing to UT. Shocky Jaques-Louis who I don't think ever made my recruiting board previously... M wasn't close with many recruits who chose the Volunteers, Gators, etc so the impact from their head coaches departing will be minimal if any.

[UMStan White]

What is Ekiyor doing on your board in light of his decommitt and committment to Alabama?

[Da Geezer]

Talent: In light of our long-ago disagreement about post-graduate attendance at Fork Union, I post this peace offer. Whenever we were discussing the matter, I did a lot of research on Fork Union, enough to put me on their mailing list seeking donations. After the following, I may even donate. Sounds like a good place to go for subpar students.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2741949-last-chance-high-fork-union?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=college-football

[Rocky Bleier]

How long before Otis Reese leaves the fold?

Why isn't Harbaugh recruiting Ohio? Sparty continues to do well there.

[WM Wolverine]

Losing Reese has seemed possible for a long time (staff won't be caught off guard like a January decommit), with Georgia's success that's went from a possibility to likely...

Really like his talent level, blue chipper that could go anywhere so it's a loss, as is Emil Ekiyor. M has recruited linebacker very well (3 highly regarded in '17) and has interest from many more blue chip linebackers in '19 M. M probably will take a third linebacker in '19 instead of just two..

Takes mutual interest to land a recruit from Ohio and you're not welcomed back there if you goto Michigan. I see Ohio State taking the top talent there and not much else M likes. There is talent there that isn't going to the Buckeyes, they just usually have a red flag why M isn't interested or just as likely, no interest in M.

I'm as puzzled as everyone else with the lack of recruiting Ohio, but when you look at individual cases there just isn't any mutual interest.

[hack]

Didn't hire Vince Morrow. Tried. Maybe for the next assistant hire that becomes a priority.

[iam416]

The baseline is that the kid is predisposed to OSU, but there are exceptions. M has a good one for 2019. Penn State is going to get Tyreke Smith (he moved to Ohio from California) and Notre Dame has a really good shot with any kid from a parochial school. Fucking Tommy Kramer is starting for them at RT as a sophomore.