UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[Da Geezer]

I like the way this class is shaping up. To overgeneralize, local recruiting for the guys in the trenches and, I hope, nationally for the skill positions. Those top-rated national recruits are going to wait longer to commit. We badly need a stud running back.

[Hannibal]

According to TomVH at mgoblog, Burbridge is down to MSU and UM, and they are even. That would be the ultimate steal for Hoke, if he makes grades.

[WM Wolverine]

His two teammate being here helped immensely. He's got to improve his grades dramatically to be eligible but would be a terrific addition talent wise. I think they'd accept his commitment and hope he eventually gets qualified.

[Hannibal]

Rivals 250 is out. Only 3 out of Michigan's 10 commitments are on it. About four or five more guys are considered Michigan leans.

[Jamie H]

Isn't Rivals always accused of overrating FL, TX and CA and underrating the midwest?

[Hannibal]

They have been lately.

[WM Wolverine]

As do the other recruiting sites. Looking at who plays or gets drafted in the NFL really 'evens' the playing field in regards to what states produce top talent...

The midwest/B10 region (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois) produces NFL players/draftees at a decent margin. Not anywhere near the top 3 states but it has quite a bit of talent relative to most anywhere else...

Florida is home to 4 BCS schools, Texas 5, Cali 4; there is a ton of population in those states and a ton of competition from out of staters for that talent. There is a ton of talent there for sure (population helps) but a lot of it gets overrated too while other regions get underrated (e.g. New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, NC, even NY).

[Hannibal]

Wormley is supposedly going to be a 3-star guy.

[WM Wolverine]

Terry Richardson CB likely deciding next week; M is certainly high up his list and arguably team to beat...

Matthew Godin DT/SDE announces Thursday the 12th, I've got him projected as growing into a DT though some sites have him as DE... Ryan Van Bergen (who gets underrated a bit) would be a decent comparison though imo he's got potential to get bigger than Van Bergen and end up as a 3-tech... M is probably the favorite but no sure thing with competition from Wisky, MSU, PSU.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Discussion at Rivals regarding the Top 250 includes revelation that there is not a "midwest" evaluator on the Rivals staff that compiles the Top 250.

Don't get the feeling that this is sour grapes as much as it is the reality that midwest HS players aren't being evaluated very thoroughly by Yahoo Sports/Rivals.

[WM Wolverine]

I'd really like to see a breakdown of the top 250 by state, seems the midwest is very under represented from my very quick overview. If you subtract Florida, the B10 produces more talent than any other conference.

[Hannibal]

Big discrepancy right now between Scout and Rivals rankings for our commits and leans.

[drok]

QB Shane Morris has committed to Michigan per TomVH of MGoBlog via Twitter

[lineygoblue]

Yep. Shane Morris "pledged" today. He can't be given a formal offer I believe until the end of his Junior year.

Morris is probably going to be one of the top 5 QB's in the country in his class of 2013. Hoke doesn't have to recruit a QB. He's got one of the best already. This is an excellent consolation prize for losing out on Zeke Pike.

This could work out well for Morris, especially if Gardner gets his extra year of eligibility. Morris can red shirt one year, and be ready to start four. Of course there will be more QB's in the meantime, but this does set the table pretty well for him.

[Hannibal]

Isn't it a little early to declare him one of the best five QBs in the country? How old is the kid? 16?