UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[Mackenzie]

Dukes tweets he's a Wolverine today. Ohio insider with egg on his face.

Interview with Dukes:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1216621-has-hoke-revoked-jaron-dukes-scholarship-interview-with-jaron-dukes-um-commit?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Optimus Prime]

Offers from Illinois & Toledo? According to the article OSU eventually would have extended a soft or "Phantom" offer too.

[Chuck Mallory]

Michigan has the #1 running back out of Ohio committed. With two more years of Fitz the depth chart is not hurting.

[hack]

mgoblog had a great post on RB recruitment in the 90s. They just kept on bringing in four-star after four-star. Guys like Powers, Wheatly Biakabutuka, etc -- a populated stable of thoroughbreds that all fought each other for carries, and presumably made each other better and also the team in doing so. That's how you want it. I don't think M has a problem with RBs based on not being able to close Dunn last year or Isaac this year. If they whiff next year, let's get worried.

[Rob F]

Back to recruiting; M maybe losing ground on both running back targets; Derrick Green and Jordan Wilkins... I like DeVeon Smith a good bit but I don't like much else M has at running back in the last few classes...

At corner, M is gaining ground with a couple big names; Kendall Fuller & Leon McQuay both are listing M in their top 3.

Good to see that we still have a legit shot at getting Fuller and/or McQuay, but what specifically are you hearing/reading, WM, that has you downgrading our chances at Green and Wilkins? I, too, like Daveon Smith, but with a potential "home-run hitter" like Isaac now out of the picture, I see a top-level WR as our #1 priority, with a top-level RB being our 2nd biggest remaining need (especially since we did well a week ago in addressing our needs along the D-Line). Smith has the potential to gain a ton of yards behind the offensive line we've been building, but as Hack just posted, competition and depth at RB is nothing but a good thing!

[WM Wolverine]

Wilkins 'almost' committed to Auburn this past week while Green has M on-and-off his top 8. M needs to get him on campus this summer to have a chance, he's less sure of taking a visit to M this summer lately than he was earlier this summer/spring...

re: Deveon Smith - M doesn't have enough eggs in the RB basket, I'm not 'that' high on Smith and think much less of M's other RB options other than him in the last few recruiting classes. M has Toussaint for 2 more years, they can still sign an elite (or preferably 2) RB in '14 and one could be ready to play as a freshman... Agree, a really strong OL can make a mediocre running back look awfully good. But after '13; M is going to be really young on the OL and young a lot of other places too (WR, RB, TE, etc.).

[Rocky Bleier]

Michigan has the #1 running back out of Ohio committed.

That isn't as impressive as it would be in other years. We have no elite game-breaker type backs on the roster.

[The Oracle]

Fitz could get there tho.

[Chuck Mallory]

I think Fitz is that guy right now.

[WM Wolverine]

Fitz is a very good running back, M just needs him to stay healthy as I don't see much depth there. Striking out on the 'top' backs in '11, '12 & if again in '13 means its critical to land blue chippers who can play early in '14. I see a bit of Toussaint in DeVeon Smith, not as much top end speed but M should have 3 or 4 guys like DeVeon to choose from and compete against each other.

[DennisT]

They can always put Hurst in the backfield. Kind of hope they do once in a while.

[SeattleLionsFan]

That isn't as impressive as it would be in other years. We have no elite game-breaker type backs on the roster.

Nor have we since Biakabatuka

[hack]

Dunn, from what it seems like, would have been a really nice get for us.

What about Shallman? Are they going to give him a shot at RB? Isn't that his preferred position?

[Rocky Bleier]

Fitz is a decent back, but it would be nice to get someone comparable to Marcus Lattimore in talent and immediate impact.

[Hannibal]

Fitz still has a few things to prove to me. I was disappointed in his performance in a few games last year. Against Northwestern, in particular, I thought he got tackled too easily.