UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[lineygoblue]

My gut feeling is that Levenberry is 80% FSU. You don't spend a week at a school that you only have a passing interest in.

[Rob F]

I wouldn't be quite so pessimistic---it was Spring Break, I believe, so he had a little extra time to spend. Besides, he did a 3-day trip to Ann Arbor this past weekend, not exactly just going thru the motions.

[Hannibal]

Gareon Conley is blowing up all over the place. He's a 4* everywhere but rivals now.

[WM Wolverine]

I've bumped him up as well. 15 of 17 are 4* or higher, most being top 150 overall types.

[iam416]

He's a credible 4*. He ain't the 3rd best player in Ohio.

[WM Wolverine]

M has 4 better players from Ohio themselves. ;)

[WM Wolverine]

Optimistic M lands 3 of Levenberry, Isaac, Treadwell & Poggi. Vanderdoes, Mathis, Fuller, Cravens, Derrick Green (Plan B to Isaac) are longer shots... M is in great shape if they land any 5 of the above...

We're going to start seeing some new names at DL like Pagano, Augusta since some of the other names on the board at DL (Mathis, Lacouture, Vanderdoes, Hatcher, etc.) are a ways off from deciding; in a nightmare scenario I could see M being the bridemaid for most all of the DL's top targets (4 I just listed above)...

[iam416]

M has 4 better players from Ohio themselves. ;)

Heh. Thomas and Gedeon for sure. After that, I could see any order, including Conley at #3. JMO.

Truth be told, the consensus in Ohio is this....Burrows, Marshall and Thomas are the top 3 in some order, though most would have Burrows or Marshall #1. After that, you could sort 4 through about 13 or 14 any way you want and have a credible argument. Personally, I like Lisle and Gedeon to round out the top 5 and I'm non-plussed with McCray -- well, as a LB, at least.

[WM Wolverine]

McCray is a good fit for M's SAM position (Jake Ryan); its nearly as much a DE spot as LB. I like Gedeon a lot at either ILB spot, he's both more athletic and has more size than what I read from scouting reports last fall...

DeVeon Smith RB is a low ceiling, high floor type that M needs since they didn't recruit the RB position very well the last couple classes... I really haven't seen a lot of Conley to rate him well. He's just a terrific athlete and has good size for the cornerback position, haven't heard many reports on his coverage ability other than a couple recent camps where he's done very well.

[The Oracle]

As a CB with that size and AA, teaching technique makes Conley's ceiling very high. I'd think Rivals will follow suit with the other services in moving him up the rankings, since they largely base their rankings on potential.

[Paul L]

I've bumped him up as well. 15 of 17 are 4* or higher, most being top 150 overall types.

Unbelievable

[WM Wolverine]

Those are my ratings btw; if you look at each individual recruiting service, they'll have maybe 13 4-stars (out of 17) for M... Those that aren't 4-stars are probably 4-stars from at least a couple other of the 4 major recruiting services; rivals, scout, 247sports & espn...

M is recruiting at a very high level thanks to Urban being very picky about who he offers in Ohio (when he does offer, its always too late), M nearly perfect in-state (sorry Sparty), getting some top talent out of Illinois (Bosch & LTT)... Outside of the B10 region, M has only Chad Fox who reportedly was originally from M and grew up a M fan...

Recruits from outside of B10 country typically are going to be more difficult pulls and decide later than kids in the B10 region as a lot of them don't get to visit Ann Arbor (and/or other schools to compare to) till the summer or even fall...

M's supposed lack of recruiting success at WR/DL is mostly because the midwest is lacking in talent at those positions so they are recruiting guys from outside the B10 region; these recruits are likely going to visit in the summer, fall and decide in the fall, winter.

[Paul L]

You're being modest; I put more stock in your rankings than the majority of these services, and your updates are always appreciated.

I don't care if they're from Michigan, Mississippi, or Mozambique; Hokeattison has killed it these past two years and the DL/WRs (and Isaac, please) will come.

[WM Wolverine]

My star ratings are my own, I probably have nearly as much knowledge of M's recruits as the recruiting services do; I just don't see the other recruits for comparison sake...

I still have my rankings up for the class of '12 which I believe was just one star more favorable than the most favorable of the recruiting sites...

We'll have to wait and see on the DL recruiting, its worrisome to rely so heavily on guys nationally but M doesn't have many recruits they want in their backyard to have their choice of who to take. I think we'll just have to be very patient on the DL recruiting and see who shows the most interest...

I'd love for a guy like Poggi to decide for M soon so spots become scarce, which hurries everyone elses time table.

[lineygoblue]

Levenberry is announcing his decision on Tuesday.

I still say its FSU. I wouldn't mind being wrong.