2018 Recruiting Thread

[Mdot21]

Yeah, they need at least to be relevant.

It's crazy the talent coming out of Belleville all of the sudden

yeah, it's kind of nuts.
It's still very early and the recruit rankings will change dramatically, but Barnett is rated in the top 70 of the 247Composite and Dobbs in the top 10.
Barnett is either a WR or CB at the next level and Michigan doesn't have a huge need at either position, so he's not that big of a loss. But tackle- there is a huge need there and Dobbs is being billed as a top 10 player in the nation and the #1 OT. Harbaugh needs to do whatever it takes to land that kid. They need to land all the offensive tackles they can in 2018 and 2019. It's probably the biggest weakness on paper on the roster going forward.

[847badgerfan]

Not sure Dobbs projects as a tackle. His UW offer is for guard, just like Bredeson's was, for what it's worth.

[Mdot21]

Not sure Dobbs projects as a tackle. His UW offer is for guard, just like Bredeson's was, for what it's worth.

I had my doubts about Dobbs as a tackle. Until he went to The Opening and impressed in the live drills and he measured in taller and longer than most thought he would at 6'5+ and 286 pounds. He's got 2+ more years to develop his skills at tackle and grow. I think he's a pretty safe bet to at least start out at tackle in college. He's a much different beast than Bredeson- far more athletic and much better feet. Dobbs ran the best 40 for OL's at the Nike Opening, he had the best vertical jump for OL's, and he was in the top 5 for the power throw. As a 2019. Most players there were 2018's. He's a plus athlete for the position with another full 2 years plus to grow and develop his skills at tackle.

[847badgerfan]

Time will tell, of course. He can still get taller and thicker too, and he will need to. If he is really 6-5, he's probably OK there. But I've seen him listed at 6-3 and 6-4.

[Mdot21]

Time will tell, of course. He can still get taller and thicker too, and he will need to. If he is really 6-5, he's probably OK there. But I've seen him listed at 6-3 and 6-4.

he measured in at 6'5, 286 at The Opening. They measure every kid the same way- in the socks and shorts, much like the NFL combine. The testing #'s at The Opening are about as accurate as it gets for HS recruits. He might've been 6'3 or 6'4- when he was a HS freshman. Remember- the kid is a 2019. I don't even think he's 16 years old yet. It's still super early in the process. He hasn't even played a down of football in his junior year of high school yet.

His stock has only gone up since The Opening, where he was being measured/competing against mostly kids a year older than him.

[847badgerfan]

Gotcha.

It is amazing to me how big these kids are getting. The starting tackles at UW this year are 6-7 and 6-6 and weigh 315 and 328. It's nuts. I'm sure M isn't much different.

[ELA]

Gotcha. It is amazing to me how big these kids are getting. The starting tackles at UW this year are 6-7 and 6-6 and weigh 315 and 328. It's nuts. I'm sure M isn't much different.

Heh, 6'7" and 308 got John Elliott the nickname "Jumbo" about 30 years ago

[847badgerfan]

He was not the norm back then. Now he's almost too light for a CFB tackle. I remember Jim Covert on the Bears was 6-3 or 6-4 and played at 270.

[Mdot21]

Gotcha.

It is amazing to me how big these kids are getting. The starting tackles at UW this year are 6-7 and 6-6 and weigh 315 and 328. It's nuts. I'm sure M isn't much different.

Michigan's OL is probably going to be a little bit on the smaller side compared to that. I really think what matters more than pure size for tackle is length and quick feet. A 6'4 or 6'5 guy can play tackle as long as he's got long arms and quick feet.
All due respect to the future HOF'er Joe Thomas, but Tyron Smith is the best tackle in football and he's "only" 6'5 but he's got a massively long arms, six-pack abs, and probably the best feet of any tackle in the NFL. A 6'5, 310 pound guy should not look like that. The best tackles are the ones with that kind of body type- long arms, lean body, and quick feet.

[ELA]

He was not the norm back then. Now he's almost too light for a CFB tackle. I remember Jim Covert on the Bears was 6-3 or 6-4 and played at 270.

Right, makes me wonder where we are going.

[ELA]

Speaking of Belleville, sounds like Dwan Mathis will be visiting MSU this weekend.  Would be nice to lock him in as our 2019 QB early.  Granted he already committed and decommitted from Iowa State, and Ohio State is flirting heavily, so if he is going to commit I'd rather wait until OSU offers so we don't have to wonder if that changes things.

[Mdot21]

Right, makes me wonder where we are going.

well there was a 6'9, 390 pound tackle prospect from that IMG Academy in Florida that Michigan was kind of recruiting. Think he was a transfer there from American Samoa or Australia or something like that. And oh yeah he's never played football. Lol. But somehow he got noticed by IMG and he's in Florida getting coached up at the most advanced private high school football factory in the USA to play offensive tackle.

[ELA]

Well as long as Dobbs doesn't go to Ohio State and Barnett doesn't go to ND- I'm good. Lol.
MSU definitely has a shot with Barnett. They need to have a rebound season to land him though. As does Notre Dame. I think if both programs have similar seasons to 2016 he'll go somewhere else. ND and MSU both need big re-bound years. Back to back sub .500 seasons and recruiting definitely starts to really slip.

FWIW, and probably not much, Barnett said in an interview this week that MSU is his #1.
At least that confirms that MSU is very much in that one.

[MaximumSam]

Juco DT Antjuan Jackson commits to the Bucks