2018 Recruiting Thread

[847badgerfan]

I forgot to mention that UW got a commit from Donte Burton, a cornerback from Georgia, on Sunday, replacing the kid who decided he would no longer pursue football in college.

He had a nice offer list.

He had offers from Colorado, Indiana, Louisville, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and more. Up until his visit he was "crystal balled" to Notre Dame. I wonder if that could still happen.

[Mdot21]

#1 QB and #1 overall recruit in the nation in the 2018 class Justin Fields commits to the Georgia Bulldogs. Fields was a one time Penn State commit. Decided to stay close to home. 

Wow. Talk about a stacked QB roster. Jacob Eason in 2016, Jake Fromm in 2017, and Fields in 2018? Have to think Eason transfers if Fromm continues to play this well. Been really impressed with Fromm considering he's just a true Frosh. 

Would LOVE it if Harbaugh gave Eason a call if Eason does decide to transfer. That's the proto-type QB for a Harbaugh offense. Eason is 6'4-6'5 ish with a cannon arm. He can throw the shit out of the football. Ball explodes out of his hand. Josh Rosen was #1 on my wishlist in the 2015 class and Eason was #1 on my wishlist in the 2016 class. There really wasn't a passer on that level in the 2017 class but 2018 has one in Trevor Lawrence but that kid is going to Clemson. Don't get me wrong- I like Peters and McCaffrey but would really like it if Harbaugh could land a kid with an elite arm. Not a Shane Morris type that's all power and no accuracy- but a kid that can really sling it with velocity but also sling it accurately. 

[FearlessF]

Nebraska has received a commitment from Minnesota linebacker David Alston.

Alston announced the commitment via Twitter.

The 6-foot-4.5, 225-pound Alston officially visited Nebraska in September, and will play the outside linebacker spot that is so key in Nebraska's 3-4 defense. 

“I think it caters to what I can do,” Alston said after his visit to Nebraska. “I can play in space and cover, but if I need to I can put my hand down and help. The position I would have at Nebraska has a lot of opportunity to play. There’s flexibility to play in space and then come off the edge."

Alston is a three-star defender with an overall rating of 83 according to 247Sports. Alston chose the Huskers over offers from Iowa State, Utah, Wisconsin and others. 

[Mdot21]

sounds like 2018 Michigan commit 4* OG Emil Ekiyor (6-2, 320) of Indiana is a serious threat to flip to Alabama. Ekiyor is the highest rated player in Michigan's somewhat lackluster 2018 class, rated as the #106 player overall in the 247Composite. Would be a blow for sure, but he's destined for the interior and they have a lot of young promising guys there. What they truly need are offensive tackles.

And I think the two they got in this 2018 class are pretty solid. Not rated very highly, but to hell with OL ratings. Ryan Hayes and Jalen Mayfield have exactly the type of build and athleticism you look for in a future tackle. Hayes is 6'7, 260 and plays TE and Mayfield is 6'5 and 270 and also plays DE. Those are the type of HS bodies that Frey used to recruit under Rodriguez. Lewan wound up being a top 10 NFL draft pick and Mike Schofield wound up being All-Conference and a 3rd round NFL draft pick. Not saying those guys will be that at all- just saying those guys were pretty similar in terms of their traits as HS OL recruits. Frey seems to like the long, leaner types that play TE and DE as well as OL and build them up rather than the 6-6, 330 pound HS OL that only played tackle in HS like Chuck Filiaga- who Michigan got in 2017.

[Mdot21]

Looks like Ekiyor is going to flip from UM to Alabama.

Suddenly UM has interest in in state Kentucky commit Marquan McCall, and he's visiting this weekend.

Not a bad plan B, but the red flags related to grades were supposedly so bad his admissions to frickin Kentucky we're in doubt.

guard/center isn't as big a need as tackle. If they are looking at McCall again it might have something to do with him picking up those grades. I don't think they need interior guys that bad right now that they'd take fliers on guys they know can't get in. They aren't dying for interior OL at this point in time. I think what they are really dying for are tackles. Mason Cole is in his last year and he's a 6'4 future guard at the next level playing LT- that's if he even makes the next level bc I'm not sure he'll even get drafted. And Nolan Ulizio is just straight up awful and unathletic and he's the starting RT. The tackle position is in shambles in 2018 if Grant Newsome can't bounce-back healthy.

I actually like McCall better than Ekiyor. I'd love them both don't get me wrong, but McCall has better height/length. Ekiyor is kinda short. He measured just under 6'2 at the Opening. McCall is 6'3+.  McCall is a better prospect IMO. He was just chuck full of red flags.

[847badgerfan]

sounds like 2018 Michigan commit 4* OG Emil Ekiyor (6-2, 320) of Indiana is a serious threat to flip to Alabama. Ekiyor is the highest rated player in Michigan's somewhat lackluster 2018 class, rated as the #106 player overall in the 247Composite. Would be a blow for sure, but he's destined for the interior and they have a lot of young promising guys there. What they truly need are offensive tackles.

And I think the two they got in this 2018 class are pretty solid. Not rated very highly, but to hell with OL ratings. Ryan Hayes and Jalen Mayfield have exactly the type of build and athleticism you look for in a future tackle. Hayes is 6'7, 260 and plays TE and Mayfield is 6'5 and 270 and also plays DE. Those are the type of HS bodies that Frey used to recruit under Rodriguez. Lewan wound up being a top 10 NFL draft pick and Mike Schofield wound up being All-Conference and a 3rd round NFL draft pick. Not saying those guys will be that at all- just saying those guys were pretty similar in terms of their traits as HS OL recruits. Frey seems to like the long, leaner types that play TE and DE as well as OL and build them up rather than the 6-6, 330 pound HS OL that only played tackle in HS like Chuck Filiaga- who Michigan got in 2017.

Truest thing you've ever posted here. I agree 100 percent. I'll take the 3* kid who is 6-6 and 265 any time over a 6-2 plugger.

[Mdot21]

Truest thing you've ever posted here. I agree 100 percent. I'll take the 3* kid who is 6-6 and 265 any time over a 6-2 plugger.

OL rankings are a complete crap shoot. I remember Alex Mitchell being ranked close to 5*'s because he was 6'5, 320 pounds and a complete dominator in high school. He turned out to be not so good. Ditto 5* OL Kyle Kalis.

Best OL that I've seen at Michigan was Jake Long, who was the last 4* rated OT in his class at the #22 rated OT. #23 rated OT was a 3*. Long was listed at 6'7, 280. Next best guy was Taylor Lewan- who played DE until his final year in high school and was barely rated a 4*. Lewan was listed at 6'8, 270 as a recruit. Both were college All-Americans, both were high draft picks- Long was #1 overall I believe and Lewan #10 in his draft. What did they have in common? That body type.

The highest rated OL recruits are usually just the biggest and they dominate in high school and camps because they are just flat out bigger and stronger. Sometimes it translates when they get to the next level, a lot of times it doesn't though.

[847badgerfan]

You want crazy? The UW line from left to right is 6-6 328, 6-6 336, 6-3 316, 6-6 317 and 6-7 315.

That is sick size. The RT was a QB in HS...

[Mdot21]

You want crazy? The UW line from left to right is 6-6 328, 6-6 336, 6-3 316, 6-6 317 and 6-7 315.

That is sick size. The RT was a QB in HS...

That is absolutely nutty. Jesus. That's a BAMA sized OL right there.

[847badgerfan]

I know you'll be on the MSU game tomorrow night but if you get a chance take a peek on BTN at these guys.

They ain't "fat" kids.

[Mdot21]

Michigan lands 4* TE Mustapha Muahammad (6'4, 235 lbs) out of Texas. He is the #109 rated player overall and the #5 TE in the 247Composite.

Michigan loses 4* OL commit Emil Ekiyor (6'2, 320 lbs.) out of Indiana. He is the #105 rated player overall and the #2 Center prospect in the 247Composite. In a move that shocks no one, Ekiyor flips to Alabama. It was a long time in the making. Good luck to the kid. Want kids that want to be at Michigan, so good luck and no sour grapes, and I'd rather he do this now than drag it out all the way til the end and flip on NSD and leave two programs in the wind waiting on him.

Sucks to lose OL recruits, but he's not a tackle so it's a little bit hard to start freaking out. Even if he winds up being a stud- which I'm guessing he will bc let's face it- Bama ain't coming after him unless he good- but Michigan has enough inside guys. They need tackles to emerge. And fast.

[FearlessF]

After a month of wondering, Brendan Radley-Hiles made it official by decommitting from the Huskers on Tuesday night.

He released a statement on his decision on Twitter:

[ELA]

Weird one, as MSU was early on the favorite for 4* CB Kalon Gervin, then he committed early out of the blue to ND.  Decommitted, but seemed enamored with VT.  Then MSU started picking up momentum, and his OV to MSU was lined up with the day he said he was going to announce.

Now it sounds like MSU stopped recruiting him, and said their DB class is full.  

[ELA]

3* ATH La'Darius Jefferson from Muskegon, MI, who had been a UCF verbal, reopened his recruitment after getting an MSU offer.

Seems like he wanted to play QB, and thus UCF and Navy were his best offers, but he has since come around on coming in as an athlete, with a chance to play QB, but probably not.

Sounds like only a matter of time before he commits to MSU.