eddie vanderdoes

Today's recruiting roundup discusses the latest on Laquon Treadwell, Kendall Fuller, and Derrick Green, plus much more. Also included is an interview with 2014 running back Jonathan Hilliman.

Pursuit Of Quon: Successful?

The eyes of the recruiting world are on Oregon this weekend as Nike's mega-camp The Opening officially kicked off yesterday. Michigan sends a contingent of seven commits—Shane Morris, Kyle Bosch, Jake Butt, Taco Charlton, David Dawson, Jourdan Lewis, and Mike McCray—and other top targets are in attendance. None is getting more attention right now than IL WR Laquon Treadwell, however, after he tweeted yesterday morning that a decision could come imminently:

So much going on my decision coming soon.

— Laquon Treadwell (@SuccessfulQuon) July 5, 2012

This is a stark departure from Treadwell's recent statements about taking his officials before making a decision, but a later tweet appeared to indicate that his mind is largely made up. Mike Farrell subsequently reported that a decision could come as soon as this weekend; even if Treadwell waits until he gets home, there's an overwhelming sense that this one is just about over.

By a stroke of luck, Sam Webb had the same flight to Oregon as Treadwell, and he posted a two-part video interview from the gate at Chicago O'Hare. Part one is free; Treadwell attributes his change of heart to simply waking up with that feeling in his gut and says that his mom has given him the go-ahead to commit if he so desires. In part two($), he reiterates that Michigan leads for his services; Oklahoma State is the other school mentioned as a favorite despite Treadwell not visiting Stillwater yet. He also discusses his friendship with Shane Morris, saying that Morris is practically his "best friend."

Treadwell does say that he still wants to see a couple of his favorites—likely Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, as he had a previous trip set up there that was cancelled due to a tornado—so one gets the sense that he's still trying to sort things out. While his decision timing is uncertain, there's little doubt as to the favorite for his services: Treadwell says Michigan "feels like home," while he's yet to even set foot on the campus of the one school (Ok. St.) that appears to have even a remote chance to unseat the Wolverines. Now Treadwell will spend the weekend with seven Michigan commits—including recruiter extraordinaire Morris—in his ear. You know what to do...

Fuller, Green Plan Visits

If Treadwell does commit, Michigan will be left with one scholarship slot (barring unexpected attrition) and several worthy candidates to fill it. Several of those candidates, including MD CB Kendall Fuller and VA RB Derrick Green, are currently at The Opening, where they'll surely get a visit and recruiting pitch from the Wolverine crew.

Mike Farrell tweeted yesterday that Clemson and Virginia Tech are "neck and neck" at the top for Fuller, with Michigan in his top three but trailing. Fuller has visits to both of his leaders set for later this month. While this doesn't bode well for Michigan's chances, Tim Sullivan reports that Fuller plans to take an official visit to Ann Arbor ($, info in header). The Wolverines are playing catch-up here, so an opportunity to get Fuller on campus is one they must capitalize on.

Green, meanwhile, texted me a top 13 this week of Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Clemson, Alabama, Miami, Pitt, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. He also talked to ESPN's Damon Sayles about visiting Ann Arbor for the BBQ at the Big House on July 29th($), saying he's looking forward to chatting with Brady Hoke in person since Hoke wasn't on campus for his first visit. Green has played things pretty close to the vest thus far but Michigan likely has ground to cover here, as well.

CA DT Eddie Vanderdoes trimmed his list to a final ten that does not include Michigan($), likely because the Wolverines are no longer in need of a defensive tackle.

247 updated their 2013 rankings. Tremendous has the full breakdown of risers and fallers; most moves were minor save for David Dawson (up to #157 from #196) and Patrick Kugler (up to #154 from #206).

Chris Fox "Fully Committed"

Despite recent rumors of a potential decommitment, Chris Fox told 247's Todd Worly($) that he's "fully committed to Michigan," and "nothing is going to change." Until further notice, there's nothing to see here.

Speaking of nothing to see here, David Dawson caused a stir yesterday when he tweeted that his Michigan teammates had "left [him]" while at The Opening, then saying he was chilling with a group of Florida commits. Dawson has recently discussed camping at Florida, so we now have a new panic about a possible decommitment. I'll only say this on the matter: STOP hanging onto every word a recruit says on Twitter. In fact, I'll reiterate that you should probably stop following recruits entirely, especially if you're the type to worry about stuff like Dawson's tweet. It's just not worth it. It's the job of people like myself, TomVH, Tim Sullivan, and Steve Lorenz to follow these recruits and pass along any information that's actually pertinent. If anything newsworthy arises out of the Dawson situation—and hanging out with Florida commits is beyond not newsworthy—we'll keep you posted.

2014 Updates

Sam Webb's latest piece at the Detroit News covers FL WR Corey Holmes, one of Michigan's early offerees. Holmes talks about getting "butterflies" and being speechless upon receiving the offer, while his father has high praise for Michigan and Brady Hoke:

"I was thoroughly impressed with everything Michigan had to offer, from A to Z," Mr. Holmes said. "From the academics, to the facilities, the coaching staff, and definitely Coach Hoke. I've always respected him, and thought, 'Hey, what a great coach.' But to meet him in person — I walked away with a big smile on my face because he's a motivator, a straight shooter, and that's all you can ask for. You want your kid to be in the hands of someone that's going to take care of them. The family atmosphere that they preach is legit. I got a chance to see some of the players, and some of the coaching staff — they were unbelievable. It was better than I expected."

The younger Holmes grew up as a Michigan fan, and while he says he's still open, the Wolverines are "a favorite." Holmes also provided a diary of his Michigan camp experience to Tremendous, and you have to like Michigan's chances after reading a quote like this:

I sat in Coach's office and didn't really know what to do or say. It was such an indescribable feeling. He sat down and talked to my father and I about himself, his love for Michigan and complimented me on my performance at the camp. It was then that he offered me a scholarship to play for Michigan. I really had no idea how to react. I had accomplished what I set out to do. After getting offered, I was given a full tour of campus, the amazing facilities and best of all, the Big House. It was a breathtaking experience, one that I’ll never forget. To think that a kid from South Florida made it all the way to Ann Arbor and received an offer to play football for the University of Michigan is just too much to think about. Truly a mission complete.

Both articles are well worth your time. Holmes appears to be an early favorite to end up as a member of Michigan's class of 2014.

Massilon (OH) Washington OL Nathaniel Devers has visited several schools over the summer and he tells Matt Pargoff that Michigan and Northwestern have emerged as his top two. He's yet to earn a Wolverine offer, but if he does he's another player to keep an eye on.

An Interview With Jonathan Hilliman

One of Michigan's first offers for the 2014 class went out to NJ RB Jonathan Hilliman, who also holds offers from Miami (YTM), Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Wisconsin, among others. Hilliman stands at 6'0", 201 pounds, and according to 247 he rushed for 426 yards and four touchdowns on just 58 carries as a sophomore in 2011. I caught up with Jonathan earlier this week to talk about his recruitment, visits, timeline, and more:

ACE: First of all, which schools are talking to you the most right now in your recruitment, and how many offers do you have right now?

Today's recruiting roundup discusses a trio of weekend visitors, new offers for both 2013 and 2014, updated rankings for Scout and 247, and more.

Come On Down, Maurice Hurst Jr.?

[Warning: Turn down your speakers, cubicleites.]

MA DT Maurice Hurst Jr. has recently emerged in a big way on Michigan's radar, culminating this week with an offer to the four-star lineman. Tremendous caught up with Hurst the day he got the offer, and with Hurst planning a visit to Ann Arbor soon, his recruitment could wrap up in a hurry:

I talked with Maurice for a split second tonight, who said he plans on visiting in a couple weeks. I also talked to a current commitment and they informed me that Maurice plans to commit to Michigan when he makes that visit. There is a strong possibility that he will be the next member of this class. He's definitely a name Michigan fans need to get familiar with.

Hurst also told Tremendous that he's being recruited as a three-tech—before you ask, I don't think Michigan would stop recruiting Henry Poggi if he committed—and should visit in two weeks or so. Hurst also chose an interesting, and potentially telling, topic for his next school project:

I'm doing a video design project on the Michigan Ohio State rivalry posting a link on twitter when done .. Trying my best!!!!!#hopingforanA+

— Maurice R. Hurst (@MRH_11) May 15, 2012

A humble suggestion for some years to explore, Maurice: 1950, 1969, 1986, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2011.

Hurst won't be the only four-star 2013 defender hitting campus soon, as FL DB Leon McQuay III has been confirmed as a visitor this weekend by both The Wolverine and GBW ($, info in picture). McQuay is a top-100 player who can line up at either cornerback or safety, and it appears Michigan is recruiting him as a big (6'2", 186) corner. Joining McQuay on campus this weekend are 2014 OH LB Dante Booker, a recent offeree and one of the top rising junior LBs, and MI QB Chance Stewart, who just earned his first offer from Western Michigan yesterday.

The Wolverines appear pretty serious about tracking down a third corner for the class; on top of McQuay's upcoming visit, Michigan sent out a new offer to four-star TX CB Maurice Smith, who used to play with Troy Woolfolk and tells 247's Clint Brewster that his interest in Michigan is "an eight or nine" out of ten ($). At 6'0", 185 pounds, Smith also fits the mold as a bigger cornerback.

A quick update on the running back situation: Jeff Hecklinski stopped by to see TN RB Jordan Wilkins on Monday ($, info in header). Wilkins is looking to swing by Michigan, Ohio State, and Cincinnati in June or July. VA RB Derrick Green, meanwhile, is still strongly considering Michigan, according to GBW's Andre Barthwell ($, info in header). Wilkins and Green are the top two targets at running back who are still on the board right now.

Updated Scout Rankings: Dawson, Lewis On The Rise

Scout updated their top 300 this week, and while there was mostly limited movement, a couple commits saw big changes in their rankings. MI CB Jourdan Lewis jumped from #251 to #173 while his Cass Tech teammate, OL David Dawson, made a similar leap from #274 to #178. Lewis and Dawson have both been outstanding on the camp circuit recently and were due for an upgrade. On the flip side, IL OL Logan Tuley-Tillman fell from #153 to #190 and MI RB Wyatt Shallman dropped to #263 from #179. Tuley-Tillman has been injured recently while Shallman's stock may be dropping due to his college position (scouts seems to like his potential at DE more than at RB), so those drops aren't unexpected. TTB has the full list of changes for Michigan commits.

Sitting at #75 in the new Scout rankings is a familar face, IL WR Laquon Treadwell, who was profiled by Sam Webb in yesterday's Detroit News. Treadwell reiterates his accelerated timeline while his high school coach mentions that Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are the two schools in best position to give the Wolverines a run due to their use of the spread offense and Treadwell's family ties to OSU (his uncle, Ricky Young, was an All-American for the Cowboys). If Treadwell's criteria for a school stays the same, however, Michigan could be tough to beat:

Said Treadwell, to Scout.com: "I am looking for a school that has a great quarterback, a nice coaching staff, a place where I am comfortable, and a place where I like the players."

Check, check, check, and check.

NJ DE Tashawn Bower hasn't been in the news much lately, but that's not because of any lack of interest on Michigan's part, as 247's Todd Worley reports that Curt Mallory has been in contact with him via Facebook "almost on a daily basis," according to Bower ($). Bower will visit Ann Arbor for the BBQ at the Big House in July. After visiting a long list of schools over the summer, Bower will narrow his list down around the start of football season, and there's a good chance Michigan makes his top group.

Quickly: Michigan has told WR Devon Allen that he could play football and run track if he commits ($). Dan Ferrigno stopped by to visit CA WR Demeora Stringfellow this week ($, info in header). HI DT Scott Pagano has a top four($) of LSU, Baylor, Clemson, and Nebraska. CA DT Eddie Vanderdoes plans to take official visits($) to Oregon, Penn State, and Nebraska—no mention yet of which schools are in the running for his other two OVs, should he plan to take them. VA DE Jonathan Allen has a top two($) of Alabama and Florida.

New 2014 Offers, Rankings

It didn't take long for 247 to expand their early 2014 top 25 to a full-fledged top 100, and Michigan offerees already pepper the list. By my count, the Wolverines have already offered 13 members on the list—Touch the Banner has a rundown of some of the notables. [For my own entertainment, NOTY-watch: #14 Raekwon McMillian (shockingly from Georgia, not Staten Island), #26 Demarcus Christmas, #35 Budda Baker, #45 Adoree' Jackson, #54 Jamoral Graham, #56 Jamadre Cobb, #77 Malachi Dupree(!)]

A few more offers went out this week, including one to five-star LA OL Cameron Robinson, a 6'5", 320-pound tackle who already holds offers from Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Mississippi State. Like all of Michigan's recent O-line recruits, he's got a mean streak:

“They saw on film someone that carries his weight well and is very flexible,” [Robinson's high school coach, John] Carr said. “He finishes. When he gets a hold of you, he’s going to ride you and finish. He’s not just a big teddy bear. That’s his mentality – he’s a nasty offensive line throwback.”

One of these days, a coach will describe one of his offensive linemen as a big teddy bear, and it will be adorable until nobody recruits said lineman.

Quickly: Michigan also sent out an offer to TN WR Josh Malone, who also has offers from Ohio State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. Malone is ranked as the #42 overall player and #3 wide receiver by 247. Also offered($): four-star TX OL Demetrius Knox, who has early offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and UCLA. According to an interview with Sam Webb, Michigan is in the top five for 2014 NY OT/DE Jay Hayes, though they'll have to catch up to his early leader, Notre Dame ($).

Today's recruiting roundup takes a look at two potential commits (yes, it never ends, and this is good), gets more insight on Patrick Kugler, and finally puts the whole Alex Kozan thing to rest. Finally.

And The Coyote Said, "War Eagle"

Alex Kozan has eaten the Merciless Peppers of Quetzaltenango, spoken with his coyote spiritual guide, and emerged from his vision quest with newfound clarity about his soulmate college destination: Kozan will be an Auburn Tiger. There's no word on whether he mulled over his decision in a lighthouse, but I'm going to presume this as fact until proven otherwise.

Also, amen to this: “It’s been a crazy ride,” Kozan said, “but I’m real glad it’s over.”

We can officially close the book on the class of 2012. We can also discuss guys who will actually play center for Michigan, as more evaluations of new commit Patrick Kugler have come out since his commitment post. Here's Allen Trieu on Kugler's junior film, which is unfortunately stuck behind a Scout paywall ($):

The kid has great feet and gets into the second level very well. He's a technician and a smart player, which you would expect from his dad being an NFL coach. Now, you take all of those strengths and project him to center, and Michigan fans should be excited. He's bigger and more athletic than most center prospects. You essentially have a kid that could easily play tackle or guard for most schools at center. That is also a position where smarts and knowledge of the game come into play and this kid certainly has it. His upside was good to begin with, but as a center, it's excellent.

Excellent, indeed. I'd always rather have a recruit who plays tackle in high school—where high school teams usually stick their best linemen—then learns center in the offseason than a guy who's limited in where he projects. Take a good, but slightly undersized, high school tackle and their ceiling immediately raises when shifted to center if they've got the technique and versatility, which shouldn't be a problem with Kugler. Here's his high school head coach on just that ($):

“I think his ability to play low is one of his strengths,” [North Allegheny coach Art] Walker said of Kugler. "He’s a great run blocker, and we like to consider him a finisher. He’s also a strong pass blocker as well. He runs well, he pulls well, and he has great feet and hands. He’s still maturing physically, and he’s having his best offseason to date. He can play any position you ask him to, wherever the team needs him most.”

I really like the addition of Kugler to the class. Michigan is set along the offensive line unless a guy like Ethan Pocic wants to join the party.

Quickly: Jared Shanker on Jake Butt and his ties to Ohio State and Notre Dame. Tremendous interviews Chris Fox, who's hopefully given up on his dirtbiking hobby. Chantel Jennings on Khalid Hill and #Team134 ($).

Must Not Make Played-Out "That Ish [Mc]Cray" Joke

The #44 prospect in the Rivals100, Trotwood (OH) Madison linebacker Mike McCray, will announce his decision on March 8th between Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. He has one more visit scheduled: to Michigan, on March 6th. That's a pretty positive sign, and the general feeling is that McCray will end up blue—Rivals.com's Mike Farrell has said as much in multiple twitter posts.

McCray is one of three blue-chip linebackers who Michigan appears to lead for, with E.J. Levenberry and Dorian O'Daniel being the other two. McCray seems like a MLB, while Levenberry and O'Daniel both project to the outside. It's possible Michigan takes all three if they want to commit; it'll come down to a numbers game, but that would be one heck of a linebacker haul. If the Wolverines are saving spots for the best players available, it'll be hard to turn down any of those guys.

Steve Wiltfong posted on the Wolverine247 board today that Michigan "may be the team to beat" for Columbus (OH) Bishop Hartley TE Jacob Matuska after a great visit last Monday ($). This one could be a Michigan/Notre Dame battle, and there's reason for optimism—other than general "Hoke poops magic" optimism—for the Wolverines; a post on BuckeyePlanet says Michigan is very much in the mix despite Matuska being a presumed ND lock ($).

Ty Isaac's Coach Goes Full Fred Jackson and More

TomVH caught up with Ty Isaac's head coach to talk about the Midwest's best running back, and BOOM GALE SAYERS'D ($, info in header):

"Anytime he touches the ball, everybody is on edge, because it could be a Gayle Sayers moment. Every time Sayers touched the ball, he could go, and Ty has that ability," [Joliet Catholic coach Dan] Sharp said. "[Isaac would fit] in any kind of pro-style offense. He's the type of back who can get tough yards, durable, and he's not fun to tackle for safeties and corners."

Sharp also said Isaac reminds him physically of Marcus Allen, NFL Hall of Fame member and Heisman Trophy winner. In relevant, non-hyperbolic news, Isaac has no timetable for a decision and will visit Ann Arbor on March 10th.

Michigan has shown up on several players's top [blank] lists recently. Dadeville (AL) DT Rod Crayton visited on Sunday of that mid-February weekend, and while he didn't catch the virulent strand of commitment fever, he now has Michigan in his top three with LSU and Mississippi State ($, info in header). Another player with U-M in his top three is Rancho Cucamonga (CA) CB Chris Hawkins, along with Stanford and Notre Dame ($, info in header); Hawkins said he grew up idolizing Charles Woodson, so he's obviously got good taste.

While Michigan hasn't yet offered, South Jordan (UT) Bingham DT Lowell Lotulelei likes the Wolverines, Oregon, Utah, and Washington ($). Concord (CA) De La Salle LB Michael Hutchings—yes, another blue-chip LB—hasn't narrowed his list yet, but says the Wolverines will "easily" make the cut when he trims his list to 8 or 10 in April ($, info in header).

And now, your semi-weekly bulleted list, this time of players who have expressed interest in taking visits to Ann Arbor:

• Don Bosco Prep DE Alquadin Muhammed, one of the top defensive prospects in the country, plans to visit Michigan, though he hasn't set a timetable ($, info in header).
• Asburn (VA) Briar Woods LB Matt Rolin will take a visit to Ann Arbor in the spring, along with planned trips to Tennessee, BC, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech ($, info in header).
• Auburn (CA) Placer DT Eddie Vanderdoes told Tremendous he will take one of his officials to Michigan, though he obviously hasn't set those in stone yet. His says his interest in the Wolverines is "very, very high."
• Moreno Valley (CA) Rancho Verde WR Damore'ea Stringfellow hopes to visit Michigan before the start of football season ($).
• Richmond (VA) Varina S Tim Harris recently named Virginia as his top school, but he says his next visit will be to Ann Arbor ($). Virginia Tech and Ohio State are also in the mix.
• Damascus (MD) WR Zach Bradshaw has a Michigan visit in the works ($, info in header).
• Upland (CA) DE Joe Mathis says he'll take one of his official visits to Ann Arbor ($, info in header).
• Los Angeles (CA) Loyola CB Cameron Walker hopes to swing by campus when visiting family in Michigan this April ($).
• Oakley (CA) Freedom WR Darrell Daniels says he'll take an official to Michigan if "[he's] really feeling them," and he may also try to head to the Wolverine camp as well ($).

Finally, there's one happy trails to report. One of the Trinity trio, CB Ryan White, committed to hometown Louisville yesterday over Illinois. Teammate DE Jason Hatcher also seems to be favoring the Cardinals early; we'll see how that affects WR James Quick.