Hello: Ondre Pipkins
Weeeee, defensive tackles. MO DT Ondre "Pee-Wee" Pipkins has pledged to Michigan's 2012 class.
GURU RATINGS
Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 24/7 Sports |
4*, #12 DT, #102 Ovr |
4*, 5.8, #19 DT #4 Missouri, #246 Ovr |
3*, 78, #45 DT |
4*, 94, #16 DT, #3 Missouri, #149 Ovr |
The best three sites that have rated Pipkins place him in about the same place within his position group. The primary disagreement is where that 16th-18th DT fits in the grand scheme of things, with 24/7 Sports the most optimistic, and Rivals barely slotting him into their Top 250. ESPN, clearly, is without a clue. As you'll see, he's been dominant ever since the Army Combine.
ESPN (per typical) is the odd service out on his height, calling Ondre merely 6-2, while the other three sites agree that he's 6-3. 24/7 Sports is the outlier on weight, crediting him at "merely" 305 pounds, while the others all put him in the 320-325 range. 6-3, 320 seems to be your consensus weight.
He was the subject of a Sam Webb article back in April:
"Pipkins is a big-bodied space-eater that can command double teams, but he's quick enough and light enough on his feet to penetrate and disrupt," said Trieu. "Once he learns to really use his hands and consistently play under people, he's going to be an even tougher guy to move and block. Right now he's rated the No. 16 defensive tackle nationally, but he does have a chance to move up higher. Big kids like him that are 320 pounds and move the way he does are very rare."
His coach agrees with Allen's assessment:
"Ondre is strong and quick off the ball, and when he can latch onto an opponent and stay low, he can take care of some gaps for sure," Reynolds told Scout.com. "He gets double-, sometimes triple-teamed, which allows our linebackers to flow freely. He plays with a good motor. His job is to draw the double- and triple-team, but he is very disruptive in the backfield. We're going to do some things next year to try to open things up for him."
He even told Sam how Michigan plans to use him:
"(Michigan assistant) Coach (Greg) Mattison said I'd have the chance to play right off the bat because I'm the kind of defensive tackle that can move around and play multiple positions. They're only taking one nose guard and I can be that nose guard and come in and play for four years. That's mainly what they tell me -- that I can just come in and play nose for a straight four years, graduate, and take a chance of getting to the NFL."
Last spring, he impressed at the National Underclassmen Combine in Kansas City:
Ondre Pipkins (Park Hill) is a physically imposing 6'2 319 lb d-lineman with the skills to pay the bills. He has great quickness for somebody his size, good lateral movement and strength (bench pressing 185 lbs 21times). Pipkins was a force to be reckoned with and is worth looking out for.
He won the defensive line MVP at that event. Pipkins was a "star" at the Army Combine ($, info in header).
Tom Lemming likes his game:
“He’s one of the two best players in Kansas City,” said Lemming, who has covered the national recruiting scene for more than 30 years. “He can play both sides of the ball. I think he could an All American guard on offense or a very steady defensive tackle.”
Considering the #1 player in Kansas City is also supposed to be the best player in the nation (WR Dorial Green-Beckham), that's high praise. Ondre has been firmly stock-on-rise for a long time, so this commitment is big for Michigan.
OFFERS
Ondre's a Saginaw native, who went to school in Rochester Hills his sophomore season. That explains Michigan and Michigan State interest. Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio State... need I go on? He has a huge offer list.
STATS
UPDATE: Hey, those were the stats for long-lost recruit Wayne Morgan. Hooray for copying and pasting!
I couldn't find easily-available junior stats on Pipkins.
FAKE 40 TIME
Rivals lists a 5.15 time for his 40-yard dash, something totally reasonable for a guy his size whose athleticism is one of his strengths. A mere one FAKE out of five.
VIDEO
Oddly for a high-ish profile guy, there's very little on him. This video, entitled "Ondre Pipkins Highlights" doesn't seem to be him at all.
He's featured in the first 7 or so reps in Rivals's OL v. DL Army Combine highlights, but other than that, I can't find a whole lot of freely available stuff.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Pipkins is a much-needed piece of this class, and he'll have a chance to contribute almost immediately as a member of the DL rotation in 2012, with a good chance to take over a starting position upon Will Campbell's graduation following that season.
If he's as good as the combines would lead us to believe, he has definite NFL potential, and a good chance to make All-Big Ten teams as an upperclassman.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
Finally comes the DT. Michigan's needs are filled - aside from at least one wideout - and can focus on just taking top-top prospects for the remainder of the class, regardless of position.
Might depend on how some players perform during fall camp. They will have a better idea on what holes need to be filled.
I'd like Dunn, Darboh, Wright and O'Brien.
I think we have a chance with him, and with Stonum coming back, I don't think we are as desperate for a WR as some might think. I think - right now, we can take the four best prospects, regardless of position. It should be a fun finish!!
RB - Dunn, DB - Wright, OL - Diamond, WR - Diggs
That's best case, for me:)
Don't think Diggs is at the top of the coaches' board due to grades. It sucks that our 2 best receiver recruits are lacking in the classroom, but I'm happy the coaches aren't bottom feeding either. U gotta be well rounded to be a Michigan Man. Go Blue!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:29 PM ^
Ondre Pipkins is a big part of that. Welcome to Michigan Ondre!
The Team, The Team, The Team.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:29 PM ^
Hello Ondre! This recruiting class is totally kicking butt.
Games are won and lost in the trenches and we are looking pretty good right now.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:29 PM ^
Excellent news! Welcome aboard Ondre!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
part of me hates that they're not immediately on the field in august.
on the Wolverine's field you mean,
No?
August 8th, 2011 at 12:33 PM ^
August 8th, 2011 at 12:33 PM ^
This is a much needed pick up for MIchigan. I see him playing a lot his freshman year. Great defenses need to be built from the inside out IMO. And from seeing his tape, Pipkins has to be one of the best in his class. I'm completely baffled how Rivals can have him as only the 246th overall player. What a joke. And I won't even get started on ESPN. I wouldn't be surprised if he moves up this year by the end of the season. Welcome Ondre!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
Rivals will update their rankings at the end of the month. As I posted below, it has been strongly suggested by (and actually stated by some) local and national mods that he is going to move up, likely way way up. They loved how he dominated every camp he attended. I expect him to be safely inside the top 100, or at worst just outside.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:34 PM ^
We got a huge DT and I guess he can be an emergency QB. 2 birds with 1 stone!
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<br>/s
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<br>But seriously this made my Monday!
we're not recruiting a QB this season. The master plan becomes obvious now.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:37 PM ^
Does Wayne Morgan turn into Pipkins when he get's upset ?
August 8th, 2011 at 12:37 PM ^
...and bear with me, as i'm not a huge recruitnik...but is it time to start ignoring espn ratings completely? it seems like they are outliers on every single recruit.
guess it doesn't matter, on some level, and it's impossible to ignore an 800-pound gorilla, but man. it's gotten kinda ridiculous, hasn't it? or is it just my (limited) imagination?
August 8th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
General Rule of Thumb:
Disregard any opinions about anything at any time from ESPN.
Yes. In fact, it's long overdue.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
This is great news! Welcome home Ondre!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
Local mods and national mods have strongly suggested he is due to skyrocket up the rankings based on his summer camp performances. I expect him to be a Top 100 player when Rivals updates their rankings at the end of the month. So this kid is a big time player (which he obviously wouldn't be if he was only rated in the high 240's. /sarcasm)
August 8th, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
August 8th, 2011 at 12:39 PM ^
Great looking class, and with 4 spots left for top flight talent, it's only going to get better. I just hope they spread out their commitments throughout the month so that I don't go crazy waiting for the season with no news.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:40 PM ^
August 8th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
I still can't believe how awesome our recruiting has been. We have a brand new staff that hasn't gone through a single game yet, and we've gotten this many high-level commitments up until now, the start of fall camp. If all of these guys stay Blue, we'll be back on top and taking no prisoners for a good long while.
I just hope (Hoke?) that we can compete for a title this year and then the next when our schedule is brutal and these guys are freshman. We want to keep that recruiting momentum going and I'm just plain sick of losing. I haven't looked this up to confirm, but I'm pretty sure the class of 2011 was the first since the B1G bowl rules changed to never see a Rose Bowl, and I'm in line to be the second if we don't make it this year.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^
"The best three sites that have rated Pipkins..."
I keep wondering how long people will keep saying ESPN's rankings are worthless when they have been by far the most accurate for Michigan players in the 3-5 years. I guess the answer is, awhile longer.
The big reason that many of us say that ESPN in "wrong" is because they are most often the outlier among the four and they are also usually the least up to date.
Do you have evidence that they're the most accurate? I just remember ESPN being super high on guys like Isaiah Bell and a few others who never panned out.
I think the reality is that we don't know. Just being an outlier on a lot of these doesn't make ESPN wrong. In fact, the other sites could be copying one another. I have it on my rainy day list to look at how well each of these services have fared, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
In the original post, that was obviously a little joke along the lines of "whoever likes Michigan guys the most is the best."
As for the overwhelming sentiment against ESPN, I'm on your side. They certainly hit the nail on the head with BWC, at the very least.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^
i still want DOB also
August 8th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^
This is awesome! So glad to get the commitment from Ondre! Can't wait to see how the rest of this class fills up. I'm very interested to see where he moves up to in the rankings. Deifnitely a top 100 player!. Way to go blue Ondre!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
For a guy with a loaded offer list, this section is kinda short for me. Yeah, its clear that he is highly coveted, but it's still worth mentioning when a guy gets offers from Oklahoma and Tennessee, especially if Iowa is going to get mention.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
Guh...for you:
For Ondre:
August 8th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
U-M "can focus on just taking top-top prospects for the remainder of the class, regardless of position."
I think this is spot on and everyone worried about exact numbers at this or that position should take it to heart.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
Is Danny O'Brien slotted as a NT or more of a Mike Martin type?
I was just wonderin how that would work with the coaches saying they will only take one NT.
I'm confused.. Mike Martin is our NT, right? Which is what Pipkins would be.. Unless I'm just way off. O'Brien and Pipkins are different positions, though
Brian would prefer to see MM at 3-tech:
If you can assemble a frankentackle in the middle then you can slide Mike Martin out to the three-tech spot he doesn't know he's been coveting for years. Imagine senior Martin getting single blocked on most plays. Tingling is normal when contemplating this scenario.
I might be getting the two positions confused, but in the post, Tim mentions that Pipkins could take over full time once Cambell graduates. So I am assuming that spot is the NT?
Either way, if O'Brien and Pipkins are different positions than we are all set. Just gotta make O'Brien official!!!
My impression is that he's more suited for the 3 tech, but has the versitility to play the one tech as well. Pipkins is all nose tackle (1 tech).
August 8th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
August 8th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO! He finally did it! This is the one person I really wanted! Way to go Pipkins! Our defense is gonna be a MONSTER!
August 8th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
Welcome home Ondre! This makes my Monday just that much better.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
The 2012 recruitment process is just looking better and better every day! Michigan is in a great spot because now Hoke can take commitments from guys with the most potential and not just to fill needs.
Fantastic pickup. Pipkins, in my opinion, is the best player in this class so far.
I'd really really like to get Danny O'Brien, too, though. He just looks like an absolute force from the footage that I've seen. He likes Michigan; he's in-state; and I get really excited thinking about Pipkins and O'Brien starting on the interior line two years from now.
He is large and will push around and tackle many people, which is an essential component of defense. I heartily approve. Huzzah.
Tom Lemming's assesment confuses me. Does he like Pipkins more as a OG than a DT? An "All-American OG", but just a "steady" DT?
YESSS!!! This is a huge commitment, pun intended.
Also, "Woo, DT!"
Ondre Pipkins 6-3 320
Matt Godin 6-6 265 (hoping to report around 300)
I'm good if this is the end of DL recruiting, Danny would be a bonus if he comes.
Goodie Gumdrops!!!! Come on down Danny O
Welcome and welcome some more Big Man! I hope that he did not get screwed by someone leaking his commit news early. This young man should dictate when the news goes out not some greasy headline grabber.
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