Potential Signing Class - 2014
I know someone did this a couple weeks ago, but it's the offseason, and I am curious again. We have 10 spots filled, so here are my candidates to fill the remaining spots
Five Stars/Best Available - Andrew Brown, Da'Shawn Hand, Juju Smith, Adoree Jackson, Malik McDowell (I say we get two of these guys, with Hand and McDowell as the most likely. Maybe a third if magic is worked)
DBs - Parrker Westphal - likely, but not a lock
WR - 247 says at least "Warm" interest from Mark Andrews, Artavis Scott, Jalen Brown, and Corey Holmes, with the recruiting update yesterday saying Holmes was possible, and Scott keeps getting mentioned. So, one of those guys.
Then at least one of KJ Williams and Montae Nicholson, and maybe a RB like Hilliman, which is pushing 8 spots out of the above prospects. Who else is a serious possibility/who do you think we land?
i'd be pretty shocked if we take a RB. Don't think Mark Andrews is likely either. Artavis is apparently coming back for the BBQ so thats great news, as is Corey Holmes. Hopefully one of those two drop. Of the Five Star/Best available you list, McDowell is the most likely.
I'd like to pencil in:
McDowell: because he is an in stater.
Westphal: because it seems likely.
KJ Williams: I think we are high on his list?
Jamarco Jones: Maybe. Seems like the coaches are still recruiting him hard and I saw on the M Block that he doesn't have a leader even though everyone says OSU.
Hand: Hoping
That would still leave 4 or so others. There will probably be a LB recruit who will end up in the class. Probably Winovich or whoever the coaches have as alternate LB targets, like the kid down in Florida, can't remember his name at the moment.
I don't doubt that Jones told the M Block that, but I'm pretty sure him telling a clearly Michigan biased blog that quote doesn't actually mean he doesn't have a favorite.
but I think his opportunity to go blue sailed when Moe Ways committed. I think the final WR comes from the group of Scott, Holmes, or Jalen Brown.
Hilliman gone, and they'll take only one more WR is my guess. They'll also take a late LB because Winovich seems like OSU to me.
My bad... I misread the 247 sports 'prediction' and thought he committed to TOSU.
Over at 11 Warriors, they are worried about Winovich (at least last night.) There is speculation that he could easily end up at Pitt, because it would allow him to be close to home. That's an attraction for guys like Shane Morris, Da'Mario Jones, David Dawson, and Jourdan Lewis: you can't discount this for Winovich, possibly staying close to home.
As regards Ohio and Michigan, the insider at 11 Warriors says there are significant positives at each school, and Winovich himself is weighing all the pros and cons at each location.
The upshot is that Winovich is probably most likely to go to Ohio, Pitt, or Michigan, but it is impossible to get an accurate read on which of the three will win out. Bottom line: I wouldn't assume Winovich is bound to Ohio, but I also wouldn't have any irrational exuberance that he'll be at Michigan.
I don't see us landing an RB this class, and I think if we manage to pull Hand and McDowell (or God willing both) and Westphal that might round out the class. It's a relatively weak year for running backs and we have a ton of depth, even after Fitz graduates, and the 2015 RB class is looking much stronger.
We might be able to land Winovich too, which would certainly be welcome, but considering the numbers crunch for this class I think once we get to 14 or 15 they might pump the brakes a bit.
has a sarcastic filter now?
That is obviously a running joke, but it is interesting to see the discrepancy between who got offers this year and who got them the past two years. It seems like the coaches are starting to realize (or more likely are gaining the ability) they can have a very good shot at whoever they want. It makes you wonder how many of our commits might not have gotten offers had the coaches been more established.
Note: I love our '12 and '13 classes
That might be the case, but recruiting analysts are saying that we might be done at OL if we don't get someone like Jamarco Jones.
I don't mind signing 3 OL, but signing 6 last year allows us to be flexible about the 3rd OL.
These names are definitely a best case scenario. I would guess we will come out with maybe 2 or 3 of these players and likely another 3-4 names we aren't familiar with right now.
but I think, given everything, it's at least as likely we get the majority of these guys as it is we fill the last spots with no-names (though if you are saying maybe some other four stars we haven't heard about contact with yet are out there and we eventually get them, then I might be more inclined to agree)
Westphal for sure
Hand (50-50)
KJ williams because he spews M stuff
and maybe Jamarco jones but probably not
I completely disagree.
/s
I'm surprised no one has Adoree Jackson on their list. Might not be the most likely of our remaining prospects, but he is a consensus 5* who has repeatedly talked about UM as being amongst his favorites. Just today, he tweeted something like, "part of UM team 135? #goblue." Now obviously tweets don't really mean anything, but still shows we are definitely in the mix for one of the best CB prospects in the country (...another one).
Edit: guess I should have rest of the comments before posting.
Is there a rumor that he committed to Pitt on his visit? Sam Webb mentioned some things floating around on message boards, but he hadn't talked to Winnovich yet
Thank you
but thank you
There was a rumor over at 11 Warriors that he might commit to Pitt. This apparently didn't happen. However, the insiders at 11 Warriors don't have a lot of confidence one way or another. Here's a quote from their site:
He is very close to committing - but he's just as close to Ohio State as he is to Pitt or Michigan - that's the bad news. This is not a "he's all Buckeye without any thought of another school." He likes multiple things about multiple places and is trying, in his words, to find the place that's "best place for him."
LINK: http://www.elevenwarriors.com/forum/recruiting/2013/05/2014-lb-chase-winovich-update-0
Here's one comment that I thought was helpful:
If Chase leaves Pitt without committing it's a good thing for Ohio State, but it's not that good. He did not commit on the visit to Michigan, and he did not commit on his visit to Ohio State, either. He's a very cerebral guy, and he's trying to process a lot of difficult information.
If he visits Ohio State again, especially if it's this weekend, then I think him as a Buckeye becomes more viable. He could easily end up at Michigan or Pitt or Ohio State, all three are great options for him for different reasons and all three would love to have him.
Why good football players still consider going to Pitt is beyond me. Possibly more baffling than Ole Miss. Pitt has been a sad-sack program for years, constantly humiliating themselves in front of 5,000 bored fans at Heinz field
You are mistaken. DatBull is a 2 star football player. He is a 7 star rapper. Fo Life.
McDowell isn't a 5 star right now. He will probably be on signing day but not right now. As for how we finish, I envision Parrker Westphal, Artavis Scott, Dashawn Hand, Malik McDowell, another DL, another DB, another LB, and another OL
http://247sports.com/Player/Malik-McDowell-18662
Yeah, and that'll increase when Scout and Rivals expand the number of 5*s they have in their database, assuming he doesn't flop at the Army Game.
+1 for the new avi!!!
If we get McDowell and hand with the guys we got, we are going to have to pull up another bandwagon!
is Kalen Ballage. If he can get in a visit to Ann Arbor, I think Michigan becomes the team to beat. Plus he can play positions other than RB if you're nervous about scaring away Harris and Weber in the '15 class.
Yeah, I'd like to see him in this class as well. Rivals lists him as 6'2" and 216 lbs. His forty time is reported at 4.37!!!!! He would be a great athlete to add.
I doubt Kalen Ballage runs a 4.37 because if he did I am pretty sure he would be more pursued.
How many FAKES would you give a 40 time like that?