Could we get four OTs in this year's recruiting class?
Luke Hamilton (#19 OT, #296 overall) is already in the fold. We've long been the leader for man-mountain Ben Roebuck (#31 OT, #457 overall). Both Ohio boys.
In the last few days, we've gotten a lot of balls and forecasts for Blake Frazier (#13 OT, #213 overall) and #10 OT, #186 overall). Both Texas boys.
Could we get all four? Would we take all four? I don't think we've got ins with any IOLs as of yet. Most folks were unsatisfied with the OL recruiting haul last year, with only three taken (2 IOLs and 1 OT), so maybe this run on tackles is righting the ship?
Just spitballing this morning.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:20 AM ^
By the way, that second Texas OT was Max Anderson (who we should require to change his last name to Power as a signing condition).
March 21st, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
There's three ways to do things:
1) The right way
2) The wrong way
3) The Max Power way. Which is also the wrong way, but faster.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
He's no Hercules Rockefeller, or Rembrandt Q. Einstein but he is faster.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:38 PM ^
He once dated both Hootie McBoob and Chestie LaRew.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
What about Busty Sinclair?
March 21st, 2023 at 12:55 PM ^
"Max Power? That's a great power name"
"yea, I got it off of a hair dryer"
March 21st, 2023 at 10:23 AM ^
I'm Ron Burgandy?
March 21st, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
Go f*** yourself, San Diego.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:47 AM ^
I don't think that is true.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:48 AM ^
There's no way that's correct.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Agree to disagree.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Sleuthing
You’re not Ron Burgundy. You’re UM Fan from Sydney.
But maybe he's Ron BurgAndy like he wrote. Illiteracy is humorous on its own., Like the "pre madonnas".
Who are you suggesting is illiterate?
Do you even know what it means to be illiterate?
If someone says pre-madonna, instead of prima donna, it doesn’t mean that they are illiterate.
I think this guy was banned about 1.5 years ago. Over and over he would post the same smart-ass reply “I’m Ron Burgundy?” when someone would ask a question that was perhaps out of syntax. His posts were always bad, but he must have crossed the line somewhere.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:25 AM ^
Yes, you take all 4. I read that a couple of these recruits could move inside, so...
March 21st, 2023 at 10:28 AM ^
Isn't that kind of the problem with OSU's OL the last few years? They've been having tackles play guard...
March 21st, 2023 at 10:32 AM ^
That was more that the best line up they could put together just so happened to have 4 OTs playing together. It wasn't necessarily because OSU wanted to recruit 4 OTs to play all at once.
Michigan has routinely taken high school "OTs" that were better projected at OG. Keegan is a good example. Sliding him inside was the right thing to do because he probably doesn't have the make up to be the most successful OT.
Keegan wears more makeup than anyone on the team.
Bo used to take tackles and then moved the ones that couldn't cut it, inside. Far better than the Hoke way of taking a zillions interior guys and then kicking them outside.
Just like a lot of HS tackles are interior OL at the next level, a lot of college tackles are interior OL at the next level. So if they'd be playing guard in the NFL, you'd love to have them play guard in college.
The reason the best OL usually play OT in college (or HS) is that it's a higher leverage position. But if you already have two good OTs, playing your third best OL at guard is usually better, not worse. I would think only the really tall 6'7+ guys might struggle with leverage against DTs. Otherwise, you play your best regardless of position.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
I think the Buckeyes “challenge” is overconfidence and a roster that took The Game for granted.
And, assuming any talented player from Ohio would drop all other offers if the Buckeyes approached them at the 11th hour.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
Tackles playing guard shouldn't be a problem in this day and age.
Back in the day, guards used to be faster because they would pull alot.
Nowadays you have to have athletes on the edge, and the inside guys can be the road grader types.
March 21st, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
You want longer arms and very quick feet for tackle. They will more often handle Edge rush alone
Most players listed as tackles by recruiting sites aren’t actually tackles at most power schools.
Trevor Keegan was the #16 OT in his class. El Hadi was the #11 OT in his class. Both are guards at UM. There’s more but I’m not doing the digging. For most guys, it’s not black and white “this is a guard” or “this is a tackle” when it comes to recruiting. Take their position on recruiting sites with a grain of salt.
OSU’s problem is they have guys who actually do project as tackles playing guard.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:39 AM ^
Hamilton is 100% an inside guy, but I think this class needs tackles more than we need guards so glad we're in on so many
March 21st, 2023 at 11:10 AM ^
We are lineMEN U, and all the old guys(lol) are telling these young bucks about how great the coaches and strength staff are. The NIL stuff is helping believe it or not. They all live together on campus in same place etc.
BU on campus today
JD' comin
1207
cheers
March 21st, 2023 at 11:19 AM ^
OK, BU has to be Bryce Underwood.
We all know who JD is.
But can someone decipher the 1207 for someone who's not familiar with "the code"?
March 21st, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
1207 - How many days it's been since OSU beat UM in football.
March 21st, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
Of course. Thanks!
March 22nd, 2023 at 10:29 AM ^
Gotta be fanatical to have that number memorized.
The fact that Underwood being back on campus already is a testament to just how good of a recruiter Campbell is. I'm still doubtful we get him since I kinda doubt he comes here if Davis commits, but still a good sign
I do remember though a while back Sam saying that if we get Jadyn Davis we probably wouldn't get Underwood right behind him. Not that we wouldn't pursue him but Underwood would want a clearer path to starting. If we didn't get Jadyn things would look very good to getting Underwood.
BU has juice, and a much higher ceiling IMO. Jalen Hurts vs. Kirk Cousins
Likely a top 5 player in 2025 class, and from your back yard. Not a huge deal, but missing out on CJ, DM, and BU would be a failure regardless of how maize and blue your sunglasses are. Those 3 guys are the best State of Michigan high school quaterbacks since Henson.
Mack comin' (if he can get in, and JH doesn't take someone else before decision)
JD comin'
#JJ4Heisman
1207
cheers
March 21st, 2023 at 11:51 AM ^
Some guys like to move inside...
March 21st, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
take everyone you can in the world of NIL and everyone transferring.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:31 AM ^
There's a 100% chance that Michigan thinks some of these guys will move inside. Whether or not they're right about that, it's what they're thinking
March 21st, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
Plus the OL class last year was not near enough quality OLmen. Need to recruit about 200 this year.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
Yeah I'd say we've had a few recent years of curiously lackluster OL crootin
March 21st, 2023 at 11:53 AM ^
Especially OT recruiting. Which probably explains why we brought in so many transfers.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
Aren't most highly-rated high school OL listed as OT given that pretty much all of the top HS OL play left tackle on their high school teams...regardless of where they project in college?
I've got to assume that at least one or two of the four have a profile - in terms of their size, blocking style, etc. - that fits the typical IOL.
Bingo. Unless we’re talking about guys who are like 6’3”, the vast majority of linemen are going to be viewed as “tackles” on the recruiting sites.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
I don’t know
March 21st, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
If you can take them now, do it. Until they actually sign, a commitment can change easily.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
We're in a very good spot with a lot of OL guys. Including the guys you mentioned, we're in a solid spot with 4* OT Andrew Sprague, 3* IOL Jake Guarnera, and 3* IOL Kyle Altuner
March 21st, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
Yes. Probably. Perhaps.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:43 AM ^
Michigan has had plenty of success moving high school OTs inside to guard. Keegan and El-Hadi are very recent examples. There's plenty of examples of guys who are ~6'5" turning into very good college guards, so to answer your question: Yes, I do think Michigan would strongly consider taking all 4, if they think some of them have the ability to slide inside, which seems plausible given their recent history of success transitioning high school tackles with similar frames into guards.
March 21st, 2023 at 10:51 AM ^
Basically if you're a high school OL taller than 6'4" you're gonna be listed as a tackle on the recruiting sites. That seems to be the only rhyme or reason to how they determine who they classify as an OT or IOL
March 21st, 2023 at 10:54 AM ^
Luke Hamilton already plays a ton of right guard in high school, if not almost exclusively. He's not athletic enough to be a tackle.
Max Anderson plays some of both.
These guys won't all be tackles in college.
EDIT: Reece Atteberry was originally listed as a tackle on the recruiting sites. He was later ranked as a center (which is now "IOL") and has only played guard/center at Michigan.