Jack Stewart Commits to Michigan Comment Count

Seth

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[Jack Stewart/via 247Sports]

As Sam hinted earlier today the Wolverines have added more help in the trenches, pulling 6’5”/280 2019 offensive lineman prospect Jack Stewart out of Don Brown country:

Stewart got his Michigan offer during the big recruiting weekend a few weeks ago. He had offers from BC, Texas A&M, Zona, and just recently picked up a TCU offer after visiting the two Texas schools last week. Notre Dame was also fishing around. He’s a three star to 247, an unranked 2-star to Rivals, and doesn’t exist on ESPN because Connecticut offensive lineman.

Hudl video exists:

More informative update cometh.

Comments

crg

April 16th, 2018 at 9:18 PM ^

Unranked or consensus 5 star; either way, if Don Brown thinks he's worth it, that's good enough for me. That man has certainly earned faith in his judgement throughout his career.

crg

April 17th, 2018 at 6:57 AM ^

That's why I said "or even only a football coach". Personally, I think he should carry around a baseball bat at all times, but especially on gamedays. Everyone he talks to someone, they get a small voice inside asking "Is he about to take a swing at me with that?".

Maize and Bloop

April 16th, 2018 at 9:15 PM ^

What's Harbaugh's track record at Michigan for finding gems on the o-line? I'm still waiting for one of these "under the radar" types to earn a starting spot on the o-line. Entering year four we have TWO linemen we are confident with and both were top 100 recruits.

That being said, welcome aboard, Jack! Instead of 'pancakes we can call them 'flapjacks'

Magnus

April 16th, 2018 at 9:23 PM ^

Meh. I get your point, but OL in particular takes time to develop. The 2015 class was a transition year, so basically you're saying, "Why haven't any of Harbaugh's under-the-radar recruits turned into bona fide stars by their sophomore years?" The truth is that while they take time to develop overall, that's even more so the case for those under-the-radar guys who need to develop their bodies and technique.

Blue in Paradise

April 16th, 2018 at 10:27 PM ^

speaking) for a high level P5 team - I would have even said mediocre in 2017. If you actually watch their games, they win with a dominant defense and stars at the skill positions on offense.

Don’t believe me - look at the NFL draft: Bama has 1 OL draftee in 16, one in 17 and nobody projected to be drafted in 18. Bama has been dominant but not because of their OL.

TrueBlue2003

April 16th, 2018 at 11:34 PM ^

And even last year in 2017 they had Cam Robinson who was a 2nd round tackle and graded out higher than Ramczyk and Bolles (who were first rounders) as a rookie last year, per PFF.  So they had the best OT in college football in 2017.

In 2016 their draft pick was the Rimington award winner and a first rounder (which is crazy for a C) Ryan Kelly and they obviously had Robinson that year who was already in his second year starting and would have been a top pick had he been eligible for the draft. So they had literally teh best C in football and arguably the best LT.  Fill in the rest of the line with average guys and that's still an incredible line.

They haven't been quite like the 2013 team which had two 1st rounders and 4th rounder but they've still had a top 5-10 OL every year except maybe last year.

And let's not overstate how good their offenses are, either (they've pretty much gone the way of the OL).  They weren't that good last year.  23rd in S&P+.

They were 9th in 2016 and they were only 24th (!!) in 2015 because they had no QB. Two national titles in the last three years: neither of which had a top 20 offense.

Alabama has won with elite defenses and meh offenses recently, so it not even like their skill position players have been that good recently either.

 

 

Bluey

April 17th, 2018 at 1:41 AM ^

Did you really just say Alabama's skill players haven't been good?

Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddi Lacy, TJ Yeldon, Kenyan Drake, Derrick Henry, Bo Scarborough, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Calvin Ridley would all beg to differ. And guys like Tua, Najee, and Damien Harris are all coming down the pipeline.

BTW, I'd kill for UM's offense to be like Alabama's after watching whatever that was we put out last year.

TrueBlue2003

April 17th, 2018 at 2:10 PM ^

Mark Ingram, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, were there a long time ago.

Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, TJ Yeldon and most of their other RB's aren't that good. They got drafted based on system aided production and haven't been good in the NFL. Derrick Henry is decent but certainly wasn't the best player in football two years ago.  Product of the system/OL.  Kenyan Drake is one of the more talented RBs they've had but he barely played. Bo Scarbrough had fewer than 600 yards rushing on less than 5 ypc last year.

Calvin Ridley had 5 TDs last year.  That's it.  Didn't crack 1,000 yards in either of the previous two seasons.  Bama gets a lot of talented WRs (supposedly) which gets them drafted but they haven't been that good/productive recently because their QBs have been kind of terrible for three years running (which is a skill position, btw), and that's kind of the opposite of what their RBs usually are: i.e. more productive than their talent because of the OL.

The previous poster made the point that they've been good in spite of mediocre OL's because of their skill position players, and my point is that their offense just hasn't even been that good.

I realize this is all relative to Bama's recruiting and expectations and the 24th best offense is pretty good, but it's not that good for the national championship team.  They're carried by the defense.

TrueBlue2003

April 17th, 2018 at 1:30 AM ^

So Newome would have have been one and that's if he didn't leave after his Jr season, which could have happened.

What hurt far worse was not taking any OT's and only 3 OL overall in the 2016 class despite knowing we had virtually nothing to count on from the 2014 and 2015 classes.  It's been harped on repeatedly, but man, wtf were they doing?

Yeah, yeah, Henderson decommitted unexpectedly but that's just one guy - should have had probably three in that class..  Why we did not stock up in 2016 given what was looming is beyond me.

MGlobules

April 17th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^

to f things up for them. But whenever I read a post like this I wonder. . . does this anonymous guy on a message board really think that Harbs and his staff weren't working hard to assemble a good offensive line, or weren't trying to look down the road? Believe me, everyone with even a glancing awareness about M football is desperate to see this team, finally, assemble a functional and successful O line, especially for pass protection. But you talk about it as if it were criminal or purposeful negligence. 

UMFoster

April 17th, 2018 at 7:53 AM ^

That's the problem.  One guy going down shouldn't impact your Oline for 2 years.  You have to build depth.  You need at least 2 guys at each position of the Oline that are ready to play.  We have hardly had 2 TOTAL OT's ready to play.

Chipper1221

April 17th, 2018 at 8:28 AM ^

I know, the depth falls on all the wiffs this staff had with high end OT's. But last year wouldve been much different with a Newsome Bredeson Kugler Onwenu Cole lineup with Ruiz filling in. 

 

And this years line would look much better with Newsome Bredeson Ruiz Onwenu ???

The ??? being pit of bodies competing for one spot. Filigia / Hudson / JBB / Runyan. 

JVANVEEL

April 17th, 2018 at 8:01 AM ^

I read he is a heavy weight wrestler too. Seems he probably has kept his weight in check so he doesn't go too far over his wrestling weight restrictions. Once he stops wrestling, starts eating all year round, and hits the weights he may add a good 20-30 lbs no problem. i am optimistic about any high level wrestler. Mike Martin is a perfect example, they have a tenacity in them.

SlickNick

April 16th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^

I know you said at Michigan, but according to 247 not a single one of Harbaugh's OL recruits  at Stanford was higher than a 3 star, and we all know how those units were. Some of those under recruited guys are still playing in the NFL.

As of right now, including the 2015 transition class Runyan, Spanelis and Hudson are competing for starting spots. Since Ruiz, Onwenu and Bredeson were all national recruits you can't count them. With 3 under the radar types on the fringe of being starters, and Stueber and Honigford coming off RS years I think its a little early to say Harbaugh doesn't have a good track record at MI with these types.

I get your point though, I too would like to see us land a couple more of the Ruiz, Bredeson types, that show up year 1 ready to play. But with Harbaugh and Warinner's track record..I am confident in the guys they want. 

El Jeffe

April 16th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^

Oh my name is Jock Stewart I'm a canny gun man

And a roving young fellow I've been

So be easy and free when you're drinking with me

I'm a man you don't meet every day

Welcome Jock! Er, Jack!

outsidethebox

April 16th, 2018 at 9:10 PM ^

It's a good year to load up on the o-line. It would also be very nice to get Dobbs or Brown...or both. 

Otherwise, I think this kid could be pretty good-I like his motor. I believe, from his tape, that he likes playing on the interior-on both sides of the ball...and I am guessing the Michigan coaching staff likes that too.

Maize and Blue…

April 16th, 2018 at 9:32 PM ^

We are probably 3rd for him.  Stewart's other B1G offers were from Indiana, Maryland, and Rutgers.  This is the type of player we use to pick up late (if needed) not 8 months before signing day.

Carpenter's other B1G offers are Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers, Minny, and NW.  I would like to think that we should be recruiting against OSU, PSU, and Wisconsin.