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 11:10 AM ^
^^^ Delbert Grady correcting the OP
March 21st, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
This is all a guess but in the Days of Portal it seems Harbaugh really thinks one position specific place to hit the portal is the OL. I'm speculating there is nothing harder than projecting a high school OL and the success they will have in college. There are many many days of getting bodies right before they can contribute etc. It seems that Michigan staff is ID'ing college ready lineman that fit scheme and attacking them in the portal when and where they can. Doesn't mean you don't want to stop recruiting the OL but you can find fixes quicker these days and stop gaps way easier then you could 4 years ago. We have been really really good at ID'ing high end OL in portal and this last portal haul is going to the nucleus of the OL maybe as soon as Fall of 2024.
March 21st, 2023 at 11:12 AM ^
I've said this before, but I'm not sure this year's portal class is going to be the usual for this team. It's not gonna be every year where a top center's coach gets fired who has a Harbaugh connection and falls into our lap. It's not gonna be every year where a projected early round LT foregoes the draft and wants to play for us for a year. It's not gonna be every year where a former Michigan player's top 100 RT little bother's coach gets fired who has a Harbaugh connection. This portal OL class is full of guys who you don't pass up on and most of which had connections to us. I'd probably consider this class more an outlier than anything
March 21st, 2023 at 11:21 AM ^
Eh, weird shit happens every year.
The weird shit is a different kind of weird from year-to-year...but it still happens.
If Michigan continues to compete for championships, players will continue to want to play for Michigan...whether they are coming out of HS or looking to transfer from another college.
March 21st, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
I think both these things (smitty1233, njvictor) could be correct. This year's portal O-line class has lots of quirks that we shouldn't expect to see every year. Even in a baseline year, though, the O-line should be the most interesting position because of the projection difficulty with HS recruits. The two guys not named Hinton were 3-star recruits outside the top 500 but have improved their profiles since. They've probably outplayed many 4-stars. Would you have taken them out of HS? Hard to say ...
March 21st, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
I think so. I think Roebuck can play inside. Btw I wouldn't be surprised to hear a few names dropping in the next 7 days 🤷
March 21st, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
Can't wait to see them all lined up at once.
Harball.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
Intent to deceive. 15 yard penalty.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Anderson and Hamilton will be guards in college.
March 21st, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
OLU OLU
Offensive Line University
Having a player's first and last name contain the OLU acronym makes it official.
Absolutely!
Of course, if they all show up to the door at the exact same time, I see your point.
Anderson and Hamilton are probably projected as IOL, so we should be able to take them all.
I really hope we have enough room in the class for Marques Easley, who is a 3/4 Star OT. His blend of athleticism and power jumps off the screen in his film, and I've watch the film of every OL we've signed in the last 20 years. HEAVILY underrated.
Andrew Sprague and Eagan Boyer are two more names to add to this list too. I think there's going to be a race between all of these guys to be the first couple to commit. Nobody wants to be the one without a chair when the music stops.