More noteworthy Donovan Edwards Activity

Submitted by WoodleyIsBeast on February 26th, 2020 at 9:42 AM

Nothing earth-shattering here....but worth noting based on yesterday's forum topic.

Yesterday evening, Donovan Edwards posted a picture of himself on a Michigan visit wearing the Maize and Blue with this caption:

"I got a smile on my face while I'm in my city"

This alludes to one of four options in my mind:

1) Trieu/Wiltfong's CB's don't mean Edwards is going to O$U, and he is subtly reassuring everyone 

2) Edwards is undecided, and the intel he provided to Trieu/Wiltfong was blown out of proportion

3) Edwards does want to go to O$U, but he wants to try and do it as peacefully as possible

4) Edwards is trolling Michigan and will end up in Columbus

Based on the fact that he is close with Paige/Wheeler/McCarthy/others, I have a hard time believing he would troll Michigan, so option #2 seems to make the most sense, even if it is just speculation.

Larry Appleton

February 26th, 2020 at 9:45 AM ^

I’m not going to freak out yet, but I have to say this: if Edwards signs with OSU, it will be Harbaugh’s biggest recruiting failure by far.

Larry Appleton

February 26th, 2020 at 10:16 AM ^

Unless Harbaugh believes that Henderson is head-and-shoulders above Edwards, I’d rather them sign Edwards.

The state of Michigan does not produce talent like southern states or even Ohio/Pennsylvania does, particularly at skill positions.  If God suddenly drops a top-3 RB 30 miles away on a HS team being coaches by an alum, and we let him sign with our biggest rival that has utterly dominated us for years, that is a historical botch.

So, either Harbaugh knows with certainty that Henderson is the second-coming of Walter Payton, or that Edwards’s hips are guaranteed to shatter into sand upon his first college tackle, or we NEED to get Edwards!

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^

I think this is overstating it.  To preface, getting Henderson is by no means certain and we're probably just in his top group with several others.  So losing ground on Edwards is net very bad, given most thought he was going to Michigan. 


But if Henderson came, all the factors you list above don't replace the fact that you'd be getting the #1 RB instead of the #2 RB.  There are reasons that Edwards may want to now go to Ohio State - like depth chart - that may not matter to Henderson.  A lot goes into the mix, gets shaken up, and decisions come out. 

If we landed Henderson and lost Edwards, you'd be getting a higher rated RB.  Would love them to have them both.  But you can't call landing a higher rated player a failure in any way, full stop. 

JM8

February 26th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^

Sam webb said OSU is leading because they are in more consistent contact than Michigan is. Has nothing to do with depth chart. He’s a must get, let’s not lie to ourselves. These ass kickings will never end if Harbaugh doesn’t pick it up in recruiting. Let’s be honest here people. 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 12:19 PM ^

No he was #4.  I believe Leonard Fournette was the #1 RB that year.  Would you not have liked him? 

I get that you're shitposting hoping for snarky upvotes, but let's have it on record that UM Indy would not like Michigan to pursue the #1 RB in the country because he wrongly believes a guy who played here years ago (for another staff) and didn't pan out was also the #1 RB. 

schreibee

February 26th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^

You CAN recognize where your point is accurate but his is right, right?!

For all the reasons listed, having a highly ranked player who is both local & coached by a former M football player choose osu over Michigan is a blow to the program (for pipeline continuity) even if an equal player from out of state goes to M.
 

If W.Bloomfield is going to become the elite talent generator it appears it may become, Michigan needs to put it on LOCK as osu has done with so many schools over the past several years.

It's a necessity!

If M loses out on one it'll be to Clemson/$EC - the other could be to osu.

Preety big difference, yeah?!

 

 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 1:01 PM ^

No, the post you're referring to was nonsense and not at all well thought out.  It says that Michigan must pick it up in recruiting without having the self awareness to understand that getting a higher rate RB - and in fact the highest possible rated RB - would be the maximum amount of recruiting improvement Michigan could do. 

If you're talking about the original post I first replied to, I don't discount everything he says.  I just believe that it's overstating the loss.  If Michigan landed the #1 RB in the country and lost the #2 RB in the country, that would in no way be a failure.  That doesn't mean there would be no downside to losing Edwards.  It's difficult for me to understand that I even need to say these things out loud, and that anyone is arguing against them. I mean, it's a good thing to land the very best player in the country at the RB position. 

cypherblue

February 26th, 2020 at 1:16 PM ^

So why not get them both. There's no way to gloss over this. If Michigan can get Henderson, great, but Edwards should be a get too. Michigan needs to take the next step. There should be no trade offs.

Considering Henderson has a decent chance playing something other the rb in college let's not fool ourselves into believing Edwards is a luxury or something. Both are needed in order to start beating OSU. You have to take get a guy like Edwards that is in your backyard. 

 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 1:20 PM ^

Brilliant insight that both would be preferable to one or neither. 

If you're saying it's UNACCEPTABLE that Michigan does not land the #1 and #2 RB's in the country I'll advise you that you'll need to consult the civic code for your city before attempting to have people removed from your lawn. 

FrozeMangoes

February 26th, 2020 at 4:13 PM ^

In a vacuum, yes, but there is context.

UM gets Edwards, from a big pipeline in Michigan.  Henderson would most likely go to a school UM would never play.

UM gets Henderson, then Edwards could go to OSU and UM plays him yearly. 

Either would be a huge get but I'd argue the optimal scenario keeps the other away from OSU.  But, crootin', so anything could happen. 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 4:38 PM ^

Context is fine, and I understand your argument.  I don't agree with it, but I understand it.  It's not out of the realm of logic to me that landing Edwards could be better than Henderson.  

What my comments on this entire thread related to, were the idea that this would be a "historical botch".  The idea that landing the #1 RB in the country while missing out on the #2 RB would be a historical botch is utterly ridiculous.  That is completely outside of the realm of any logic. 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 11:45 AM ^

Haskins was a RS freshman this year.  I really like him as a back, think he will be excellent in college.  But he doesn't have measurables that would lead one to conclude he'd be a leave-early risk.  So you'd expect both to have two years of eligibility remaining when Edwards would be on campus.  Maybe Charbonnet leaves early.  Who knows.  But looking at it you'd have to say Charbonnet and Haskins two years, Corum three years. 

And remember Christian Turner was a redshirt freshman this year.  He'd have two to play as well.  Realistically he wouldn't come into play in terms of depth chart for a 2021 recruit, but he was a guy a lot of us liked for much of the season.  He had fumble issues and Haskins took his carries, but last year at this time he was the predicted breakout candidate.  He has talent, remains on the team (hasn't portal'd), and could absolutely get himself back into the mix. 

Bodogblog

February 26th, 2020 at 3:07 PM ^

That's possible, but it's all unknown.  The post that this chain of notes is addressing talks about Michigan's "stacked backfield".  I may not refer to it as stacked, given even that's not proved yet.  I really like Haskins and Charbonnet both and think they'll be excellent, but neither were Dobbins.  They were both freshman so that's OK (remember Dobbins was only so-so even last year as a sophomore by his own admission).  

The point is that Michigan has two proven RBs on the roster who'll have two seasons of eligibility when Edwards arrives.  They also have a highly recruited kid in Corum coming in this year (a guy Ohio State pursued aggressively).  Ohio State has Master Teague, a guy who got most of his yards in blowouts by relieving Dobbins.  Even if you believe he's as good or better than Charbonnet and/or Haskins, he's just one guy instead of two.  And OSU only brought in one RB in 2020, a 3* kid.  So depth chart wise, at the RB position, Michigan would have more players in front of Edwards.  

FatGuyTouchdown

February 26th, 2020 at 1:14 PM ^

Corum's film is awesome. I think he's going to be incredible. If he were 3 inches taller, he'd be a 5 star, and probably the top running back in his class. And star ratings and rankings are biased towards how they seem them projecting to the NFL, so the size is more of a moot point for college football. I'm incredibly excited for him. I gave him a Mike Hart projection early in the fall.