The 2024 recruiting rampage continued this weekend when Michigan picked up a commitment from 3* LB Cole Sullivan on Friday night. Sullivan's commitment was trending this direction but came a bit sooner than anticipated, giving us more Hello content: 

 

GURU RATINGS

RATINGS BY SITE
247: 6'3/200	On3: 6'4/200	Rivals: 6'3/200	ESPN: 6'3/200
3*, 87, NR Ovr #57 LB, #17 PA	3*, 89, NR Ovr #37 LB, #10 PA	3*, 5.7, NR Ovr #17 OLB, #34 PA	not ranked
3.66	3.90	3.71	n/a
COMPOSITE RANKINGS
247 Composite	On3 Consensus	MGoBlog
3*, 0.8793, #592 Ovr #55 LB, #16 PA	3*, 88.22, #519 Ovr #58 LB, #14 PA	3.5*, #551/788 Ovr #8/10 HSPs since 1990
3.79	3.82	3.76

Despite being a recruit with two national powers vying for his services, Sullivan hasn't lit up the radar all too much to this point. However, based on the tape, I would not be surprised to see him as a late riser. ESPN, to no one's surprise, has never heard of Sullivan, while the others are varying levels of tepid. On3 is the highest on Sullivan, making him a top 10 player in Pennsylvania, the other two much lower. The end result is a soild 3.5* prospect, ranking 8th out of 10 in our very limited collection of players classified as hybrid space players since 1990. Everyone is in agreement on Sullivan's weight (200 lbs.) and close together on his height, 6'3" or 6'4".  

[AFTER THE JUMP: lanky, athletic, but what is he???]

 

SCOUTING 

The scouting on Sullivan isn't copious, as you'd expect for a more under-the-radar sort of recruit. Again we'll be dipping into the wells of the Michigan-based sites, but even on those sites, it was pretty scant at this time. EJ Holland of On3 admitted he has not seen Sullivan live nor has he done much of a breakdown of the tape in his instant reaction commitment post, offering this short bit of scouting ($): 

Sullivan has an impressive highlight reel for a guy with his lowly ranking. Sullivan looks quick off the edge and knows how to get after the quarterback. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him be a pass rusher at the next level. With that said, Sullivan does display traditional linebacker traits — ability to sift through blockers, physicality when tackling and comfort playing in space.

What EJ touches on, the diverse set of traits that Sullivan possesses on defense, is a universal theme among Sullivan scouting. Most scouts agree on a consensus description of Sullivan as a "defensive athlete" rather than a true LB. Josh Henschke of New Rivals put up a short video on Sullivan after he committed, featuring some takes (transcribed into written words by yours truly): 

(Sullivan is a) versatile LB with the potential to play an edge role at the next level. He often lines up in a stand up position along the outside shoulder of offensive tackles. From there he can use his speed and athleticism to create havoc on opposing QBs, while using good hand technique to shed blocks when he needs to. Sullivan has shown the ability to line up off the line of scrimmage with the instincts to drop into coverage while being able to come downhill and tackle receivers.

Athletic, fast, good pass-rusher. Alright, sounds like a start. Touch The Banner, it's your turn next: 

The first thing that stands out on his film is his quick-twitch change of direction ability, which is impressive for a fairly tall player ... Sullivan is a jack of all trades who plays inside linebacker, outside linebacker, edge rusher, tight end, slot receiver, and long snapper. He has good makeup speed coming off the edge and chasing down players in the backfield

... Long snapper????? Buddy, keep that skill because you can never have too many long snappers (just ask Michigan State 2022). Again, similar story there from TTB, though, but the next part is more interesting, how that versatility can be a bit of a curse: 

Sullivan can be a little slow to make reads at inside linebacker and shows some indecision. From the edge position, he can get crossed up sometimes.

If you play a lot of different positions, you're probably not a master of any, or at least not enough of one to fit in seamlessly when you make the jump to college. It will likely take some learning and Sullivan has indicated publicly that the staff wants him to start at MIKE. Steve Lorenz of 247 checked in on that ($): 

- I actually think Michigan wants him to start (at MIKE) because it's the toughest position to learn

- Michigan recruiting him as a true ATH but I'd be shocked if he ended up on the offensive side of the ball

So he'll end up on defense, starting at MIKE but could play at EDGE. Let's hold that thought and circle back to TTB, who gave his own take: 

I think Sullivan is at his best coming off the edge as an outside linebacker who occasionally drops into coverage (a la Jaylen Harrell), but his body will need time to develop.

Definitely seems like a plausible projection given how high everyone seems to be on Sullivan's pass-rushing abilities. That last point about the body developing is also fairly universal. Everyone mentioned some version of Sullivan needing to spend time in the weight room to fill out his 6'3"/6'4" frame, including Henschke: 

At 200 lbs., Ben Herbert will surely put weight on him no matter how UM plans to use him

Seems like a prerequisite and a classic "put him in the Crock Pot and see what you have when he's done marinating" prospect. 

OFFERS 

Sullivan was a good old fashioned rivalry recruitment between Michigan and Notre Dame. Michigan, because he seemed like a Harbaugh kind of guy (JH was personally leading the recruiting) and fits as a Midwestern kid with a long and athletic frame to mold, and Notre Dame, because his last name is “Sullivan” and he attends a Catholic school. Notre Dame long had the inside track but in the past month or two, Michigan started to pick up steam and quickly won over the player and his family, with the commitment coming even sooner than expected.

Beyond those two teams, regional schools Penn State, Pitt, Akron, and Kent State all extended offers. So did B1G programs like Wisconsin, MSU, northwestern, Maryland, and Indiana + a grab bag of P5 programs, Virginia, Miami (FL), Duke, Iowa St, Utah, BC, Syracuse, VT, Oklahoma, Louisville, WVU, and Stanford. Oh and Cincinnati as an honorary P5 team (more of one than Stanford is at this point). Other MAC teams like Akron, Ohio, and Miami (OH) made the list too. 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Sullivan attends Pennsylvania Central Catholic in Pittsburgh, right next to Carnegie Mellon and Pitt and no more than 15 minutes driving from Heinz Field/PNC Park. It opened in 1927 and is an all-boys school, with a listed enrollment of 834 back in 2018. Over its time operating, CC has produced a number of famous graduates, the most known being Dan Marino. Other alumni include the Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin, PSU standout guard and NFLer Stefen Wisniewski, Hall of Fame basketball player Jack Twyman, former St. Louis Rams QB Marc Bulger, and former US Representative Conor Lamb (D, PA-17).  

As a football program, Central Catholic has been highly successful over the years, playing within the WPIAL 6A conference. They won their first WPIAL 6A title back in 2016 (afterwards losing in the state title for PIAA) and made the title game again in 2021, Sullivan's sophomore season, losing to Mt. Lebanon to close out a 9-3 season. Last year their record was only 7-5, but still a solid squad nonetheless. I would expect them to be competitive within that league yet again in Sullivan's senior season, jostling with rivals like Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny. 

STATS 

MaxPreps doesn't have a whole lot of stats listed, so we have to trust Sullivan's Hudl page, which credits himself with 117 tackles, for PBU, two sacks, and one forced fumble in 12 games last season. Do not know his offensive stats. 

FAKE 40 TIME 

No 40 time listed anywhere

VIDEO 

Junior highlights: 

Want to see Sullivan jump on a car? Yes you do: 

Bounce 🐰 pic.twitter.com/5UJBs9nd6l

— Cole Sullivan (@ColeSull18) July 9, 2022

Basketball highlights also on his Hudl page. 

ETC 

Also plays basketball. Father Roger was a college football player for Kentucky in the early-to-mid-90s. 

 

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE 

Sullivan reminds me a decent bit of Jason Hewlett in the 2023 class, a high upside defensive athlete who you can mold into what you want. Michigan was very high on Hewlett and keyed in on him and they did the same for Sullivan. Hewlett was 6'3" or 6'4", just like Sullivan, but listed a bit heavier at between 210 and 220 lbs. Both guys played some on offense, all over on defense, and logged time on special teams, and they played HS football just over an hour apart from of each other! Hewlett was a bit more highly rated at the time of commitment (I do think Sullivan may pass Hewlett in ratings by the end of his cycle), while Sullivan had more national suitors in getting both ND and Michigan involved. 

I said about Hewlett that he was going to need to spend plenty of the time learning a position once they find out where his skills are best suited and then would need to do some bulking up. For Sullivan that's no different. They want to start him at MIKE but I do think he probably ends up as a blitzy OLB or VIPER type job. He's got a big frame, long, lean, very athletic, but will need to refine his game substantially and max out his body strength-wise. Luckily, we have immense faith in Jim Harbaugh's defensive staff to do the teaching and even more faith in Ben Herbert to handle the physical side of things. Thus, I've got no complaints with this take, a very exciting prospect who could be a home run, and what's the downside of it not working out? None really. 

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

The Michigan Football recruiting machine just keeps rolling along in 2024. They continue to hold the #1 ranking in the overall recruiting class rankings after picking up Sullivan. Georgia is close behind and will pass Michigan as they keep ripping off 5*s, but there is a bit of a gap between the Wolverines and OSU/ND right now. Michigan's 17 commitments leads all of college football (that number includes PWO Zach Ludwig) and only LSU has more 4*s in their class with 11 to Michigan's 10. 

Picking up Sullivan in no way impacts Michigan's pursuit of their top LB targets, given that he's more of an ATH than a LB. The top candidates at that position remain high 4* Aaron Chiles (MD) and 4* Jeremiah Beasley (MI), both of whom the Wolverines lead heavily for and would like to get nailed down by the mid-summer. Sullivan is in his own category with Mason Curtis as the athletic balls of clay Michigan is going to mold, while they recruit more refined true ILBs and EDGE guys to hold those positions down, allowing to shoot for the ceiling and best positional fit with the likes of a Sullivan. 

THE CLASS AS IT STANDS

OFFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
QB	Jadyn Davis	NC	4.7⬇	Smooth, accurate field general
RB	Jordan Marshall	OH	4.4⬆	Accelerates South-North
WR	Channing Goodwin	NC	3.8	Chain-moving son of Jon
TE	Brady Prieskorn	MI	4.5⬆	Colston Loveland Midwest
TE	Hogan Hansen	WA	4.1	Colston Loveland West
LT	Andrew Sprague	MO	4.3⬆⬆	Basketballin' grow-a-Long
RT	Blake Frazier	TX	4.1⬆	Athletic son of Steve
RG	Luke Hamilton	OH	4.0	Midwestern mauler
LG	Ben Roebuck	OH	3.9⬇⬇	Bigger Midwestern mauler
C	Jake Guarnera	FL	3.8	Mauler but center
DEFENSE
Pos	Player	State	Stars	In a nutshell
DT	Ted Hammond	OH	4.0⬆	Cincy build-a-bear
DT	Manuel Beigel	CT	3.6⬇	Lengthy German via Choate
SDE	Jerod Smith	CT	3.9⬇⬇	Low-pads, high-motor big twin
MLB	Mason Curtis	TN	4.2⬆	Long athlete moving up
HSP	Cole Sullivan	PA	3.8	Hybrid LB with crazy athleticism
S	Jacob Oden	MI	4.2	Tall son of coach