Nick McCabe's "Fab 50" best HS players in Michigan (Freep, $)
I think Nick's input is valuable because he intentionally keeps his focus narrow, state of Michigan guys only. His list really doesn't deviate much from the crootin' consensus; all the usual suspects are here (C.J. Carr is his #1), but in different order. Class breakdown is 39 seniors, 10 juniors, 1 sophomore (Cass Tech QB Corey Sadler – if Underwood slips away, he becomes a must-get for Michigan.) (Underwood is #2 btw.)
Michigan guys: Brady Prieskorn #3, Jeremiah Beasley #7, Jacob Oden #15 (pretty low IMO), Bobby Kanka (class of 2025) #34. Interestingly, he has Elijah Dotson, 2025 U-D Jesuit WR/DB, at #29 and as a Michigan commit – he's got a Michigan crystal ball, but no commitment yet so far as I know. Hopefully Nick knows something we don't.
August 20th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
Underwood>>>>>Carr
August 20th, 2023 at 7:43 PM ^
By a mile. Not even close. Underwood is, IMO, the best Michigan QB prospect since Henson and Carr is just a solid but still incomplete prospect.
August 20th, 2023 at 10:01 PM ^
How I have rated the recent QB targets:
1. Underwood (future #1 overall pick type of good)
2. D. Moore (Day 1 or 2 NFL arm and accuracy)
3. Davis (upside but has limitations)
4. Carr (probably has an Ian Book type career at ND)
August 21st, 2023 at 4:53 AM ^
Of course but I’m assuming this is due to the 2/3 years of separation. I would rather have Davis honestly. It speaks volumes that an underclassman is challenging to be the best in the state regardless of class. He’s crazy good and I’ll be shocked if he’s not 1st overall as a recruit.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:13 AM ^
I saw C.J. play, in person, last season against Dexter (game also featured current freshman Cole Cabana) and he was not impressive. He had a live arm but his accuracy was off and he was not able to throw his receivers open against mediocre DB play. Also, most throws were underneath with only a hand full of throws down field, none of which were on target.
By contrast, Cabana looked good. He had that type of speed that you just felt he could explode and take it to the house any time he touched the ball. I hope he gets a chance to play early.
August 20th, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
Fuck the freep
August 20th, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^
How many subscribers do they have? I'd be curious to know.
August 20th, 2023 at 9:13 PM ^
There are dozens of them. DOZENS!!
August 21st, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
45 to 23
August 20th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Yep.....The Freep are very biased on the people THEY like.
The DetNews, Oakland Press, and MLIVE are more objective in their analysis.
Not saying Carr or others are bad, especially if they are top recruits, but the FREEP anal-ysis is just that, ANAL.
BTW, is NICK McCabe the SON of MICK McCabe?
August 21st, 2023 at 2:03 AM ^
I guess that would make him Grandson of Swami?
August 20th, 2023 at 6:58 PM ^
Seems like we haven't picked up many for so many quality guys? Where are they headed? In years past, we would get 5-6 of the top ten
August 20th, 2023 at 10:04 PM ^
Well, since we can't see the list it's kinda hard to debate this... But just looking at 247 rankings for the state, is there any particular senior you'd want they don't have?
CJ Carr (ND) over Jadyn Davis? Nick Marsh (MSU) they never seemed to push for, Andrew Dennis (MSU) instead of any of the OL in the class? Then we get to juniors, who are still mostly uncommitted. For this to be an issue, Michigan would have had to want these kids and been Michigan caliber players.
Michigan also really hasn't gone after Michigan kids that hard. 2023 they signed three of the top seven, 2022 they just signed Will Johnson, 2021 they just took 3 of the top seven, 2020 three of the top eight (legit none of which the other five have done anything of note) We know for sure Bryce Underwood has to be another one of the top ten in state kids on this list, and have to think there's maybe one or two more non seniors who haven't committed yet on the list.
August 20th, 2023 at 7:17 PM ^
Is Nick related to longtime Freep HS sports columnist Mick McCabe? Seems likely. I grew up reading Mick's columns on high school players. He was a forerunner of sorts as a scout and ranker of high school players.
August 20th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Appears Nick and Mick are one and the same. Prolly using an alias for this column but I sleuthed it out.
August 20th, 2023 at 9:13 PM ^
He doesnt project guys tho. He always wrote about them in terms of their impacts in high school, which would often bring low rated recruits into the top of his list.
Personally I always liked Tom Markowski a little better, but that may have been because he always recognized that FH Harrison wasnt actually ever better than us, while ol' Mick always found it difficult to give up that particular ghost.
August 20th, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
If Underwood slips away it'll be Montgomery
August 21st, 2023 at 12:58 AM ^
Don't know where these guys rank on Michigan's list but after Underwood I like Macintyre, Stone and Baer. I haven't watched Montgomery because I automatically assumed he was a lock to OSU until they went in another direction. I gotta have a look at his tape.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:56 AM ^
Not saying we have a chance with Montgomery, but o$U already took a higher ranked '25 QB from the state of ohio. Not that they wouldn't take 2.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:12 AM ^
Montgomery released his top 5 without Ohio and has stated that he prefers being the only QB in the class.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:40 AM ^
BU not slipping away
My guess is not too many of you have seen CJ play... His team is no where close to good as some of the top teams in state, he is pretty much doing it all. In fact, a lot like Henson was 20+ years ago at Brighton.
CJ will start at ND by year 2 and likely be a NFL quaterback.
Noddle Arm KMc is struggling, looks like soph DB might be the starter. Sure smells like 2-3 losses and the end of the 3rd base coach/funeral director.
#1360
#Cheers
August 21st, 2023 at 9:52 PM ^
Don't know where these guys rank on Michigan's list but after Underwood I like Macintyre, Stone and Baer. I haven't watched Montgomery because I automatically assumed he was a lock to OSU until they went in another direction. I gotta have a look at his tape.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
Are there any Dexter kids on the list this year?
August 21st, 2023 at 1:01 PM ^
Seems strange as there is only 1 kid from the westside of the state listed. Get the fact its the Detroit Free Press, but if the title says 50 best in the State of Michigan you would think there might be a couple more players represented from GR/KZoo/Muskegon/TC.