The Question:
Uncommitted recruit other than Gary you most want in the class?
The Responses:
Seth: Here, have some Khaleke Hudson highlights and a jump, then I'm making you all pick someone else.
[After the jump: OTHER than Gary, or Hudson. Or Long for that matter.]
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BiSB: In lieu of this Hudson guy, I'd pick Eddie McDoom, for several reasons. He's a 3-star to several of the sites, but he has the offer list of a high 4-star; he's got offers from names like Bama, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Rutgers. And when you watch his senior film, you can see why. The kid is just out-and-out explosive, which was something often missing from non-Peppers skill position guys this year. Great burst, the ability to change directions (both subtly and dynamically), the ability to fight through first contact, and what appears to be great top-end speed. He reminds me a LOT of Steve Breaston, and I think Michigan could use him in a similar way, including returning kicks and punts.
Also - and I *cannot* emphasize this enough - MCDOOM.
Artist's rendition
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Brian: I like McDoom's big, skillet-like hands as well. Skillet. Hands.
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artist's re-rendition
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Ace: If Michigan lands him, I do not apologize at all for the number of MF DOOM references I’ll be making for the next four years.
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Brian: Likewise I will probably pretend he's a volcano in Mordor until one of our readers assassinates me.
I will go with Jake Raulerson, the Texas grad transfer. Raulerson has two years to play two, which means he fits in the Logan Tuley-Tillman shaped hole in Michigan's roster. Raulerson isn't a tackle but he is a guy with a lot of experience who was slated to be a starter at Texas this fall. He would give the 2016 line plenty of flexibility and, even more importantly, anchor the 2017 line after Michigan loses Braden, Magnuson, and Kalis.
Raulerson is more or less a JUCO Michigan can actually take, and with the 2013 OL recruiting class down 4 of its 6 members he gives Harbaugh a way to spackle another hole like he did with Jake Rudock. Very smart kid, too, well suited for center.
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Ace: That also opens up the possibility of Mason Cole at guard should the need arise, and given how good he was at run blocking—especially on the second level—that could be a really nice fit.
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Brian: Yes, I am so in favor of Mason Cole, guard who does things correctly.
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Ace: As for my choice, I’ll go with Chase Allen, the late-rising tight end out of Missouri. Allen fits the mold of a lot of current NFL TEs: he focused primarily on basketball until it became clear that football gave him the best shot at reaching the next level. In Allen’s case, that didn’t happen until his senior season; after his senior film came out, several big-time offers came in, including ones from Michigan and Florida State.
It’s easy to see why after watching his highlights. Allen is first and foremost a jump-ball specialist; he’s 6’7”, knows how to use his body to box out defenders, and times his jumps to high-point the ball in spots those defenders simply can’t reach. While he’s going to have to add bulk and strength, he’s better as an in-line blocker than I’d expect for a late-developing basketball guy.
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| artist's rendition |
He’s not Isaac Nauta, who’s one of the most complete TE prospects to come out of high school in quite some time, but he’s got a ton of upside; I could see Allen making an early impact as a red zone specialist before hopefully rounding out his game. It’s safe to say Jim Harbaugh will find a way to utilize him.
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Brian: skillet.
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Brian: hands.
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Ace: I found Allen’s hoops highlights to be as promising as his football highlights. He showed good rebounding instincts and found ways to grab boards against bigger, more athletic guys in high-level EYBL games. That’s going to translate.
And, yes, serious Ian Bunting vibes from him, as well.
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Seth: It's probably unfair to take David Long when that wish will likely be granted before this post is pushed off the front page.
So I'm using my fairy wish on Jordan Fuller, a longshot top-100-ish athlete projected to free safety. That position looks thin on the 2016 two-deep, and since neither starter redshirted (grrr) this year's backups will be 2017's last line of defense.
Fuller plays just about every position and isn't really "boring," but the excitement he generates tends to come for his side only. His experience at offense translated to his senior defensive film, meaning he ought to be advanced enough already to step on the field in a 2012 Jarrod Wilson role, en route to securing midfield for the remainder of the 2010s.
Depriving Ohio State of one of their top targets would be icing. Michigan gets their shot on a visit tomorrow.
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David: I really like Raulerson as well. The point about the '17 OL is spot on. He's probably the most practical pick. Since, Hudson was unanimously chosen, and Allen, Long, and McDoom have been talked about...unless Michael Dwumfour is the absolute slam dunk that gets Gary to Ann Arbor (in which case, I choose him), I'll go off the rails with Quinn Nordin.
We saw a steadying of Michigan's special teams in 2015, which helped solidify a couple of wins and put them in position for at least an additional win. However, after Kenny Allen graduates in a year, there is a whole lot of uncertainty in the kicking game. He's presumably going to handle all three areas of kicking. After he's gone, its down to walk-ons and Andrew David -who no one has really heard from all year.
Adding Nordin -widely regarded as the #1 kicker in the class- would allow him to sit a year behind Allen be ready to compete for starting spots in 2017. While he does seem to have a flair for the dramatic off the field, if he can produce some positive on-field dramatics as well, he would be well worth the scholarship.
Plus, there's got to be something to the fact that he was the first recruit that Harbaugh wanted to see as soon as the dead period ended, right?
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Adam: My pick is a recruit Jim Harbaugh's known since beating him in chess at age 12, Connor Murphy. He's gigantic (6'7, 250) and athletic, and what stood out most to me on film was his patience and impressive suite of pass-rush skills. He uses his hands well and seems to have good on-field awareness.
He also fills a need at weak-side DE. Taco Charlton will likely start there in 2016, but beyond him there are a number of question marks, most notably whether Lawrence Marshall will take a step forward after a season that saw a lot of early practice hype sans on-field results.
That leaves Marshall and incoming freshmen Carlo Kemp and Ron Johnson as your 2017 WDEs. If they don't pan out, Murphy's the kind of recruit who's polished enough to play early. If they do, I'm pretty sure Harbaugh can find a place for a massive human with athletic ability.
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BiSB: Also, Murphy brings the late-80's Patrick Swayze semi-mullet, which Michigan has lacked.
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Adam: A fire-red semi-mullet is always a welcome addition.
