Plantation (FL) American Heritage TE Nick Eubanks wasn't a name on many best-guess lists, but after a late push by Michigan that culminated in an official visit this week, Eubanks pulled the trigger on a commitment yesterday. This is not a case of the Wolverines plucking an under-the-radar prospect away from lower-level programs; Eubanks chose Michigan over Alabama and Florida after the coaches convinced him they have the best program for a tight end:
"I chose Michigan because it's a better fit for me," Eubanks said. "I can play right away as a true freshman. It's best for my future and for my work ethic. Plus coach Harbaugh coached Vernon Davis so I know he knows how to use the tight end. Michigan showed me stuff I've never seen before. Not at Florida or at Alabama. How they throw the ball to their tight end. How they flex the tight end out and use the position as a hybrid. No other school I was considering does that. That shocked me and shook my mind."
Eubanks is the 26th commit in the 2016 class and the second at tight end, joining early enrollee Sean McKeon.
GURU RATINGS
| Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 247 | 247 Comp |
| 3*, #29 TE | 4*, #9 TE |
4*, 81, #2 TE-H, #258 Ovr |
4*, 91, #11 TE, #269 Ovr |
3*, #15 TE, #367 Ovr |
Eubanks' rankings are tightly bunched—if Rivals extended overall rankings farther, he'd be within the top 300—with the exception of Scout, whose middling three-star ranking is enough to drag his composite ranking onto the 3/4-star fringe.
Eubanks is listed at anywhere between 6'5", 215 pounds (Scout, ESPN) to 6'6", 230 (247). At this stage he's more of an H-back and giant receiver than a true hand-in-the-dirt TE, but he's got the frame to develop into the latter down the road.
SCOUTING
While Scout is the outlier in ranking Eubanks, their free evaluation falls in line with other reports, and it depicts a prospect with quite a bit of upside:
Evaluation
A tight end with a great frame and the ability to play on the line or to be flexed out. Has great length, he knows how to extend for the football, and he can use that to his advantage. He will fill out, add weight, and get stronger. Solid blocker, but can get better at the point of attack. More comfortable now flexed as a big wide receiver going out for passes. Has good athleticism. Solid hands, but he can be more consistent there.Strengths
- Red Zone Weapon
- Running Ability
- Size
Areas to Improve
- Blocking Ability
- Hands and Concentration
Eubanks has been firmly on the radar of the top southern schools for a while. Miami's 247 outlet talked up his potential after seeing him at the South Florida Opening Regional last February:
Eubanks is a top athlete at tight end. He moves very well as he goes through drills. When the footballs are flying Eubanks needs to improve his catching ability and concentration. The potential is there for Eubanks to be a special tight end.
In March, Alabama's 247 site listed him as one of three top early TE targets alongside four-stars Kaden Smith and Naseir Upshur, and of the trio they cited Eubanks as having the highest ceiling:
If you are looking for an upside prospect at the tight end position for 2016, there may not be one with a higher ceiling than Eubanks who is freakishly athletic with a frame to put on a lot of good weight. Eubanks names Alabama as his favorite school shortly after being offered in late February and the big target has an eye on the SEC in the early going.
By June, Eubanks got a bump into the Top247, with his prodigious upside noted once again:
Another new addition to the Top247 is Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage tight end Nick Eubanks. The big, athletic Eubanks is raw but he continues to develop rapidly. He's a basketball player that is still finding his way on the football field but his upside is as high as any tight end in the class.
In a big-time matchup last August, Eubanks outperformed a prospect with whom you're quite familiar in Heritage's 19-7 upset over IMG Academy:
American Heritage tight end Nick Eubanks was one of the stars of the game. He accounted for two of American Heritage's touchdowns with the second coming on a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown on the game's final play. The big basketball body out-played five-star tight end Isaac Nauta on the night and made himself very accessible all night long for his quarterback. Alabama is currently the Crystal Ball leader.
Florida-based Scout analyst Corey Bender posted a scouting report on The Victors Board in the wake of Eubanks' commitment; encouragingly, he notes that drops have become less of an issue over time:
Eubanks is everything that colleges are looking for in a modern-day tight end. He's a big, smooth athlete who can really run and rack up yardage after the catch. Eubanks is a legit 6-foot-5, and should really fill out nicely once diving into a college strength and conditioning program. He's a long strider that gets to his spot and sets a target for the quarterback. He does a good job of swinging his head around and making himself available.
He can continue to work on his consistency catching the football, but is much improved in that department from the last time I laid eyes on him. Eubanks put forth the effort and really spent time on his blocking over the offseason, but is more of a threat in the pass game at this stage in his career. He must continue to strengthen up his frame and packing on weight at 215 pounds,.
Overall, this is a tight end prospect with oozes with upside. Eubanks is a field-stretching tight end that fits perfectly in Jim Harbaugh's program in Ann Arbor. He gets up the field like a gazelle, and is equipped with good frame/measurables.
ESPN's evaluation goes into detail on Eubanks' ability to stretch the field:
Target with a clean release, possesses the top-end speed to threaten the intermediate to deep part of the field and present a vertical threat. Flashes ability to locate and settles into pockets working against zone and can use size to help create some separation but needs to continue to develop as route runner. Enough speed to rip off some yards after catch if gets a seam and adequate ability to make first defender miss.
Good hands with ability to extend for the ball. Displays very good body control to adjust to passes thrown off target. With height and leaping ability can be threat downfield in jump-ball situations.
Like everyone else, they say he needs to develop physically to be a plus blocker at the college level, and they believe he can be a productive mismatch-causer in the passing game.
Finally, The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan sees him as a great fit in Michigan's offense:
It should come as no surprise with his lean build right now that he is most accomplished as a pass-catcher. He has outstanding hands, and is a good athlete. Those two combine to allow him to make plays downfield. He fields the ball cleanly, and turns upfield right away.
He is a size mismatch for safeties and a speed mismatch for linebackers - all the while possessing the frame to fill out and be a devastating blocker at the point of attack. He's a well-rounded tight end and it's no surprise to see a player with that skillset opt to play in a Jim Harbaugh offense.
Eubanks is an impressive athlete at the position; as long as his hands don't betray him and he maintains that athleticism while adding bulk, he should be very productive as an H-back and eventually tight end in Harbaugh's offense.
OFFERS
Eubanks holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, FAU, FIU, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami (YTM), Mississippi State, Mizzou, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Rutgers, South Carolina, Texas, USC, and Wake Forest.
HIGH SCHOOL
American Heritage is one of the top program in the state of Florida, with their most notable recent recruit being five-star Georgia running back Sony Michel. Michigan has already offered four 2017 prospects from the school: RB Kyshaun Bryan, CB Marco Wilson, and OTs Kai-Leon Herbert and Tedarrell Slaton.
STATS
According to 247, Eubanks had 23 receptions for 344 yards and three touchdowns as a senior.
FAKE 40 TIME
Eubanks has a SPARQ-verified, zero-FAKE 4.69 40 time, which is quite impressive for a tight end.
VIDEO
Senior highlights:
Junior highlights and single-game reels can be found on his Hudl page.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Even with AJ Williams gone, Michigan is pretty crowded at tight end, so Eubanks should be afforded a redshirt year before he's asked to hit the field. There will be ample opportunity for playing time in 2017, when Jake Butt will be gone; Eubanks will compete with Khalid Hill, Ian Bunting, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and Sean McKeon for a spot on the two-deep. His best bet to see the field early in his career will be as an H-back until he fills out and proves he can be a solid in-line blocker. If he lives up to his ample potential, he should be a versatile threat lining up all over the field.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
Michigan now stands at 26 commits with one grayshirt and one expected departure still among that number. While WR Nate Johnson is apparently no longer an option for Notre Dame, his place in the class isn't a guarantee, either. That leaves Michigan with seven or so more spots to fill in the class.
The commitment of Eubanks explains why Iowa State suddenly looks like the destination for TE target Chase Allen, who announces his decision today. Michigan is still expected to push for four-star CA TE Devin Asiasi, who's both too good not to take and a potential package deal with four-star DT Boss Tagaloa.
Other top targets include DT Rashan Gary, ATH Jordan Fuller, CB Lavert Hill, WDE Connor Murphy, S Isaiah Simmons, WR Donald Stewart, WR/DB Pie Young, and K Quinn Nordin.
Here's the class as it currently stands: