Real, Live, Actual Football
Josh Ross (@Joshua_Ross05) can do more than just play LB. Catching, running for TD's, blocking...Josh knows Offense pic.twitter.com/6Qy9AXzALQ
— EliteFootballNetwork (@EliteFBNetwork) August 20, 2016
That's the good stuff.
High school football season is here, with scrimmages dominating the slate last weekend and the real games getting under way for the most part this weekend; the MGoCrew will be at the Prep Kickoff Classic on Saturday to see Southfield A&T vs. Detroit King and Cass Tech vs. Oak Park.
One Michigan commit performed so well last weekend that he's already earned a rankings bump on one site and could see a second follow suit soon. Four-star GA DT Aubrey Solomon ranked #207 overall on 247's (non-composite) rankings when he committed in June; after Barton Simmons saw his scrimmage, he's up to #110:
In Aubrey Solomon's first game of the year on Thursday night, he was totally dominant. The 6-3, 305-pound Michigan commit out of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County showed outstanding motor, physicality and quickness in his team's win over Jones County High School. During a cycle in which the defensive tackle position doesn't have a lot of depth, Solomon is one of the rare interior defenders that would be among the best in the country in any recruiting class.
Scout's top analyst in the south, Chad Simmons, had a similarly glowing review:
Aubrey Solomon was a force against Jones County week zero in the Corky Kell Classic. He may not have had a dozen tackles, but he was consistently pushing offensive linemen backwards, pushing the pocket back, forcing the running backs to change their lanes, and forcing the quarterback to throw early Thursday night. Solomon has come into this season is great shape 295 pounds, and he played fast. He flashed great quickness off the ball and a motor that did not stop. He chased the ball, he had a key sack, and he was a force all night. Solomon is currently the No. 2 defensive tackle in the South behind LSU commit Tyler Shelvin — that could change.
Solomon looked great on the field. Off the field, he gave a 15-minute interview to 247 that requires its own section. Let's get to it after the jump.
[JUMP.]
Goodbye: Leonard Taylor
Remember when I posted this last week?
It's getting tougher and tougher to consider Leonard Taylor a real 2018 commit.
Turns out that wasn't going to be a problem for long:
— Leonard Taylor (@Lenny_T_20) August 22, 2016
Taylor has plans to visit Ohio State twice this fall. He looks likely to end up a Buckeye.
Taylor's decommitment shouldn't have an impact on fellow 2018 commit Antwuan Johnson. Johnson, Taylor's Springfield teammate at the time of his commitment, has since transferred to Dunbar.
How Solid Is Solomon?
So, 247's Georgia-based reporter, Kipp Adams, did a 15-minute interview with Aubrey Solomon last week, and they broke up the quotes into two different articles. If you read what got posted on Wolverine247, you're probably feeling good about M's chances of keeping Solomon in the class.
Georgia and LSU are among the programs trying to flip him from the Wolverines. He remains firm in his commitment right now, however.
"I feel pretty good and pretty satisfied," Solomon recently told Dawgs247 analyst Kipp Adams. "It relieved a lot of stress. Coaches aren't hitting me up 24/7 anymore so it's put me at peace. It's died down about 95%."
While there's a quick mention that Solomon will take other visits—which the coaches are encouraging him to do—much of the concern there is assuaged by Solomon saying he'll be back in Ann Arbor for a pair of games this season.
If you read what got posted on Dawgs247, however, your concern might be heightened a bit:
There are no imminent signs that Solomon will be flipping his commitment, but Georgia is still held in high regard by the South Georgia standout.
"I wouldn't say they stand in any particular spot but I certainly respect what they stand for," Solomon said. "They were the first college to ever buy into me and this was my freshman year. Even with the coaching changes I still am very close to most of the staff."
Expect Solomon to be in Athens this fall, possibly multiple times.
"I have not mapped it out yet, but I plan on visiting them a lot," Solomon said.
Put the two together and I still think Michigan is in a good spot to keep Solomon—the extra planned trip this season on top of an official is notable. Georgia does sound like a legitimate contender, though, and one that'll be pushing for a flip to the end.
O-Line: Michigan vs. The Field For Slaton?
One of the more bizarre recruiting tidbits of this cycle has been four-star FL OG TJ Slaton's stated desire to get a shot at basketball in college, and the possibility that could make Western Michigan(!) a contender because his brother is on their hoops team and, I mean, what do they have to lose?
According to Steve Lorenz, Western is no longer under consideration, and at this point it's difficult to even figure out who's running second behind the Wolverines in this race:
With Slaton, it's hard at this point to get an idea of who is really contending against Michigan. Miami (FL) is not believed to be a factor at all. Florida and Florida State aren't really in it either. Is it one of Ole Miss or Tennessee? Nobody on their end really thinks they have a shot with him from what we've been told as well.
The only hiccup for me putting in a 247Sports Crystal Ball here remains the fact that Slaton appears to be adamant that he will make his decision on National Signing Day. I think Michigan will wait for him until the end, but with the numerous elite targets the staff is in on at offensive line, I want to see some things clear up before I move forward with it. If he was choosing today, I have zero doubt the Wolverines would be the choice.
While there's that lingering concern about space in the class, none of Michigan's remaining O-line targets have plans to decide any time soon; I'd be surprised if the coaches allowed the class to fill up before giving Slaton every chance to be a part of it.
Meanwhile, ever-impartial Washington 247 writer Ruth Robbins caught up with four-star OT Henry Bainivalu after his BBQ visit, and he plans to be back in Ann Arbor for an official:
"I liked it", Bainivalu said of the unofficial visit to Michigan, "It was fun -- we ate pizza and watched a movie out on the field and all the freshmen were there."
Bainivalu explained that he does a lot of interest in the Wolverines, and will likely be going back in the fall for an official visit.
"I want to try to have a top five by the end of the summer", he added, "I'm trying to plan to visit Michigan earlier in the season."
Oregon and Washington are the two other schools mentioned as possible official visit destinations; Bainivalu wants to take all five but isn't sure about the last couple schools.
Etc.
Four-star MI CB Ambry Thomas isn't letting on much about his recruitment these days, but he did give a loose timeline to The Wolverine's Brandon Brown:
"I'm graduating early so I think I’d like to get it all done in early November or late October. After that I’ll graduate in December and then that’s it."
While there's been some buzz about Florida, this is still most likely a Michigan-MSU battle.
For the Freep, Steve Lorenz provides an overview on the four legacy prospects—three of whom have already been offered—in the 2018 class, including a couple blue-chippers in tight end Will Mallory and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
MLive catches up with three current commits: Carter Dunaway, J'Marick Woods, and Otis Reese.
Ugh, I should probably acknowledge that this happened this morning.