It didn't take long for this weekend's BBQ at the Big House to produce a commitment. Four-star 2019 Akron (OH) Archbishop Hoban offensive lineman Nolan Rumler, whose father and grandfather are both alums, made his long-anticipated commitment this morning:
Excited to announce my commitment to The University of Michigan!! Go Blue pic.twitter.com/1E6BoZtNBB
— Nolan Rumler (@steamboat_70) July 29, 2017
Even though Rumler has been long considered a Michigan lock—Steve Lorenz has had a Crystal Ball pick in for him since September of 2015—he fielded offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Ohio State before ultimately going with his childhood favorites.
Rumler is Michigan's second commit in the 2019 class, joining four-star IMG linebacker Charles Thomas.
GURU RATINGS
| Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 247 | 247 Comp |
|
4*, #15 OT, #123 Ovr | 4* OG | NR OT |
4*, 92, #15 OT, #123 Ovr |
4*, #18 OT, #142 Ovr |
I know Scout and 247 have semi-merged but this is a bit much: the two, which are the only sites to give Rumler a numerical ranking, have him in the exact same spot in the both the position and overall rankings.
While he's got time left to grow, for now Rumler isn't quite prototype tackle-sized; he's listed at 6'4" and either 290 or 300 pounds on all four sites. That's great size this early, especially since he doesn't look like he's carrying much bad weight, but if he doesn't get a little taller his future may be limited to the interior of the line.
[Hit THE JUMP for scouting, video, and more.]
SCOUTING
Michigan didn't wait long to offer Rumler, pulling the trigger in September of his freshman year, by which point he'd already caught the attention of Ohio scouts like Bill Greene:
Freshman O-lineman Nolan Rumler has been offered by Michigan. Saw him Week One. Has a chance to be great. #UM#Wolverines
— Bill Greene (@BillBankGreene) September 24, 2015
The more extensive scouting reports on Rumler are, in fact, from his freshman season. Tim Sullivan has the most detailed report from one of Hoban's playoff wins:
The Hoban gameplan was a nice mix of run and pass, giving Rumler the opportunity to showcase both sides of his game. He is the right tackle for Hoban (the blindside protector for the lefty Clark), but also flipped to the other side on occasion. He has decent footwork, and his biggest strength is probably his ability to fire off the ball quickly.
He doesn't have overwhelming power (not surprising, given that he's going against players three-plus years older then him), but has good natural strength that will continue to develop as he matures. He's probably shorter than his listed 6-4, but is every bit of 270 pounds. Hoban's run game and their short passing game saw the line zone block, and he has room for improvement in getting playside of his defender to wall him off on the backside of plays. On the frontside, he has the strength to move players off the ball. It's mostly natural strength, not weight room power at this point, so with time in his high school's S&C program, he should be very, very strong by the time he graduates.
There are areas of improvement in his game, particularly with his leverage. He plays high at times (as most high school linemen do, to say nothing of freshman starters), and is prone to bending at the waist, rather than the knees, to maintain control of the player opposite him. He has a good feel for which defensive lineman to target, passing off to the interior linemen when there's another threat from the outside. However, he is prone to pushing his guy into the pile, rather than escorting him away from the play.
There's some pretty advanced stuff in there for a freshman lineman. 11W's Jeremy Birmingham caught him a few weeks later in Hoban's Division III state championship victory and raved about his potential:
When you're 14 years old, you're not supposed to look like Nolan Rumler. The freshman right tackle, at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, is abnormal and if he continues on his career trajectory, we're getting an early look at a potential Top-10 overall prospect in 2019.
He's big, he's got excellent feet and aggressive hands and is a player to watch closely moving forward. He's a good candidate to be the first Ohioan in the 2019 class to earn a Buckeyes' offer –– he's already got one from Jim Harbaugh and Michigan is reportedly his favorite school.
Rumler was a MaxPreps Freshman All-American and earned four-star ratings from Rivals and Scout when they released their initial 2019 rankings.
Rumler apparently avoided the camp scene, as there's little out there on him since. As Hoban captured a second straight title, Rumler again earned MaxPreps All-American honors as a sophomore:
Rumler rolled over opposing lineman all season long. The nation's fifth-rated offensive tackle helped the Knights capture an Ohio Division 3 state title.
Greene gave a brief overview when he updated Rumler's recruitment in February:
Offensive lineman Nolan Rumler has been a starter at Akron Hoban since the first game of his freshman season, and the top 2019 prospect has continued to get better with each game.
Rumler is not only one of Ohio's top sophomores, but he is also one of the highest rated 2019 offensive linemen in the entire Midwest. He is a great drive blocker, but is also technically sound in pass protection.
Rivals analyst Josh Helmholdt gave some post-commitment quotes to The Wolverine's Brandon Brown:
"One of the things I look for first with interior offensive linemen is feet and Rumler has excellent feet," Helmholdt said. "He can post up, reset, pull and get the second level under control. The second thing I look for is strength at the point of attack and Rumler is very good there with the chance to be great."
While Rivals lists Rumler as a guard, Helmholdt likes his versatility and says he has "very few weaknesses" for a lineman at this stage.
Rumler's sophomore film, as you'll see, is an impressive 13-minute watch. He's powerful, mean (just watch the club move at 1:07), quick, and shows good football IQ while moving between both tackle spots and guard. I'm not sure I've seen more sound film from a sophomore lineman, and that's all the more impressive since Rumler is already close to his ideal playing weight.
OFFERS
Rumler holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Pitt, Rutgers, and Syracuse, among a handful of others. That's a strong mix of top-flight programs and a couple more (Iowa, Wisconsin) that are known for offensive line recruiting.
HIGH SCHOOL
Archbishop Hoban, as you've probably gathered, is one of the premier programs in Ohio's Division III. While Rumler is one of just two four-star Hoban prospects in the Rivals database (2012 Nebraska signee Greg McMullen), they've sent plenty of three-stars to Power 5 programs, including 2017 one-time Buckeye commits QB Danny Clark (Kentucky) and RB Todd Sibley (Pitt).
STATS
OL, no stats.
FAKE 40 TIME
None that I can find, so here's video of Rumler squatting 500 pounds four times:
SQUAT DAY! @steamboat_70 with 500 lbs. X 4 reps! #BEASTMODE#CHAMPIONSHIPWORKETHICpic.twitter.com/bCUsHOJd2z
— HOBAN STRENGTH (@Hoban_Strength) May 19, 2017
Strength shouldn't be an issue.
VIDEO
Sophomore highlights:
Freshman highlights and single-game reels can be found on his Hudl page.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
It's too early to project a 2019 lineman's fit on the team when the 2018 offensive line class isn't done being recruited. I'll say, however, that Rumler is one of the best young offensive linemen I've seen on film. Based on where he's at right now, I'd expect him to be a multi-year starter at either guard or right tackle (or as a versatile swing guy). Sophomores who weigh 300 pounds with quick feet and good hands don't come around often.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
It'll have Nolan Rumler in it.