Success or Failure? Evaluating Michigan Offensive Targets in SEC and Pac-12 Areas
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has made it publicly known that he wants to crack into the wealth of talent in SEC and Pac-12 Countries. The top producing states year after year are primarily in the southern region of the U.S. leaving teams like Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State longing for the 5- and 4-star talent lining rosters in other Power Five Conferences.
For at least one year, colleges can camp across the country allowing some one-on-one time with recruits they would normally never get to see in person. But with the new high school football camp freedom, are any of the Big Ten teams like Michigan making headway into regions outside of their own battle grounds?
The following is a breakdown of some of the known offers handed out by Michigan to SEC and Pac-12 area recruits along with the early results.
Quarterback
The Wolverines targeted three pro-style quarterbacks in Georgia and one in Colorado pulling Dylan McCaffrey out of Valor Christian (Littleton, CO). The three Georgia recruits all stayed in the SEC and Pac-12 battlegrounds with David Mills tied to Stanford, Bailey Hockman to Florida State, and Jelani Woods to Oklahoma State – a win for the Big 12.
Running Back
Michigan has passed out 21 reported scholarship offers to running backs with three early verbal commitments. One, Kurt Taylor, from Covington (GA), hitched on Michigan’s bandwagon early on committing in November. The Wolverines two other tailback commits are O’Maury Samuels, from Los Lunas (NM), and A.J. Dillon, from Groton (MA). The Wolverines expanded their recruiting base with all three but did not break into any major SEC vaults out of the backfield.
Fullback
Fullbacks are only valued in pro-style offenses making the position borderline obsolete in today’s college football game. Score another one for Harbaugh in SEC Country with Chase Lasater verbally committing out of Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville (FL).
Wide Receiver
Despite having a 5-star rated quarterback in McCaffrey onboard, the Wolverines have missed the connection with wide receivers thus far. At least 36 offers have gone out but not one verbal commit has come in for Michigan. Of the offers out, 25 are to players in SEC and Pac-12 territories. The good news for Wolverine Nation, 17 of those 25 are still uncommitted.
Tight End
Michigan has targeted 16 tight ends landing Carter Dunaway from Bloomfield Hills (MI). Four of the targeted players uncommitted are from SEC and Pac-12 areas; Jimmy Jaggers (Roseville, CA), Zech Byrd (Millbrook, AL), Josh Falo (Sacramento, CA), and Tyler Johnson (Gilbert, AZ). The questions left unanswered, will Michigan take a second tight end or will the targeted players decide to go to a school that does not have a top tight end already committed?
Offensive Tackle
There are at least 20 offensive tackles in the target rich areas Michigan wants to break open that have received offers but have yet to commit. The lone offensive tackle committed is JaRaymond Hall out of Oak Park (MI).
Offensive Guard
The only guard to commit to Michigan thus far is Phillip Paea, another in-state talent (Berrien Springs). Three offers are out to SEC area guards; Tedarrell Slaton (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Robert Hainsey (Bradenton, FL), and Kedonis Haslem (Fort Lauderdale, FL).
Center
If known offers at center are accurate, all three targets, Cesar Ruiz (Bradenton, FL), Brett Neilon, (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), and Drew Dalman (Salinas, CA) are from outside the immediate area. An opportunity is there, all three remain uncommitted.
Success or Failure?
The early results are mixed allowing a pro or con argument on success or failure. Of Michigan’s 12 commitments, which would represent about half of a signed class, three are from SEC areas and one from the Pac-12. The only SEC player not discussed previously is defensive back J’Marick Woods, a 3-star from Florence, Alabama. Michigan has four players from in-state schools tying the mark in the targeted areas – really a nice balance.
With the offers out, Michigan could clean house in the coveted spots boosted by the satellite camps or come up empty being forced to go back into Big Ten Country to fill spots from the usual locations. Only time will tell if the extra camp exposure in SEC and Pac-12 areas will hinder or help the Wolverines.
Michigan closed the 2016 class landing 14 recruits from the expanded recruiting territories with the highest rated player being 4-star tight end Devin Asiasi from Concord, California.
Michigan Wolverines 2017 Verbal Commitment List (12)
SS J’Marick Woods, 6-3, 205, Florence HS, Florence, AL
CB Benjamin Saint-Juste, 6-3, 185, Vieux, Montreal, Quebec
LB/FB Chase Lasater, 6-2, 235, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, FL
LB Ben Mason, 6-2.5, 247, Newtown HS, Sandy Hook, CT
LB Josh Ross, 6-2, 225, St. Mary’s HS, West Bloomfield, MI
DT Phillip Paea, 6-4, 285, Berrien Springs HS, Berrien Springs, MI
QB Dylan McCaffrey, 6-5, 200, Valor Christian HS, Littleton, CO
RB AJ Dillon, 6-1, 230, Lawrence Academy, Groton, MA
RB O’Maury Samuels, 5-11, 190, Los Lunas HS, Los Lunas, NM
RB Kurt Taylor, 5-9, 200, Newton HS, Covington, GA
OL Ja’Raymond Hall, 6-5, 282, Oak Park HS, Oak Park, MI
TE Carter Dunaway, 6-6, 232, Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Photo credit: freep.com; Jim Harbaugh instructs at a Michigan practice.