Eggo's 2014 recruiting wrap up

Seems like such a premature topic given the fact that there is still eight solid months left for recruiting but this staff is really starting to set the trend in terms of wrapping up classes early. I don't mind that because it ensures they get a jump on the evaluation of future prospects.

So that said, I'm going to give my thoughts on who I think we're going to target hardest and who ends up signed with UM.

First a list of the committed :

4* WR Drake Harris
4* DT Bryan Mone (pronounced Mo-Nay)
4* LB Michael Ferns
4* OG Mason Cole
4* OT Juwann Bushell-Beaty
4* TE Ian Bunting
3* WR Maurice Ways
3* Wilton Speight
2* DT Brady Pallante


Remember the number of available schollies at this point is still 16 so that leaves 7 spots left. That could grow if a few kids end up leaving the program (which is suspect will happen with at least one guy, I won't say who at this point but I'll give a hint, he's a kicker)

So here's a list of the remaining targets I think we have a better than decent shot with and few that I think could swing our way with a little bit of help and luck.

DE Da'Shawn Hand - A month ago I would have said we're neck and neck with Virginia Tech but right now I'm thinking it's more like 70/30 VT. We've got some work to do to get this kid to sign with us. I can say this, no matter how many kids we have signed we will make room for him.

DT Andrew Brown - Doubt we have a shot at him. He's going to sign with Virginia but it just goes to show how rich the state of Virginia is and how hard we're hitting the state. Expect a lot more recruits from that state in the coming years.

ATH Jabrill Peppers - Some believe he'll become the #1 overall recruit by signing day. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. We're recruiting him to play whatever he wants (think Charles Woodson). IMO he's UM lock at this point. He will be, hands down, the biggest UM recruit in 15 years.

OT Jamarco Jones - I really see this kid ending up at O$U but I sure would like to get him on board. I do think we're in it to the end though.

DE Malik McDowell - At this points he's a UM lock.

OG Braden Smith - I've been saying for a long time that he ends up playing in the Big 12 or at ND. That looks to be what's going to happen.

RB Joe Mixon - I think Kallen Ballage is a safer bet at this point. I'm not holding my breath for him.

WR Artavis Scott - He's a must get at this point. He's the only slot type receiver left that we're targeting and he sets us up nice to get George Campbell next year. He's a lock at this point IMO.

WR KJ Williams - This one is tricky. If he commits before Scott then we take him. If Scott commits first we're likely done with WRs.

CB Parker Westphal - I think Vanderbuilt is the only other school to worry about but in the end he ends up at UM which takes the sting out of losing Damon Webb to O$U (especially with Peppers on board)

DE Lawrence Marshall - Sadly I think he ends up at MSU. Make no mistake about it, losing this one to Sparty will hurt.

OT Alex Bars - With Jones likely ending up at O$U and Doles committing to Northwestern, the urgency of getting Bars to commit is pretty high at this point. Still I'm worried about ND. IMO I think he ends up at UM. If not then this is gonna leave us scrambling to fill the last OL spot.

RB Kallen Ballage - I think if we take a RB this year it is Ballage or bust at this point and the staff is getting that feeling too. I think Ballage ends up at UM

OT Roderick Johnson - If Jamarco Jones and Alex Bars fall through then Johnson has to be our main target and I can't say I like our chances with him. IMO it's Oklahoma and Missouri at this point but UM has been making up some really nice ground lately.


So here is my prediction of the seven guys that commit and close out the 2014 class

Jabrill Peppers
Malik McDowell
Artavis Scott
Parker Westphall
Alex Bars
Kallen Ballage

Thoughts?

I think that would be a top 5 class. I'd seriously be content if all we got was Peppers. He is a program changer and he has a catchy name.

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

I think that would be a top 5 class. I'd seriously be content if all we got was Peppers. He is a program changer and he has a catchy name.

I think you're right, it may be a top 5 class. the only thing that is going to hurt us, this year and next, is the limited amount of kids we can sign.

While I share you're obvious love for Peppers, I would not be content with only him. To me, Westphal, Bars and McDowell are key to this class and Scott is VERY VERY close to being key as well.

My dream would be to get Hand and McDowell, Peppers, Bars, Westphall, Scott and Jones (yep four OL).

I guess what I meant was I was take Peppers and a bunch of plan B guys than everyone else in your probable list without peppers.

I would be thrilled if the class fell that way. BOTH Peppers AND Westphal? Your talking about a secondary that could rival O$U's very quickly. Those two plus McDowell and Bars and I would be happy.

I really hope your right about this.

EJinGA wrote:

I would be thrilled if the class fell that way. BOTH Peppers AND Westphal? Your talking about a secondary that could rival O$U's very quickly. Those two plus McDowell and Bars and I would be happy.

I really hope your right about this.

Maybe I'm putting way too much into Peppers' impact (doubt it though) but I would take Peppers and Rosie Odonell to rival anything O$U signs.

^^^^^

That is what I was getting at.

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

... DE Lawrence Marshall - Sadly I think he ends up at MSU. Make no mistake about it, losing this one to Sparty will hurt...

WRONG WRONG WRONG and I love it.

It's been about three weeks and a lot has changed. Here is an update on my thoughts on the current recruiting situation

Again, first a list of the committed (in order of commit date):

4* LB Michael Ferns
3* Wilton Speight
4* DT Bryan Mone (pronounced Mo-Nay)
4* OG Mason Cole
NR DT Brady Pallante (greyshirt)
4* WR Drake Harris
4* TE Ian Bunting
3* WR Maurice Ways
4* OT Juwann Bushell-Beaty
4* DE Lawrence Marshall


The target number is officially still 16 at this point but we did lose Ringer and Pallante is going to grey-shirt so I think we have anywhere from 7 to 9 spots available at this point.

Here is an updated list of the remaining targets and my thought on our chances with them.

DE Da'Shawn Hand - I still think it's 70/30 VT over UM but with Peppers all but a lock and the coaches really pushing and making Hand our #1 target I expect this to be more of a 60/40 or possibly 50/50 chance by the end of the summer. I do believe Hand is going to be at the BBQ but he hasn't confirmed anything yet. Word is that Peppers is already starting to recruit him.

DT Andrew Brown - Still think we don't have a real shot at him. At this point all signs point to VA.

DT Andrew Williams - The staff has been recruiting 4* DT Andrew Williams quite a bit lately. Williams is definitely interested but we have teams like SC, Ole Miss, Clemson and ND to compete with. Williams isn't a plan B guy, he's top tier and the coaches are really starting to turn the heat up on him.

ATH Jabrill Peppers - IMO he's still UM lock at this point. Rutgers doesn't have a chance. I still think he's hands down, the biggest UM recruit in 15 years.

OT Jamarco Jones - O$U bound.

DE Malik McDowell - At this point he's still considered a UM lock but he never talks about his recruiting so it's basically a guess.

RB Kallen Ballage - At this point you have to think We're out with Mixon and I think Ballage will end up on the west coast, probably Oregon. That leaves us with no great RB left in the class to recruit. I think we skip out on a RB this year and take Webber and Harris next year.

WR Artavis Scott - He's not as much as a must get as he was a few weeks ago, which is good because I think he's going to end up at Florida. Yes he's the #1 targeted slot receiver on our board but in the last few weeks all signs are pointing that we are leading with George Campbell anyway so we may not need Scott on board to sway Campbell in 2015.

WR KJ Williams - Like I said above, I think we miss out on Scott. KJ is in regardless. During his unofficial a couple of weeks ago he almost committed. I think he's right on the edge. I expect him to be in the 2014 class.

CB Parker Westphal - Again, Vanderbuilt is the only other school to worry about but not much need to fret. Westphall will end up at UM.

OT Roderick Johnson - Jamarco Jones and Alex Bars fell through. Sadly so will Johnson. We may be in scramble mode to fill the last OT spot.

S Montea Nicholson - Montea looks to be the Saftey we sign even though he doesn't really talk much about his recruitment. He's visited UM twice and said he liked both visits but he has also been to PSU, Pitt and O$U and said he liked those as well. He won't decide until much later in the process but that plays well with UM since we're in front at this point. It gives us time to really put ourselves out front.

LB Chase Winovich - Man do we need this guy but I can't say I feel good about it. I hear he is gonna take another visit to O$u with Berger in the coming weeks. Doesn't look good for UM.


My updated prediction of the next few guys to commit to the 2014 class

Jabrill Peppers
Malik McDowell
KJ Williams
Parker Westphall


So we may be in scramble mode to fill an OL spot and a LB spot. unfortunately if we don't get a few things to fall our way I think our recruiting ends with a dud again this year.