Updated Class of 2013 Outlook - March 5th

So here we are just over a month after Signing Day for the class of 2012 and the class of 2013 is already more than half done.  The Wolverines sit at 13 commitments in what has already become a monster class.  Patrick Kugler was the most recent to join and there are several recruits visiting soon, just visited, or about to make their decisions known so let's have a look at where things stand.

Original projection here.

OFFENSE

Quarterback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 0

Outlook:  Shane Morris is on track to be a five star before all is said and done and is proving himself to be a five star recruiter as well.  He is in the ear of tons of top kids and he is talking up Michigan every chance he gets.  I do not see another QB taken in this class, but it is possible that another ends up here to provide depth after not taking one last class.

Running Back
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1

Outlook:   Big back Wyatt Shallman remains the only commit here.  There have been some grumblings that the coaches would take two more true Tailbacks, but I still believe they want one super recruit to close this out.  Every indication is that Ty Isaac remains the number one choice for that spot.  Tremendous spoke with Ty today and tweeted this earlier:  "...I talked to Ty Isaac who said he's not committing anywhere anytime soon."  The question becomes, do you wait on this kid if another highly rated kid wants in before he's ready to decide?  Tough to say.  I really like Isaac and want him in this class badly, but you run the risk of getting nothing if you wait.  I still think he comes to A2 in the end.

On the Radar:  Ty Issac, Deveon Smith, Derrick Green (probably OSU bound)

Wide Receiver
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 2

Outlook:  Jaron Dukes pulled the trigger early, as expected.  So now what?  Well, I think there will be two more.  At least one outside game breaker and maybe two.  The other could be a slot type but ultimately the coaches want an upgrade in size and athleticism at the receiver position as a whole.  Laquon Treadwell remains the top prospect on the board here.  Do want.  There are a ton of other guys I would love to add as well.  Originally I had Treadwell and Kevin Gladney with Dukes as the three guys here.  I don't have any info to make me change my mind on either, but Gladney was always a shot in the dark more or less.

On the Radar:  Treadwell, Gladney, James Onwualu, James Quick, Devon Allen (prob stay out west), Robert Foster (probably a long shot)

Tight End
Commits - 2
Still to Come - probably 1 more

Outlook:  It appears that the staff will take a third TE in this class.  Unless I am underestimating the numbers here (quite possible) I think there are greater needs elsewhere, but it appears to be happening.  Khalid Hill and Jake Butt make a nice pair of TEs so far with each filling a role.  Adam Breneman is announcing soon and Michigan did not make his final cut.  I will be shocked if he doesn't pick PSU.  A couple of other guys are very much still in play though.  Jacob Matuska visited two weekends ago (if memory serves) and Tremendous caught up with him afterwards.  FWIW, he also has high interest in ND and it wouldn't surprise me to see him end up there either.  The other main candidate appears to be recent Wisconsin decommit Scott Orndoff, who will visit on March 17th.  I suspect commit number three comes from one of these two guys. 

On the Radar:  Those two are the only two I'm hearing much about.  You can forget about Durham Smythe, he's not leaving Texas.

Offensive Line
Commits - 5
Still to Come - probably 0

Outlook:  The strength of the class thus far, the OL appears to be done outside of a couple of supers that won't be turned away.  If Ethan Pocic or Laremy Tunsil want to join the class, I think you have to take them, but I don't think there's anyone else the staff is still looking at.  There was some talk of the coaches trying to flip Steven Elmer from ND in the last couple weeks.  I don't know if that's true or not, but it ain't happening either way. 

On the Radar:  Just Pocic (I think he's going to ND still) and Tunsil (probably staying in the SE).

DEFENSE

Defensive End
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1

Outlook:   Taco Charlton is a great get for this class and I think he is going to make a big jump up the rankings in his senior season.  The other DE spot is a bit of a mystery.  There are several big names in the mix, but I don't a have a great feel for any of them, at least not yet.  For now, I am going to say that DE commit number two is someone not on the radar yet.  The guys below are all studs and I would be ecstatic if any of them chose to join Taco.

On the Radar:  Christian Lacouture (recent decommit from A&M), Joey Bosa, Jonathan Allen, Jason Hatcher, Alquadin Muhammad, Elijah Daniel, Tashawn Bower.

Defensive Tackle
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2

Outlook:  Once again, the DT position is making me nervous.  The depth and talent level at that spot scare me to death.  Depth more than anything.  I don't know if the fact that there are three DL coaches on this staff makes them extra picky with this spot or what the situation is, but I really would sleep much better at night if a couple of big time recruits would snatch up these two spots.  Okay, I'm being very greedy considering the state of the class so far, it's just this spot needs it more than any other on the team.  The fact that this is not a great year for DTs doesn't help the matter.  Henry Poggi is number one on the board and M is in good shape with him.  Poet Thomas is a bit of a head scratcher.   He's 6'6" 295 pounds and right in M's back yard.  His offer list is Toledo and....Florida?  Yeah, weird.  I still think he ends up in this class, but there may be something about him I'm not aware of.

On the Radar:  Poggi, Thomas, Rod Crayton (has visited), Eddie Vanderdoes, Darius Latham (was reported to be on campus yesterday; Sam Webb says he wasn't), Michael Hill (long shot).

Linebacker
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2 or 3

I originally pegged this position to only take two, but it seems as though there may be too many major LBs that want to come to Michigan to take only two.   Ben Gedeon was on campus this past weekend and did not commit, but I think that will happen before too long.  Mike McCray is scheduled to be on campus tomorrow and announce his decision on Thursday.  Well that was the original plan.  As tweeted by everyone this afternoon, that decision will no longer come Thursday but could come at any time now.  Tremendous spoke with him today too (that dude talks to everyone!) and he has apparently already made his decision, but did not leak who it is.  All signs point to Blue here.  For reference McCray is the #44 ranked player in the country and is from Trotwood-Madison in Ohio.  Also listing Michigan as their leader are fellow super recruits E.J. Levenberry and Dorian O'Daniel.  As MGoBrian put it earlier this afternoon, LB is the new OL.  Close your eyes and pick any three of those four and I couldn't be happier.

On the Radar:  Gedeon, McCray, Levenberry, O'Daniel, Alex Anzalone, Matt Rolin.

Cornerback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1 or 2

Outlook:  Jourdan Lewis is in the fold.  Who will come join him?  There are some interesting story lines being played out here.  There's five star Kendall Fuller - a kid from Good Counsel that stays in touch with Blake Countess and is teammates with Dorian O'Daniel.  Will those relationships lead him to go Blue?  Will he and O'Daniel package together?  Historically, I've found the answer to both of those questions to be 'no'.  Just thinking about it does make me drool just a bit though.  Ryan White has already pledged to Louisville, but what if both his teammates (Jason Hatcher and James Quick) decide to go to Michigan?  Does he want to tag along all the sudden?  Honestly, I don't think any of the three will end up Blue, but it is an interesting story to keep an eye on.  I don't have a great feeling here either, but it does seem that the coaches want a taller CB with this other spot.  There is also a possibility they take two more here.

On the Radar:  Fuller, White (not really), Priest Willis, Tre Bell, Cole Luke, Vernon Hargreaves III (long shot).

Safety
Commits - 1
Still to Come - probably 0

Outlook:  Dymonte Thomas has been in this class for a long time now and is one of the reasons why it has taken off so much recently.  I had originally thought the coaches would take another Safety to pair with him, but I no longer think that is probable.  The only exception would be for Su'a Cravens.  I am not going to gush over this kid again like I did last time, all I'll say is that this kid is going to be a superstar somewhere and it would be nice if somewhere was at Stadium and Main.

On the Radar:  Cravens or nothin'.

SUMMARY

Based on the numbers above, on the high end we are now looking at 25 for this class.  I still don't think this class will get that big, so some concessions will have to be made.  Where will those concessions come from?  Most probable I think are DE, LB, and CB.  If the coaches don't take another DE, only take two LBs, and add only one more CB, then we are back at the number 22.  I think that's still probably a better estimate to the size of this class.  Then again, what do I know? 

The make up of this class is already outstanding.  Even more exciting, is that there are so many big time kids that are still naming Michigan as their leader or among them.  This class is going to get better than it already is and I can't wait to see how high the ceiling is!  I'll be right there watching with all of you.  Thanks for visiting and Go Blue.