The Wolverine

August 2018

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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60 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2018   COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan didn't offer Fairfield (Ohio) High three-star tight end Erick All until May 11, but the 6-4, 223-pounder became extremely com- fortable with tight ends coach Sher- rone Moore and the rest of the staff resulting in a commitment June 24. Rivals.com's No. 23 tight end in the country camped at U-M and re- turned just three days later for an unofficial visit before pledging to the Wolverines. "Everything went well," All said. "I talked to all the coaches and some of the players, and it was just a great visit altogether. "I love the offense that Michigan runs, and I love my position coach. It's the perfect school for me to go to." Moore bonded with All very quickly, and the two communicate almost daily. That bond gave All the confidence he needed to pick the Wol- verines as both a player and a student. The on-field part of All's future in Ann Arbor has him very excited. Moore and the rest of U-M's offen- sive staff told him that he'd be used in a way that accentuates his skill set — in line, spread out, in the slot and anywhere that gives him an upper hand against the defense. "I think it's great," All said. "What- ever way they can put me on the field, I'm down with it. I love contact, and I love catching the ball." The Michigan offer was just one piece of All's momentum on the re- cruiting trail and gives U-M a solid win against some big-time programs in col- lege football. He chose the Wolverines over Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Florida State, Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Kentucky, among many others. Fairfield head coach Jason Krause wasn't surprised when All made his decision and is excited to watch his tight end at the next level. "I think it's a tre- mendous fit," Krause said. "Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has a record of playing tight ends going back to his time in San Francisco. He knows how to develop tight ends and develop college players. I think it's a great place for Erick to go, it's a great school. "I was happy when Erick told me he was going to make that decision." All also checks Harbaugh's boxes when it comes to his approach to football. Krause has seen it first hand and believe the Michigan head man will be more than happy with what All brings to the program on the practice field, in the locker room and around campus. "He's just a hard-working, no non- sense, 'this is what I'm about' kid," Krause said. "That's what I love about him. He's humble. None of this has changed him as a person or as a player. "He's just been a joy to coach." The hope among Michigan fans should be that All could follow the same type of path as former U-M standout Devin Funchess. The Caro- lina Panthers standout came to Mich- igan as a tight end and eventually transitioned to wide receiver, which resulted in him being drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. All might not end up at split end at Michigan, but his skill set is similar to Funchess and should allow him to be successful in Ann Arbor. Rivals.com Midwest analyst Josh Helmholdt has enjoyed watching All develop over the last couple of years and thinks Michigan got a good one in the Ohio native. "All's recruitment really took off this offseason, and that coincided with his physical development," Helmholdt said. "I got a chance to see him this past sea- son as a junior, and he was sort of a tweener between a wide re- ceiver and a tight end, but he has really grown and filled out. I got a chance to see him at the Army Combine in January and then again at the Rivals camp in May. "He has a wide receiver back- ground and can get vertical pretty easily and also gets in and out of his breaks pretty quickly. I think Michi- gan can use him in a lot of ways, and he should be an asset for Jim Har- baugh in the passing game." As a junior, All caught 38 passes for 472 yards and seven touchdowns. — Brandon Brown Erick All Chooses Michigan After Hot Streak On The Recruiting Trail FILM EVALUATION Strengths: As a former wide receiver, Erick All is very athletic for a tight end and can really run. He catches the ball well and plays the tight end position as a true receiving threat. Areas Of Improvement: As is the case with all high school receivers, All needs to tighten up his route running and also needs to hone his tight end skills. He'll need to get bigger and stronger, and work on his blocking skills in both the passing and run game. Michigan Player Comparison: Looking at the comparison now, it seems far- fetched, but Devin Funchess and Erick All were quite similar as rising seniors in high school. Both were viewed as jumbo wide receivers as sophomores and juniors, but grew into solidly offered three-star tight ends as they matured. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com Rivals.com rates All as a three-star prospect, the No. 20 player in Ohio and the No. 23 tight end nationally. PHOTO BY NICK LUCERO/RIVALS.COM All "I love the offense that Michigan runs, and I love my position coach. It's the perfect school for me to go to."

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