The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1014905
52 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2018 COMMITMENT PROFILE B elleville (Mich.) High three-star outside linebacker Tyrece Woods has been a known name on the re- cruiting trail, dating back to when he was just a freshman at Detroit Martin Luther King. He picked up a few Mid-Amer- ican Conference offers very early, but then his recruitment cooled off. Fast forward to the June before his senior year, and he finally reeled in the big offer he wanted. The 6-2, 240-pounder camped at Michigan and left Ann Arbor with an offer. The Detroit native almost couldn't be- lieve that he finally had what he'd been hoping for. "After camp Coach [Don] Brown told me to go upstairs to see Coach [Jim] Harbaugh, and once I got up there, he told me he loves me and that I have a spot there," Woods ex- plained. "My face lit up when I heard that, and I was just speechless." It took just more than a month for Woods to accept Harbaugh's offer, and he's now a part of U-M's class. He explained what he was thinking throughout the month of July and why he ultimately committed to the Wolverines. "I was actually ready to commit after they offered me at the camp, but I just wanted to take some time to make sure I was 100 percent sure," Woods explained. "After having extensive talks with Coach Brown, Coach Harbaugh and Coach [Greg] Mattison, I was ready." Brown likes the versatility Woods brings to the front seven. He has already played several positions in high school, and he's ready for a much bigger challenge once he gets to U-M. "Basically I'm going to playing the three technique and defensive end," Woods said. "They haven't talked to me at all about playing standing up." Belleville head coach Jermain Crowell is glad to have a movable piece on his defense. "He's a smart kid who is really strong at the point," Crowell said. "When you add that with his athleti- cism it makes him really versatile. "I know for us he plays both ends, and I've recently talked to him about playing some defensive tackle. I think that's probably how Michigan plans on using him as well." Woods is glad to have his commit- ment out of the way and can't wait to start his senior season. It's going to go quick, however, since he in- tends to graduate and enroll early at U-M in order to get a jump-start on his college career. Getting up to Ann Arbor in January will also give him extra time to carve out whatever his role will be. "Coach [Matt] Dudek sent me my application and talked to me about how to enroll at the school. I've been filling that out," Woods explained. "Coach Harbaugh has just said that he can't wait to get me up there. "I want to get to know the system early. I'll be ahead of some guys who come in during the summer." As a junior, Woods racked up 51 stops, 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks en route to being named sec- ond-team All-Detroit by both The De- troit Free Press and The Detroit News. He was also an honorable mention for The Detroit News All-State team for Division 1 and 2. — Brandon Brown Tyrece Woods Camps Well At U-M And Is Now Part Of The Class Woods — a 6-2, 240-pound outside linebacker that U-M has recruited to play along the defensive line — racked up 51 stops, 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a junior at Belleville (Mich.) High. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Tyrece Woods' strength lies in his overall versatility. He's played mul- tiple positions in high school, and that's how the Michigan coaches intend to use him as well. He can play linebacker, on either end of the defensive line and even on the interior should he add the necessary weight and strength. He can do a little bit of everything from within the front seven, and that makes him more valuable than his rating implies. Areas Of Improvement: Because he's played all over and doesn't have ideal size or skills for any one position, Woods comes off as a bit of a "tweener." He'll really have to commit himself to either becoming faster and more explosive in order to play off the edge, or add weight, bulk up the right way and get stronger to play full time on the interior of the defensive line. Michigan Player Comparison: Woods looks very similar to current Wolverine Carlo Kemp. As a senior prospect, Kemp was listed as a 6-3, 250-pound weakside defensive end. Woods measures in at 6-2, and somewhere north of 240 pounds. Kemp played standing up and with his hand in the dirt in high school, and is now a full-time interior player. Woods has a chance to follow a very similar path in high school and at U-M. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com