The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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prep profiles Michigan Offers Junior Linebacker From Cleveland Michigan fans have grown used to the Kyle Berger playmaking style of rising redshirt junior linebacker Jake Ryan. The long-maned St. Ignatius High School blitzing specialist racked up 88 tackles Cleveland (4.5 sacks) this fall to lead the team. The Position: Linebacker product of Cleveland St. Ignatius High Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 210 School could blaze a trail for another product of the Ohio powerhouse to follow in his footsteps. time by one. I ended up the year with "[Michigan defensive coordinator] Greg around 120 tackles, so I was definitely Mattison said that what he really likes excited about that. I felt like I should have about me is my athleticism," 2014 line- helped the team a little more so we could backer Kyle Berger explained. "He told have ended up in the state championme that he really saw a Jake Ryan in me, ship." especially coming from the same school Berger also holds offers from Ohio State as Jake. and Michigan State, among others. The "He talked a little bit about me play- Wolverines and Buckeyes, however, aping in the Michigan pear to have the upper defense just like Jake Berger on visiting U-M hand early in his redoes as a Sam and Will "Nothing is planned yet. cruitment. He's already linebacker. It was pretty visited Columbus and brief, but that's pretty I think I'm going to call plans to carve out Coach Mattison soon." much how he said it." some time to see Ann The 6-3, 210-pounder Arbor. picked up a Michigan offer Jan. 15, thanks "Nothing is planned yet," he said. "I think to a strong season that he put together I'm going to call Coach Mattison soon. on the gridiron. He earned third-team He said to call him once a week so we All-Ohio honors in Division 1, and put up can start planning for me to come up. He a team-leading mark in tackles. also wants to come down for a basketball "I feel like I'm quick around the edges, game. and I blitz really well," he said. "I spent a lot "I think Michigan State is going to be of time doing this year blitzing. I definitely one — I'll take that one once basketball is feel I'm a sure tackler — I wrap up and I over. I really want to get up to Ann Arbor get the guy down. My speed helps define so I kind of pushed Michigan State back me as a player; that's definitely one of my a little bit." major pluses. Early in the process, it's looking like a "As a team, we ended up making it to classic rivalry battle. the regional finals and lost in triple over— Tim Sullivan