The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1083898
MARCH 2019 THE WOLVERINE 21 athletic and explosive for an interior defensive lineman, and Harbaugh knows what he has in the son of a former NFL Pro Bowler by the same name. "Chris Hinton is arguably one of the best players in the class and is a five-star type of player, and comes from great lineage and a great fam- ily," Harbaugh said. U-M loaded up with four other defensive linemen, including Mazi Smith (6-3, 303) from East Kentwood in Grand Rapids, Mich. Smith is a powerful local product who could make an early push for playing time as well. "Mazi Smith is a fine player from Grand Rapids, and defensive tackle is a position of need for us," Har- baugh said. Michigan tapped a pair of recruit- ing hotbeds for Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy defensive end David Ojabo (6-4, 252) and Boca Raton (Fla.) American Heritage end Mike Morris (6-6, 258). "Ojabo and Morris each have big bodies and are long," Harbaugh said. "Ojabo will be a good pass rusher and I can't wait to see what mother nature does for Morris, because she'll decide what position he plays." That leaves Gabe Newburg (6-5, 237), out of Clayton (Ohio) North- mont, who will have no trouble mak- ing the transition to living north of the state line. "Gabe Newburg comes from a 'Go Blue' family — a room in his house is dedicated all to Michigan, and his dad is a wrestling coach," Harbaugh observed. "Wrestlers work the hard- est and get the least amount of credit of any high school sport, and Gabe personifies that." The Wolverines went light on line- backers in 2019, bringing in Anthony Solomon (6-1, 200) out of Fort Lau- derdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Charles Thomas (5-11, 224), who hails out of Atlanta but finished his high school career at St. Thomas More in Oakdale, Conn. Solomon could get a crack at the spot where Jabrill Peppers once roamed. "Anthony Solomon is related to [retired four-star Army general] Co- lin Powell, and his dad was once the mayor of Montego Bay," Harbaugh noted. "He's the truest viper type of player we recruited." Thomas, Harbaugh asserted, pos- sesses the type of speed that will remind Michigan fans of a recently departed playmaker. "Charles Thomas is a Devin Bush type of player," Harbaugh said. Hill obviously headlines a strong secondary haul. The 6-0, 190-pound safety out of Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High possesses the afore-mentioned 4.3 speed and play- making ability that everyone in the nation coveted. Michigan won the commit-decom- mit tug-of-war with Alabama for Hill, and he's at the top of the in- coming class, according to the head coach. "He's a fantastic player," Har- baugh said. "He really gets it athleti- cally. He's also a playmaker from the safety position. He's a hitter." DJ Turner (6-0, 173) from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., via Su- wanee, Ga., is at the lighter end of the weight scale, but can pack a punch. "DJ Turner is a corner who is physical when the ball is being run at him," Harbaugh said. "He likes to jam receivers and isn't afraid to tackle." Safety Quinten Johnson (5-10, 193), comes from Silver Spring, Md., and played for highly competitive St. John's College in Washington, D.C. "Quinten Johnson is the same way [as Turner], and played on one of the best teams in the country this past year," Harbaugh pointed out. Jalen Perry (6-1, 185) from Dacula (Ga.) High "has long arms and is very good," Harbaugh mentioned. Meanwhile, Joey Velazquez (5-11, 195) out of Columbus (Ohio) St. Fran- cis DeSales has enough versatility to play viper — in addition to another sport. "Joey Velazquez will play base- ball at Michigan along with football, because [U-M baseball coach] Erik Bakich loves him," Harbaugh said. "We'll look at him as a viper, and he is someone who reminds me a lot of [rising fifth-year senior viper] Jordan Glasgow, though he could eventually be an inside linebacker. Velazquez texted me telling me he's coming to Michigan to make himself and U-M great — that's the kind of two-way street we're looking for." In addition to Charbonnet, McNa- mara, All, Smith, Newburg, Sainris- til, Ojabo and Perry are early enroll- ees. They're all looking to get a jump on the greatness, while hoping to be- come a class that helps get Michigan back to the league's top rung. "It's a group of players that really wants to be great for Michigan and also for themselves," Harbaugh concluded. "They're not afraid of work." ❏ Three-star linebacker Anthony Solomon (left) and four-star offensive tackle Trente Jones (right) were among the six Wolverines selected for the Under Armour All-American Game. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM