The Wolverine

August 2019

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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AUGUST 2019 THE WOLVERINE 63   COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan was in good shape with Centen- nial (Colo.) Eaglecrest three-star offensive tackle Reece Atteberry as the big lineman prepared for his June 21-23 official visit, but a commitment wasn't nec- essarily expected. After the 6-5, 290-pounder spent 48 hours in Ann Arbor, how- ever, he knew it was home. "I've always been a 'feel- ing' kind of guy and I usu- ally trust my gut," he said. "I got a great feeling when I was on campus at Michi- gan, and everyone else had similar mindsets. There are so many great people at the university, and it just made me feel right at home. "I knew it was time to end the recruiting process and enjoy being a Wolver- ine for the next few years of my life. I didn't neces- sarily know going into the trip that I was going to commit and was ac- tually still up in the air on what I wanted to do once I got there. "Being there made me realize I was ready to end it, though. The thought of being a Michigan Man and the way they're made up of a group of people dedicated to being elite was the biggest factor for me." Now that he's committed, At- teberry is going to start getting his body and mind ready for a step up in competition and a specific position. Like most linemen in high school, At- teberry dominates because he's big- ger and stronger than everyone else — but in college it's about finding the right fit and specializing, usually at one position. "Coach [Ed] Warinner told me his plan is to start me out at right tackle," the Colorado lineman noted. "He'd like to then adjust me to wherever my skill set is best suited for and see how I develop." Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney seems to agree with Warinner 's assessment. He thinks that Atteberry is versatile enough to play just about any spot before set- tling in on just one position. "I think one of the better things about him is just his versatility on the offensive line," Gorney said. "He's moved all across the line in high school. When we saw him at camp, he was at tackle, but he has the build of someone who can definitely play inside. "He has the footwork that I think he could stay outside if need be, but cer- tainly he's a guy that can play inside too. He can snap the ball, he can move to either guard spots and he's a smart kid. "When you're around him, you can tell he's a thoughtful kid that under- stands the game. Those things are definitely going to benefit him in terms of his position." Atteberry is definitely an offensive lineman first and will be that in college, but he also managed to record 28 tackles, two stops for loss and six quarter- back hurries as a rotational defensive tackle last fall. Rivals rates him as a three-star recruit, the No. 5 prospect in Colorado and the No. 51 offensive tackle in the country. As a junior, Atteberry was named to the USA Today All-State first team as an offensive lineman. — Brandon Brown Official Visit Makes Huge Impact On Offensive Tackle Reece Atteberry Atteberry was tabbed as a USA Today All-State first-team performer fol- lowing his junior season at Centennial (Colo.) Eaglecrest. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Reece Atteberry's best trait is his versatility. He can legitimately play all five positions along the offensive line and does so at a high level. Being able to snap the ball while maintaining enough power to brawl inside and having the athleticism to pull and play on the edge is rare. Atteberry's size and frame are perfect to shape into whatever kind of lineman position coach Ed Warinner wants him to be. Areas Of Improvement: Some who have seen Atteberry in action first hand say he needs to play a little meaner and with more physicality. For such a big kid, he doesn't necessarily punish defenders like he could or should. The size, strength and athleticism is there, but a nasty lineman's mentality doesn't seem to be a natural thing for Atteberry. Michigan Player Comparison: Atteberry has a little more bulk to his body, but he's very similar to former Wolverine lineman Patrick Kugler. Atteberry will prob- ably end up playing at a higher max weight than Kugler's 303 pounds, but both were versatile in high school and it played out that way for Kugler at Michigan. Kugler got his first career start at guard, but played his final season at center. It would not be surprising if something similar happened with Atteberry at least in terms of moving around to wherever he's needed over the course of his career. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com Atteberry on pledging after his official visit to U-M June 21-23 "Being there made me realize I was ready to end it, though. The thought of being a Michi- gan Man and the way they're made up of a group of people dedicated to being elite was the biggest factor for me."

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