The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1194003
JANUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 45 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan made a late surge for hybrid defen- sive end/outside linebacker Jaylen Harrell and earned his commitment just a week before the early signing pe- riod Dec. 18-20. A three-star prospect from Tampa (Fla.) Berkley, Harrell was pegged to end up closer to home. Both Florida State and Miami jockeyed for the pole position for the majority of his recruitment. However, both had major question marks by the end of November. Florida State parted ways with head coach Willie Taggart, and Miami suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of Florida International. That opened up the door for Michi- gan. The Wolverines hosted him for an unofficial visit and got him back on campus just a week later for an of- ficial visit. Soon after, Michigan be- came the team to beat and eventually won him over. "I have great respect for Coach [Jim] Harbaugh, Coach [Shaun] Nua and Coach [Don] Brown," Berkley head coach Dominick Ciao said. "They did a very impressive job of recruiting him. Because of them, Jay- len felt like it was the correct fit for him. "Jaylen is a tremendous player and a great young man. He carried his recruitment humbly. We are very ex- cited about him going to Michigan." Michigan officially won the Har- rell recruiting sweepstakes after its head coach personally flew out to Florida and spent the day in Tampa with Harrell, his family and Ciao. Ciao has actually known Har- baugh for a couple of years. Michi- gan practiced at Berkley back in 2017 for its New Year 's Day clash with South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. Familiarity helped with Harrell's re- cruitment. "Michigan practiced at our facility a couple of years ago for the Outback Bowl," Ciao said. "It was great to see Coach Harbaugh and his staff. Everything was first class. Coach Harbaugh has always been impressive. He's al- ways been tremendous with me. I have great respect for him and his program." So what is Michigan get- ting in Ciao's star pupil? "Jaylen has been a tena- cious player for us," Ciao said. "He has an urge to dominate. He's a fierce com- petitor. He's been a four-year starter for us. He's a captain. He's a tremendous young man in our program and our school." From a scheme fit stand- point, Michigan views Har- rell as the next Josh Uche. His versatile skill set will allow him to come off the edge and rush the passer as well play both defensive end and outside line- backer. Ciao believes Michigan will get the best out of Harrell. "I think he has a great chance to excel and do really well in that scheme," Ciao said. "I think it's a tremendous fit for him in every way. He's awfully excited. He's going to compete against great players every day, and he hopes that gets him bet- ter. He has a tremendous challenge ahead of him." Harrell, the No. 33-ranked outside linebacker in the country per Rivals, committed to Michigan over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Okla- homa, Penn State and a slew of other major programs. Winning over Harrell could pay dividends for Michigan in the fu- ture. The Wolverines will, without a doubt, return to the talent rich state of Florida in future recruiting cycles. And Ciao, who has been coaching in the Sunshine State for more than 30 years, believes Michigan is very capable of having success in such a fertile recruiting battleground. "Absolutely," Ciao said. "Michigan is Michigan. I have two former play- ers that played at Michigan in Jay Feely and Garrett Rivas. Both had tremendous experiences on the field and in the classroom. It was a tre- mendous experience for them. Michi- gan is a great place." — EJ Holland Michigan Pulls Floridian Reminiscent Of Josh Uche Away From Home Jaylen Harrell is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 92 prospect in Florida and the No. 33 outside linebacker in the 2020 class. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM ANALYSIS Strengths: Jaylen Harrell was a hot commodity early in his recruitment thanks to his athletic profile. The 6-4, 235-pounder is already well put together and won't need to add much weight at the next level. He has the potential to be a terror off the edge as a pass rusher or to be a true outside linebacker. Harrell will likely move around under Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, who values versatility in his defenders. Areas Of Improvement: Harrell's offer list doesn't necessarily reflect his rank- ing. The three-star prospect didn't progress as much as a senior as most schools would have liked to see. Harrell needs to improve his technique. He is still a very raw prospect and will need coaching, so a redshirt year is likely. Harrell also needs to work on his physicality. Michigan Player Comparison: Michigan recruited Harrell to play in the same role as Josh Uche. Like Harrell, Uche was an athletic pass rusher with upside coming out of Florida. Harrell, who is heavier than Uche was coming out of high school, brings a similar skill set. While on his official visit, Harrell sat down with the Michigan staff and went over film of Uche and his role in the Wolverines' defensive scheme. — EJ Holland