The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1242051
MAY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 49 COMMITMENT PROFILE L ouis Hansen had a plan. The Rivals100 tight end from Needham (Mass.) St. Se- bastian's was going to take his official visits in the spring and commit in the summer. How- ever, the coronavirus pan- demic obviously forced him to adjust. While not exactly on his original timeline, Hansen was still able to find his future. Af- ter a video chat with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, he knew that it was time to shut down his recruitment. Hansen committed to the Wolverines that night and publicly announced his deci- sion April 2. "At one point during the call, I just knew," Hansen said. "I hung up the phone and told my mom, 'I'm going to go there.' She was kind of walk- ing away and said, 'Oh yeah, I love them.' And I was like, 'No mom, I'm going there.' That's how it happened. But I had already hung the phone, so we went to my dad's house and called Coach [Sherrone] Moore. At that point, they knew what was happening. "They were pumped. They were throwing their fists in the air and yelling. Coach Moore had his baby on his lap, so he was a little quiet. It was just really cool." Hansen committed to Michigan over offers from Florida, Georgia, Iowa, LSU, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and sev- eral other major programs. So what was it about Michigan that made Hansen make the call ear- lier than expected? "Academics were so important — even above football," Hansen said. "It really doesn't get much better than the Ross School of Business and the football program that they have. I didn't think I was going to find that anywhere else in the country. It just felt like the best place for me. "My mom said she knew that I was going there for the last few weeks. My dad said he knew I was going there for the last few months. I guess they knew before I did. … They were excited I caught on." Relationships were also huge in this recruitment. Michigan tight ends coach Sherrone Moore recruited Hansen hard on a daily basis and defensive coordinator Don Brown, who has strong ties in New England, was very involved as well. "It felt genuine," Hansen said. "I've been talking to Coach Moore every day for a few months. Coach Brown talks to me and my dad every day. They are great people I want to surround myself with. I know my parents are going to be comfortable letting me be with them for four years." Hansen added that he sees himself as a great scheme fit at Michigan, which does a tre- mendous job of utilizing the tight end position. "They use the tight end in a way that I can excel at," Han- sen said. "They put the ball in the tight end's hands in open space and give them the opportunity to make plays while also demonstrating the ability to block. Obviously, you need to have both. It's a really good fit for me." At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Hansen is ranked as the No. 4 tight end and No. 66 overall prospect in the coun- try by Rivals.com. — EJ Holland Four-Star Louis Hansen Finds Perfect Fit Despite The Coronavirus Speeding Up His Timeline FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Louis Hansen is a true Big Ten tight end that can hurt defenses as a pass catcher, and put his hand in the dirt and help pave the way in the run game. Hansen is built extremely well, and after a year in the U-M strength and conditioning program he should be ready to contribute as an in-line blocker. Hansen is underrated athletically. He can go up and win jump balls in the red zone and is a natural pass catcher. He also received an offer from Michigan at defensive end and can excel at that position as well. Weaknesses: While Hansen is a playmaker as a pass catcher, he still needs to polish up his route running. At this point, he would be more effective playing on the line. To be a versatile threat as a flex end, Hansen will need to continue to grow in that area. Speed should be another area of focus for Hansen. Michigan Player Comparison: Fellow New England native Sean McKeon looked similar to Hansen coming out of high school and is comparable from a size and skill set standpoint. However, Hansen should have a much bigger impact at Michigan. Hansen has more natural athletic ability and is much more touted as a prospect. — EJ Holland Hansen "Academics were so important — even above football. It really doesn't get much better than the Ross School of Business and the football program that they have. I didn't think I was going to find that anywhere else in the country." Rivals.com ranks Hansen as the nation's No. 4 tight end and No. 66 overall prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM