The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JUNE/JULY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 51 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan has scored another big commitment in Chicagoland. This time around, the Wolverines added a verbal pledge from Boling- brook (Ill.) High three-star outside linebacker Tyler McLaurin. "They have a top-notch education, especially in the major I want to go into [computer science]," McLau- rin said. "It's almost not competed against. Football-wise, they are always a top-25, bowl program. They have the best connections out there right now. They know the right people to get you in the right situation after college." McLaurin committed to Michi- gan over offers from Iowa, Michi- gan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Virginia and others. He visited Michigan right before the dead period and continued to build a strong relationship with the coaching staff over the last couple of months. "A lot of our talks have been about how I can fit into the program," McLaurin said. "We've also talked about what they are doing as a pro- gram to make themselves better and reach that next level. Coach [Don] Brown is a really honest guy. He'll tell you straight up how it is. He's not afraid to hurt anyone's feelings. I truly appreciate the honesty. "Coach [Sherrone] Moore is truly a one-on-one type of person. He's re- ally genuine about everything. That means a lot because it's all about honesty in the recruiting game." A versatile linebacker, McLaurin can play multiple spots in Michigan's defensive scheme. He has the frame to be an inside linebacker, but his length could allow him to rush the passer or play a traditional Sam role. "Coach Brown said that it's going to be based off of how I fill out if I were to go there and go through the weight program," McLaurin said. "He can easily see me doing any of the three jobs — rushing, playing in space or even playing in the box." Bolingbrook head coach John Iv- low, who played with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh with the Chicago Bears in the 1990s, believes McLaurin is just scratching the sur- face when it comes to his potential and ceiling. "He has really been a pleasant sur- prise," Ivlow said. "You don't get much by watching sophomore film. You get what you're going to get from coaching on the field. He's always in the right spot. He's got that length and long arms. Even when he's not in the right spot, his arm is in the right spot. He knocks the ball down or tips it. "He has a great football IQ — prob- ably top two in the last 20 years. This kid can go up to the board and draw up everything. We asked: How big of a hitter is this kid going to be during his first year of varsity football? He showed us that." In terms of a future position, Iv- low, like Brown, wants to see how McLaurin fills out once he gets into Michigan's strength and condition- ing program. "He's only 215 pounds," Ivlow said. "He's going to grow into a man- child. He's long enough to come off the edge as an end or linebacker. He can do a lot of things. Come watch him play basketball and see him on the court. He looks 6-foot-5, but he's only 6-foot-3. I don't know what it is. He's really long, and he's got a lot of room to grow." McLaurin is Michigan's second commit from the Chicago area, join- ing Rivals100 quarterback J.J. Mc- Carthy, who has transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. The 6-3, 215-pound McLaurin is ranked as the No. 12 prospect in Il- linois and the No. 30 outside line- backer in the country by Rivals.com. — EJ Holland Bolingbrook (Ill.) High head coach John Ivlow on McLaurin "He has really been a pleasant surprise. … He's always in the right spot. He's got that length and long arms. Even when he's not in the right spot, his arm is in the right spot. He knocks the ball down or tips it." Rivals.com rates McLaurin — a product of Bolingbrook (Ill.) High — as a three-star prospect, the No. 12 player in Illinois and the No. 30 outside linebacker nationally. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Windy City Linebacker Tyler McLaurin Picks Michigan FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Tyler McLaurin's length is something that really benefits him when coming off the edge. He's quick to the ball and plays well sideline to sideline. He is a sure tackler and has the versatility to play multiple spots in multiple schemes. Last year was his first on varsity. He is still growing into his body and has a ton of potential for the next level. He has a very high football IQ and is a great student. Areas Of Improvement: Right now, McLaurin is more of a projection than any- thing. While he had a solid junior season at a very solid high school program, he is still raw from a technique standpoint. He needs to work on his pursuit angles as well as his ability in pass coverage. Hip flexibility is something that should be addressed in the offseason. He has a solid build, but it will be interesting to see where he can add weight. Michigan Player Comparison: It's hard to make a true comparison for McLau- rin since he could up at so many different spots. He could easily grow into a player in the mold of Luiji Vilain. While Vilain was already a defensive end in high school, McLaurin has similar height and length and could add the muscle and weight needed to spin down. — EJ Holland