The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1265378
THE WOLVERINE 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 157 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ings and as the No. 175 overall recruit in the land. The Wolverines have also moved up for fellow Rivals250 pass catcher Jayden Thomas, the No. 131 overall prospect and No. 23 wide receiver nationally. The Atlanta Pace Academy product is also a bigger re- ceiver (6-2, 205) and seemed to be leaning towards Michigan and Notre Dame in late June. Rivals100 Pickerington (Ohio) Central prospect Lorenzo Styles Jr., the No. 39 over- all prospect nationally, is committed to Notre Dame but has kept in frequent contact with the Michigan staff over the dead period. He also checks in at 6-1, 170 pounds. Three-star East Lansing (Mich.) High wide receiver Andrel Anthony (6-2, 175) remains an option as well, but he is trending away from the Wolverines. TIGHT END Committed: 1 (Dedham [Mass.] St. Se- bastian's four-star Louis Hansen) Projected Take: 1-2 Synopsis: Michigan loves what Hansen, the No. 4 tight end and No. 68 overall player in the country, brings to the table. He can put his hand in the dirt and block, and also flex out as a pure pass catcher. He brings the total package at the position, and the Wolverines would be just fine with him being the only tight end take this cycle. However, U-M us still working hard on four-star Council Bluffs (Iowa) Lewis Cen- tral tight end Thomas Fidone, the No. 62 overall prospect nationally. Fidone seems to be favoring Nebraska due to his ties to the university. But schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, Iowa and LSU are all very much involved. It's an uphill battle, but Fidone remains a key target for the Wolverines in 2021. OFFENSIVE GUARD/CENTER Committed: 2 (Bradenton [Fla.] IMG Academy four-star Greg Crippen and Detroit Cass Tech four-star Raheem Anderson) Projected Take: 3 Synopsis: Michigan already has a pair of Rivals250 interior offensive linemen on board in Crippen, the No. 7-ranked guard nationally, and Anderson, the No. 2 center in the land. While Crippen is listed as a guard, the Wolverines recruited him as a true center. Anderson starts at center for Cass Tech and may stick at the position at the next level, but he also has the potential to play guard. Two names remain on the board here in Rivals100 prospects Rocco Spindler, the country's No. 3 offensive guard and No. 56 overall prospect, and Drew Kendall, the No. 4 offensive guard and No. 65 overall player nationally. Spindler, who hails from Clarkston (Mich.) High, is one of the top overall tar- gets on U-M's board and a must-land this cycle. Michigan was the early front-runner, but now faces stiff competition from Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State. Kendall, a Boston Noble & Greenough product, has long been considered a Michigan lean and may be closing in on a decision. OFFENSIVE TACKLE Committed: 2 (Sterling Heights [Mich.] Stevenson four-star Giovanni El-Hadi and Wallingford [Conn.] Choate Rosemary Hall three-star Tristan Bounds) Projected Take: 2-3 Synopsis: El-Hadi, who is ranked as the No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 51 overall prospect nationally, is one of the best gets for Michigan this recruiting cycle. The local four-star recruit is athletic and technical, and projects to be a multi-year starter at right tackle. A three-star prospect, Bounds is more of a project. However, the sky is the limit for the 6-8, 280 pounder once he redshirts and gets coached up by U-M offensive line coach Ed Warinner. Michigan would like another tackle this cycle and has its eyes set on Rivals250 blocker Nolan Rucci, the No. 6 offensive tackle and No. 36 overall recruit nationally out of Lititz (Pa.) Warwick. However, he is currently trending towards Penn State. The Wolverines are also working on San Luis Obispo (Calif.) High three-star tackle Thomas Cole, who recently named Michigan in his final five. DEFENSIVE END Committed: 4 (Scottsdale [Ariz.] Sa- guaro four-star Quintin Somerville, Suffield [Conn.] Academy four-star Kechaun Ben- nett, Mansfield [Mass.] High three-star TJ Guy and Monmouth [N.J.] Mater Dei Prep two-star Dominick Giudice) Projected Take: 5 Synopsis: Michigan pretty much has its defensive end class wrapped up. The Wol- verines have a good mix of skill sets within their group of four. Both Somerville, the No. 5 weakside defensive end and No. 151 overall recruit nationally, and fellow four- star Bennett, the No. 12 weakside defensive end in the country, are lean, athletic pros- pects that will provide a pass rushing pres- ence up front. Guy is just a three-star prospect, but has only been playing football for three years and could end up being the steal of the class. The New England native could easily slide inside at the next level. A two-star prospect, Giudice could also be a hidden gem. While he's limited ath- Sterling Heights (Mich.) Stevenson Michigan commitment Giovanni El-Hadi is rated as the nation's No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 51 overall player by Rivals.com. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN