The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2020 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan stayed hot on the recruiting trail in June. The Wolverines earned three commitments to end the month of May and scored another verbal pledge to kick off the next month in three-star Wall- ingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall offensive tackle Tristan Bounds. For Bounds, the decision came down to Michigan's unique blend of elite aca- demics and athletics. "What's appealing about Michigan is it's a great school," Bounds said. "I want to study business. The Ross School of Business is one of the best in the coun- try. They have a great cul- ture. They really develop their offensive linemen. "The Big House sits 110,000 people. That's crazy. That atmosphere will be pretty cool to play in." Bounds picked Michigan over offers from Cal, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Vir- ginia, Virginia Tech and others. Michigan offensive line coach Ed Warinner did a fantastic job of win- ning over Bounds during the dead period, and the two built a strong relationship. "He does less recruiting," Bounds explained. "He does more inform- ing about his résumé and what his players are doing. He had four guys drafted this year. That's huge. "He just gives me the information. There is no rock unturned as far as what I know about Michigan." Bounds also had some re- ally positive conversations with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh over the last month. "He's a super cool dude," Bounds said. "He's really fun to talk to. He always has a joke lined up. I feel like a lot of people are serious in the recruiting process. Obviously, it's a business; I appreciate seri- ousness. But I think it's fun to talk to him. "Yes, he's serious about what he does and is very competitive, but he's also a very funny guy." Bounds, who is origi- nally from Maryland, is developing well at Choate Rosemary Hall, which is known as one of the premier board- ing schools in the Northeast. While he still has a ways to go to reach his full potential, Bounds' head coach LJ Spinnato believes his ceiling is sky high. "His length with his athleticism is rare," Spinnato said. "The only piece to his game that he's really working on is his strength and size. Filling out his frame is what's going to get him to compete at that level. He un- derstands that he's a project, but he's working to fill out that frame, so he can be ready to compete for reps after his redshirt year. "He's a kid that's going to be 50 pounds heavier than he is now if he wants to play at that level. We all think that can happen, but it's going to take a lot of hard work on Tristan's part and Michigan's part. It's a full- time job once he gets there. He is smart, long, athletic and he's a high- character kid. As long as his body does what it needs to do and he stays healthy, the sky is the limit." The 6-8, 280-pound Bounds is ranked as the No. 5 prospect in Con- necticut by Rivals.com. — EJ Holland Choate Rosemary Hall head coach LJ Spinnato on Bounds "His length with his athleticism is rare. … He understands that he's a project, but he's working to fill out that frame, so he can be ready to compete for reps after his redshirt year." Bounds is rated as only a three-star recruit, but he boasts an impressive 6-8, 280-pound frame. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Towering Tackle Tristan Bounds Looks To Achieve Potential At U-M FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Tristan Bounds is a tall, lean and athletic tackle. He's exactly the type of player that Michigan offensive line coach Ed Warinner values at the left tackle position. Bounds has size you can't teach at 6-8, 280 pounds. His height and weight alone make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the class. Bounds is also athletic for his size and loves to get physical. While he plays against weaker competition, he buries opposing defenders and knows how to finish off blocks. Areas For Improvement: Bounds is up to 280 pounds, so he still needs to add weight — but not as much as some have speculated. As mentioned, he does pulverize weaker defensive linemen, but he definitely needs to hit the weight room and add strength to make an impact at the Big Ten level. Bounds is a project type that will need plenty of technical and flexibility work as well. He needs improvement on his bend and hips. He will need two or three years of development before he is ready. Michigan Player Comparison: Bounds shares a lot of similarities with incom- ing freshman Jeffrey Persi, who also projects as a true left tackle. Like Persi, Bounds is coming in as a tall, lean and aggressive tackle with plenty of room to add weight and strength. The potential is there for both players, but it will be largely dependent on the progress they show in Michigan's strength and conditioning program. But, again, both have the size and skill set that Warinner looks for in his left tackles. — EJ Holland