The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2020 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan has landed another big commitment out West. This time around, the Wolverines scored a verbal pledge from Ri- vals250 Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro d e f e n s i v e e n d Quintin Somer- v i l l e , w h o a n - nounced his deci- sion in mid-July. "Big Ten foot- ball is definitely my thing," Somer- ville said. "The defense out there is really different than out here. It is a real game out there. You can just tell. Living out here, football is not as important here as it is out there, and it is just great football." He pledged to Michigan over of- fers from Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Stan- ford, UCLA, Washington and several other major programs. While the 6-1, 233-pounder is out West, he built an extremely strong relationship with area recruiter and Michigan defensive line coach Shaun Nua. The two spoke on a regular ba- sis over the last couple of months leading up to his pledge, and Nua was able to seal the deal. "I know kids really like him," Sa- guaro head coach Jason Mohns said. "He's a talented recruiter. I've heard great things about him as a coach as well. "He's got West Coast ties. He's got a good reputation. That takes him a long way. He knows a lot of coaches out this way. He's established him- self. Kids are excited about the poten- tial to play for him." Somerville made his decision pub- lic on July 20, but he actually gave Michigan a silent commitment sev- eral weeks before that. The Wolver- ines made him a top priority, and he felt wanted in Ann Arbor. T h e n a t i o n ' s No. 5 weakside defensive end and No. 151 overall prospect per Ri- vals.com is look- ing to make a visit to U-M as soon as the dead period comes to an end. A f o u r - s t a r prospect, Somer- v i l l e r e c o r d e d 68 total stops, 29 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks en route to leading Arizona power- house Saguaro to an 11-2 record. "Somerville is an aggressive de- fensive end with a great inside move who plays with relentlessness and toughness across the defensive line," Rivals.com national recruiting ana- lyst Adam Gorney said. "There are times when Somerville moves inside and has an impact there because he's surprisingly powerful, he pushes people around, he gets in the back- field quickly and then he has great balance to not overrun the play but make the tackle for a loss. "The four-star had excellent stats this past season, he was impactful throughout the year and he has a high ceiling since he should add weight once at Michigan. If he can keep that speed and relentless pur- suit, then he has special abilities." "He's a special player," Mohns echoed. "He started five games as a freshman for us on a really good team. He's technically sound. He uses his hands really well. He's a savvy player. He's explosive off the line of scrimmage. "He's continuing to grow and get stronger. He's young for his grade. He's definitely one of the best de- fensive end prospects in the country. He's not 6-foot-6 and doesn't run a 10.4 [in the 100-meter dash], but he's a damn good player and his motor doesn't quit." — EJ Holland Somerville "Big Ten football is definitely my thing. The defense out there is really different than out here. It is a real game out there. You can just tell. Living out here, football is not as important here as it is out there." Somerville racked up 68 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks for Arizona power- house Saguaro High last season. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Quintin Somerville Heads East From Arizona For Perfect Fit At U-M FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Quintin Somerville was ranked extremely high as freshman and expected to become a five-star level recruit. While he hasn't grown as many projected, he's still a very solid prospect in the trenches. The four-star recruit has great power and bullies opposing offensive line- men with his brute strength. Somerville is great against the run, but may be even better at getting af- ter the quarterback. He is deceptively quick and gets off the ball in a hurry. He projects as a five-technique end that can provide a pass-rushing pres- ence with his hand in the dirt. Areas For Improvement: Somer- ville is a productive high school player with a tremendous motor, but there are question marks in regards to how well he projects at the next level. After all, Somerville is listed at just 6-1, 233 pounds, so he doesn't have the ideal height coaches want in a defensive end. It will be interesting to see if he can stick at the five-tech- nique or add weight and slide inside. He also doesn't have the usual length that high-level ends boast at the college level. He is a player, but he will have to overcome both of those issues. Michigan Player Comparison: Somer ville could develop in a Michael Danna type of player for Michigan. The 6-2, 261-pound grad- uate transfer from Central Michigan didn't have the ideal height along the defensive line, but he really came on last year before being taken in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Somerville has a similar skill set and could easily add 30 pounds his frame, which would put him at al- most an identical size to Danna. — EJ Holland