The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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of how good he can be, largely because lifting weights "hasn't even been part of his full-time routine as a player." "George is just so athletic for an in- side technique," the coach continued. "The thing that impresses me most about him is how he plays with an im- mense passion for the game and how much he loves football. "That comes out every time he takes the field, and you'll be able to see it in his performance. His motor is probably his biggest strength out there, along with his positional flexibility. The ver- satility he possesses gives coordinators and those coaching him a lot of leeway on how they use him." Though it's not uncommon to see linemen in both collegiate football and the NFL move around along the de- fensive front, Michigan, in particular, has had a knack for finding versatile linemen capable of playing multiple positions. Graduating fifth-year senior Carlo Kemp, for example, played both on the edge and the interior for the Wol- verines this past season, while rising redshirt junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has done the same thing at times during his career in Ann Arbor. "George will be productive and an asset to Michigan's program, regard- less of where they play him," Hansen forecasted. "He'll transition well to their style of football if he continues to develop. "Another positive about him is that he's the kind of kid who isn't going to embarrass himself or the school. George is so focused and has consistently got- ten good grades. There haven't been any off-the-field issues with him or any kind of red flags whatsoever. "George is a dedicated kid, and foot- ball is important to him. Those are al- ways the best kinds of guys to get. You want players who aren't going to be distractions." Hansen explained that Rooks han- dled the recruiting process in a simi- larly mature fashion, choosing to take his time and wait until he was 100 per- cent sure of where he wanted to go, as opposed to committing somewhere prematurely and then having to back- track. "George told me he went with his heart when he committed with Michi- gan," the St. Peter's Prep head man said. "That spoke volumes to me. I told him I was very happy he was at peace with his decision, and there was no question in his mind it was the right place for him." ❏ Rooks' father, also named George, was the 1991 Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year at Syracuse, while his sister Taylor played basketball at U-M as a graduate transfer in 2018-19. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM MARCH 2021 THE WOLVERINE 49 2021 Projection Rooks' versatility could allow him to compete for a rotation spot in 2021, with Michigan's defensive tackle situ- ation not yet a strength and question marks residing at the defensive end spot opposite redshirt junior Aidan Hutchinson. The main players Rooks will be competing against for playing time are those who either didn't see the field or didn't impress in 2020, so bringing in some fresh faces could be exactly what U-M's defensive front needs. DID YOU KNOW? • Led St. Peter's Prep to an 11-1 record and the New Jersey Non-Public Group 4 championship in 2019. • Guided his squad to a 4-2 mark in 2020 and a second-place finish in its league. • His father, George, was a 10th-round draft pick by the New York Giants out of Syracuse, while sister, Taylor, was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year during her prep basketball days before playing at Stanford, Harvard and then Michigan. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Michigan Jan. 27 over notable offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee. • Visited Ann Arbor numerous times before pledging. • Cited the primary three reasons for his commitment as "how much they love me, how high I am on their board and the system they run." THEY SAID IT • Rivals.com East Coast recruiting analyst Adam Friedman: "Rooks will be an important piece for the Michi- gan defensive line. He isn't the most athletic defensive lineman Michigan has recruited in recent years, but is strong at the point of attack and will be a very reliable player for the Wolver- ines. His future is likely on the interior of the defensive line." • TheWolverine.com recruiting analyst EJ Holland: "Rooks' game is pretty easy to describe. He's a long, athletic prospect with a high football IQ and terrific technique. Rooks is ex- tremely athletic for an interior defen- sive lineman and will likely maintain it once he adds weight. He uses his long arms to his advantage from pass rush- ing in the interior or off the edge as well as knifing through double teams." 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE