The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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56 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2021 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan jumped in the mix for Rivals250 defensive end Ma- rio Eugenio early in the process and never looked back. The Wolverines established them- selves as major players in his recruit- ment and made him a top target throughout the cycle. U-M always seemed to have the lead for the Tampa (Fla.) Gaither product, which was so- lidified on his mid-June official visit. Eugenio, who is ranked as the No. 14 weakside defensive end and No. 245 overall prospect nationally by Rivals.com, gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge behind the scenes and went public a few weeks later. For Eugenio, the decision to side with U-M came down to relation- ships. "It's a day-to-day basis with Coach Oz [defensive analyst Ryan Osborn] and Coach [Shaun] Nua," he said. "We're always talking and they re- cruited me like this before I blew up. They didn't offer me just because other schools were offering. "They didn't join the party late and they've been keeping up with me on everything and always texting me or calling. They really just show me that they care." Eugenio picked U-M over offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Indi- ana, Iowa State, Miami, Mississippi State, Missouri, West Virginia and others. Clyde Alexander, known as one of the top edge rusher trainers nation- ally, served as a mentor for Eugenio throughout the recruiting process and also worked with him at various events. And he believes Michigan was the right fit. "I got a chance to talk to [director of player personnel] Courtney Morgan, Coach [Ron] Bellamy, Coach Nua and the rest of those guys, and they can't wait until Mario gets on campus," Alexander said. "From what I've seen in the past with the way Michigan develops players, I think Mario is the perfect kid for Michigan. "I really see Mario going to the NFL Draft in three to four years. I think Michigan is going to get the best out of him. There won't be pressure on him to play right away since Michi- gan has some great players on the ros- ter. That will give him time to get set- tled in and put on some good weight. "I think he's going to be a dominant edge rusher in that conference. He'll bulk up to fit in with the body types of the Big Ten, but he'll also have the agility of a player from the South. That will pay dividends for him." Michigan is recruiting Eugenio as an edge rusher that could also play with his hand in the dirt at one of the end spots. The ultra-productive prep defender provides flexibility, and his projection will largely depend on how he develops once he gets on campus. "When Mario Eugenio took reps at defensive end, the four-star won some reps and lost some reps and looked pedestrian at times," Rivals.com na- tional recruiting director Adam Gor- ney said after watching him live at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge this sum- mer. "But when he moved inside and took reps against offensive guards, even at 238 pounds, the Tampa (Fla.) Gaither prospect was unstoppable. "Eugenio is stronger than he looks [he took part in the bench press com- petition at the Five-Star Challenge] and so offensive guards cannot just muscle him around inside. With his speed and burst, Eugenio might not always play inside but in certain packages it could be really useful." Alexander, however, believes Eu- genio will be more of a pure standup edge rusher. "Mario is great at pass rushing," he said. "If you have a kid that's great at something, why would I get you to do something you're not comfortable with? "I think having Mario stand up is to the team's benefit. His body is going to naturally get better because of his work ethic. If Mario is dominating some of these top offensive tackles now, imagine what he's going to do when his body matures. If it's not bro- ken, don't fix it." — EJ Holland Rivals250 Defensive End Mario Eugenio Will Bring High Ceiling From Florida PLAYER EVALUATION St re n g t h s : Wh i l e a b i t o f a tweener, Mario Eugenio finds a way to make plays and has a nose for the football. His motor is relentless, which is why he's highly productive at the high school level. He notched 42 tackles, almost half of which were for loss, to go along with 17 sacks as a junior last season. He uses an array of pass rushing moves to get around opposing tackles while stand up rushing, but he can also provide a pass rushing presence with his hand in the dirt. He is disciplined and advanced with his technique. Areas Of Improvement: The tweener doesn't have the ideal length, frame or speed of a pure edge rusher, so he has to make that up with his technique and motor. On the flip side of the coin, Eugenio doesn't have the power or bulk to play with his hand in the dirt full time. He checks the boxes as a guy that just gets it done, but finding the right fit in Michigan's new 3-4 de- fensive scheme will be the key to his success. Michigan Player Comparison: At 6-3, 240 pounds, Eugenio has the exact same build as Kris Jenkins did coming out of high school. In fact, Eugenio's stats as a junior are almost identical to Jenkins' as a senior (40 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 15 sacks for Jenkins as a senior). Jenkins was also a tweener defensive end that was expected to add a ton of weight and become a true defensive tackle. That, however, hasn't happened yet, and it appears he'll serve as an end in the new scheme at 260 pounds. Jenkins will have to navi- gate to find a true position home as will Eugenio. — EJ Holland Eugenio is ranked as the No. 14 weakside defensive end and No. 245 overall prospect nationally by Rivals.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM