The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2022 THE WOLVERINE 43 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan was always home for Amir Her- ring. T h e O n 3 Co n se n s u s four-star interior offen- sive lineman from West Bloomfield (Mich.) High was considered a Michi- gan lean for more than a year. He finally shut down his process, giving the Wolverines a verbal pledge at a commitment cer- emony at his high school on July 7. Herring sided with U-M over offers from Arkansas, Michigan State, Missouri, Ne b ra s ka , Pe n n S ta te , West Virginia and others. "Michigan is just home for me," Herring said. "It felt at home on all of my unofficial visits and my official visit in June. I just felt like Michigan was the best decision for my fam- ily and me. "Michigan is going to challenge me football-wise and academically. I'm go- ing to get one of the best developers in the country in Coach [Jim] Harbaugh. I can't wait to get up there." Herring picked up a Michigan offer extremely early in his recruitment and immediately fell in love with the pro- gram on and off the field. While there were some bumps in the road this off- season, Herring always kept coming back to Michigan. A local prospect, Herring made sev- eral visits to Michigan throughout his process, but it was his official visit that earned this commitment to the Wol- verines. "The visit went really well," Herring said. "I felt like it was a really big trip for me and my family. I got to spend more time learning about the academics and the networking system at Michigan. "I feel like it was more detailed than all of my past unofficial visits. You could truly see the family environment there. Overall, it was just a really good weekend for me and my family." Michigan offensive line coach Sher- rone Moore and fellow assistant Ron Bellamy, who coached Herring at West Bloomfield, led the way in this recruit- ment. "With Coach Moore being a first-year offensive line coach, I was very im- pressed with the play of the offensive line last season," Herring said. "Win- ning the Joe Moore Award is tremen- dous. They played physical and tough all season, which is what I like to see. "Coach Bellamy is a great coach and person. I really enjoyed playing for him at West Bloomfield and am glad he's in his element at Michigan." But it wasn't just the coaches that made Michigan feel like family. Players like running back Donovan Edwards, his former teammate, and offensive lineman Raheem Anderson, who served as Herring's player host on his official visit, played roles in making him feel welcomed. "Raheem just told me about how the program is and the family environment," Herring said. "He told me he was an in- state guy like me and what the program has done for him on and off the field. "It's always great seeing Donovan. He has a very colorful personality. He's also super electric on the football field." Herring, a second-team Associated Press Division 1-2 All-State selection as a junior, projects as a true interior of- fensive lineman that could play guard or center at the next level. He plays with a nasty streak and should fit right in on an offensive line known for being physical in the trenches. At 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, Herring is ranked as the No. 17 interior offensive lineman and No. 274 overall prospect nationally, per the On3 Consensus. — EJ Holland Offensive Lineman Amir Herring Continues In-State Pipeline To U-M The On3 Consensus rates Herring as the No. 17 interior offen- sive lineman and No. 274 overall prospect nationally, and the No. 4 prospect in Michigan. PHOTO COURTESY AMIR HERRING PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Herring is a true road grader for one of the best high school programs in the state of Michigan at West Bloomfield. He plays with excellent technique and hand placement, but what really pops out is his physicality. Herring is a dominant run blocker and serves up multiple pancakes every game. He finishes blocks at a high rate and plays with violence. Herring is a smart player on and off the field and knows how to command the offensive line group. Areas Of Improvement: Herring plays a lot of tackle for West Bloom- field but will either be a guard or center at the next level. He will have to continue to work on snapping and get adjusted to sliding inside. Herring has a high floor and is one of the safest offensive line takes na- tionally this cycle. However, Herring does have a limited ceiling. He is on the shorter side at 6-foot-3 and lacks ideal arm length. Michigan Player Comparison: It's no surprise that Michigan used Ra- heem Anderson as Herring's player host. A former local prospect, An- derson was also regarded as a high floor interior offensive line take. In high school, Anderson was techni- cal, smart, played with physicality and knew how to finish blocks but did lack height and arm length. That's the exact same description for Herring. It's fully expected for Anderson to take Herring under his wing once the latter arrives in Ann Arbor. — EJ Holland