The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2022 COMMITMENT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M anuel Beigel grew up with dreams of scoring goals for Germany in a World Cup. The Frankfurt native dedicated more than a decade of his life to soccer, but he never stopped growing. Once he hit 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Beigel knew it was time to give a different kind of foot- ball a try. Beigel eventually teamed up with Brandon Collier of PPI Recruiting, an international database and recruiting service that helps European prospects gain exposure with U.S. college pro- grams. Collier, who had brief stints in both the NFL and CFL, identified and started to train Beigel about three years ago. While Beigel was completely new to American football, it didn't take long for Collier to realize the type of player he could become. "The size and athletic ability popped out right away," Collier said. "When I met him, he was 265 pounds and re- ally athletic. Just looking at his size and his footwork, I knew he was going to be special. "He was really good at soccer, but he outgrew the sport. He's currently 6-foot-5, 295 pounds. He's in the high 4.8 or low 4.9 range in the 40-yard dash at his size. He's broad jumping over 9 feet, 5 inches. His explosion and ath- leticism are rare. The sky is the limit for that kid." Beigel has all the traits you want in a three-technique defensive lineman. While he's still developing from a technical standpoint and adapting to the physicality of the game, Beigel will play at over 300 pounds, and his current testing numbers make him one of the true freaks in the 2024 recruiting class. This fall will be pivotal in Beigel's development since he will play his ju- nior campaign at Northeast high school powerhouse Wallingford (Conn.) Cho- ate Rosemary Hall. "That's going to help him tremen- dously," Collier said. "Going from prac- ticing two or three days a week to five days a week in the USA is going to help him along. He will be playing against better competition as well. "I'm not sure how dominant he'll be right away, but his 2023 high school year is what I'm looking forward to. I think that'll show that Michigan landed a high four-star kid." Michigan certainly believes it added that type of talent when it accepted his commitment earlier this summer. In fact, Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston personally evaluated Beigel at one of its on-campus camps. It was there that Beigel earned DL MVP and notched an offer from the Wolverines. Just a month later, Beigel made the call and gave U-M its second commitment in the 2024 class (joining Tennessee linebacker Mason Curtis). "He fell in love with Michigan," Col- lier said. "I would say it was mainly Coach Elston, and the relationship he built. Michigan also fit what he wanted to do academically. Michigan is one of the premier schools in the country. The overall history at Michigan also played a role. "Having a German kid in Julius [Wel- schof ] develop at Michigan is some- thing that excited him as well. He's go- ing to do extremely well there." Beigel is the second PPI prospect to commit to Michigan this calendar year, joining three-star 2023 edge Aymeric Koumba out of France. Collier believes the European duo can wreak havoc in the Big Ten and continue to prove that international prospects can play at the highest level. "Manuel can top 300 pounds and carry it very well," Collier said. "He's going to be a load to handle with his athletic ability. With Koumba coming off the edge, I think that's going to be a problem for Big Ten schools to handle. "They're not even close to hitting their ceilings like most top high school players that play in big states. With both being from our organization, I think they are going to play well together and try to put Europe on the map even more." ❏ German Footballer Manuel Beigel Pledges To U-M For 2024 At 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Beigel is light on football experience but his size and great footwork from his soccer background make him a defensive lineman prospect with a big upside. U-M discovered him through the PPI Recruiting service that helps get European prospects seen by U.S. college football pro- grams. PHOTO COURTESY MANUEL BEIGEL PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Manuel Beigel is a massive prospect at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds who should play at well over 300 pounds at the next level. While he doesn't have much playing experience, he was impressive on the summer camp circuit, where he caught the attention of Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston. Beigel displays great footwork for his size, which is no surprise given his soccer back- ground. He also ran a verified 4.9 40-yard dash this offseason. Areas Of Improvement: Beigel has the size and testing numbers of an elite prospect. However, he has very limited film and no snaps against American competition. Development and general technique work will be huge for him this fall. He recently transferred to Choate Rosemary Hall, a renowned prep school in the Northeast. How Beigel performs there should reveal more about just how raw he is. Michigan Player Comparison: It's hard to find a player comparison for Beigel due to his lack of playing experience. However, he could follow in the same mold as Ike Iwunnah. The 2021 signee was relatively new to the game and is still developing at Michigan. The Wolverines took him late because of his sheer size and athleticism. Elston is banking on the same with Beigel and believes he can turn him into a difference maker in the trenches. — EJ Holland