The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542067
JANUARY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 47 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Excellent length, which is utilized well when playing press man. Good height at 6‑foot‑1. Has added 15 pounds of weight and is now listed at 180 pounds. Can continue to add strength in the weight room and play with more physicality. Above average athlete who also started at wide receiver and excelled as a punt returner. A willing tackler on the outside. Reminds Me Of: Former Michigan cornerback Gemon Green. Like Clarke, Green was a tall, lanky corner who added weight as a senior and utilized his length to his advantage. Green was a good athlete who had a solid career at Michigan. Clarke could have a very similar impact during his time in Ann Arbor. 14. QB Tommy Carr SALINE (MICH.) HIGH Industry Ranking: No. 611 EJ's Ranking: High three‑star The Skinny: A late riser, Carr shined as a senior, putting up impressive num‑ bers for a quality Saline team. Great frame at 6‑foot‑3, 185 pounds with room to add good weight. Showed improved mechanics but still has room to grow in that area, especially in his lower body. Above average arm strength with the ability to make throws at every level. Ac‑ curate and took care of the football for the majority of the season. Good move‑ ment in and around the pocket. Not a true dual‑threat but has the ability to extend plays and pick up yards with his feet. Intriguing upside and could blos‑ som with time. Reminds Me Of: Georgia Tech quar‑ terback Haynes King. Yes, King was much more highly touted as a recruit, but he hasn't quite lived up to that. In‑ stead, King has been a good starter with athleticism and the ability to win games albeit with some flaws. Carr has a very similar frame and play style. 15. TE Mason Bonner DENVER MULLEN Industry Ranking: No. 513 EJ's Ranking: High three‑star The Skinny: Bonner is a tall, thin pass catcher with a high ceiling and a low floor. Could be an impact player and m i s m a tc h n i g h t ‑ mare or could very well get buried on the depth chart. A l o t w i l l d e ‑ pend on his physi‑ cal development. Comes to Michigan at 6‑foot‑6, 200 pounds. Desperately needs to add more weight and strength. Spends most of his time at wide re‑ ceiver, where he shows superb receiving skills. Knows how to use his height and catch radius to his advantage. Will have to learn how to play in‑line and embrace blocking in the run game. Reminds Me Of: Former Pitt tight end Malcolm Epps. This won't be a name Michigan fans will be familiar with. However, Bonner is eerily similar to Epps, who began his career at Texas. Like Bonner, Epps was 6‑foot‑6 and just north of 200 pounds. While he did add weight, he never quiet found his footing as an actual tight end. That's the concern with Bonner. But again, the upside is sky high. 16. EDGE McHale Blade CHICAGO SIMEON Industry Ranking: No. 344 EJ's Ranking: High three‑star The Skinny: Has an intriguing frame at 6‑foot‑5 and 255 pounds. Could stick a t e d ge b u t m ay ultimately end up sliding inside and developing as a de‑ fensive lineman. A bit of a tweener a t t h i s p o i n t i n h i s d eve l o p m e n t . Showed a good blend of power and speed as a pass rusher in limited action as a senior. Plays with good technique and uses his hands well. Not overly ex‑ plosive. Will have to learn to play the run better if he does transition to hav‑ ing his hand in the dirt. Missed his en‑ tire junior season with a torn ACL and most of his senior season with a shoul‑ der injury. Reminds Me Of: Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Earnest Brown. Like Blade, Brown had an intriguing frame at the high school level but was more of a hybrid defensive end. He saw time at both edge and as a defensive lineman during his time at Northwestern. Brown had a solid career in the Big Ten and was a fifth‑round NFL Draft pick in 2021. Blade could follow a similar path. 17. LB Aden Reeder CINCINNATI ST. XAVIER Industry Ranking: No. 621 EJ's Ranking: Mid three‑star T h e S k i n n y : Physical linebacker who fills gaps in a hurry and is at his b e s t a ga i n s t t h e run. Meets ball car‑ riers in the hole and strikes. Limited athleti‑ cism but plays with good technique and has been well coached at Cincinnati powerhouse St. Xavier. Has a high floor but not much of a ceiling. Should pro‑ vide depth and could eventually become a starter. Skill set screams Mike, but he does have good height and length, which could allow him to also find a home at Will or edge. Reminds Me Of: Washington edge Hayden Moore. Like Reeder, Moore was a late take for Michigan before he even‑ tually transferred to Washington. Moore was also 6‑foot‑3 with length but most of his tape saw him in a Mike linebacker role. Moore did start his career there but has since moved to edge and is a depth piece for Washington. Reeder may fol‑ low a similar path at U‑M. 18. OL Adrian Hamilton WASHINGTON (D.C.) ST. JOHN'S Industry Ranking: No. 581 EJ's Ranking: Mid three‑star The Skinny: A late addition to the class, Hamilton impressed as a senior in the WCAC, one of the toughest high