The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/230001
COMMITMENT PROFILE Erik Swenson Commits To Childhood Favorite Michigan's recruiting process has today. In fact, Division I coaches have accelerated over recent years, with said as much to his private offensive the majority of its classes filled be- line coach, former Iowa tackle Mike fore prospects even begin their senior Jones. years of high school. Still, that pales "I've heard college coaches say in comparison to Uhe looks like he could M's first commit from be playing out there a player who is just in a Big Ten program weeks removed from right now based just his sophomore season on the way he looks of high school football. and the way he fills D o w n e r s G ro v e out his pads," Jones (Ill.) South offensive said. "He's only getlineman Erik Swenson ting bigger, faster and won't enroll in Ann stronger each year. He Arbor until nearly is just a rare physithree years from now, cal specimen that you but he was already don't find many of comfortable enough throughout the counwith the U-M program Swenson, a 6-5, 290-pound try. That's obviously to offer his pledge to offensive lineman from Downers one of the reasons why offensive line coach Grove (Ill.) South, picked U-M he's already gotten ofDarrell Funk Nov. 24. over finalists Notre Dame and fers coast to coast. He "I asked him his Northwestern. COURTESY RIVALS.COM got the offer from his PHOTO opinion on such an dream school, and he early verbal commitment," Swenson ended it early." explained. "I said, 'Everything that The early end to his recruitment you told me to do, I've checked it all means there is a lot of time for the off, and I'm ready to verbally commit other programs who were in contenif you want me to.' He said, 'That'd tion — Notre Dame and Northwestbe a nice thing for Michigan.' That's ern were his other finalists, and Ohio how I verbally committed." State and Virginia Tech were among It was also an easy decision for his other offers — to try to change the U-M staff to accept his pledge. Swenson's mind. However, the lifeAlthough he has two more years of long Wolverine fan knows that, no high school football to play, the 6-5, matter what happens in Ann Arbor, 290-pound Swenson looks like he he'll be donning the winged helmet could suit up for a college program in a few years. He was relieved to