The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/246097
football recruiting Under Armour All-Stars Seven future Wolverines were selected to the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 2 in St. Petersburg, Fla., and four participated. Linebackers Michael Ferns and Jared Wangler, and wide receiver Drake Harris withdrew due to injuries. Quarterback Wilton Speight The three-star prospect out of Richmond (Va.) Collegiate School surprised many with his accuracy and poise over the course of the week of practice. He was named Team Nitro's starter for the game and a team captain, playing over Arkansas commit Rafe Peavy and Oregon pledge Morgan Mahalak. The game didn't go quite as planned, with heavy pressure forcing Speight to show off his athleticism and throw on the run. While he proved to be capable of that, he was unable to set up in the pocket and scan for receivers downfield. Under pressure, he completed 2 of 6 passes Speight for 63 yards with one interception. He also ran three times for eight yards. Despite a good performance, the 6-6, 230-pound Speight, Rivals.com's No. 17 prostyle quarterback in the nation, did not show enough to move into the four-star range in the final set of Rivals.com prospect rankings. Offensive Lineman Juwann Bushell-Beatty One of two future Wolverines from Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, Bushell-Beatty rotated into the game at left tackle for Team Nitro. The 6-5, 295-pounder showed up for the week slightly out of shape, which hampered his ability to stave off the pass rush in practice and then in the game. What Bushell-Beatty was able to do is display great power from the left tackle position. When he got his hands on defensive end, that player was removed from the play. While he needs to reshape his body, BushellBeatty has the frame and athleticism to be a great lineman when he gets to his playing condition. In the game, Bushell-Beatty he was part of a Nitro offensive line that led the way to a 31-carry, 186-yard day on the ground for the running backs. Bushell-Beatty was listed as the country's No. 33 offensive tackle and a three-star prospect, and moved up slightly, but not into four-star range in the final set of Rivals.com rankings. However, the raw materials are there to give him the potential