The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN TOP 15 270 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY TIM SULLIVAN T he in-state talent pool for 2015 isn't quite as deep as it has been in recent years, but Michigan's coaching staff will continue to look within their own borders first when it comes to recruiting for their needs. The best in the Great Lakes State: 1. Mike Weber, RB Detroit Cass Tech H.S. Weber has been on the radar since before his sophomore year, and although he got a slow start thanks to hamstring injuries, he used the second half of that season and all of his junior year to make a huge statement about his ability. He's primarily a one-cut running back suited for a zone running scheme, with outstanding speed to break through creases. Michigan was one of his early offers, but the Wolverines slipped behind Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin in the early going. Luckily, Weber, a childhood Michigan fan, plans to take his time making a college deci- sion. Rivals.com ranks him a four-star recruit, the No. 10 tailback nationally and the No. 103 overall prospect in the country. 2. Brian Cole, ATH Saginaw Heritage H.S. The competition for the top of the in-state rankings is very close, and if Cole had more game experience at his most likely future position, wide receiver, he'd probably be a tick ahead of Weber. As things stand, the 6-2, 200-pounder is relegated to playing tailback for his high school team, preventing him from show- ing off his deep-threat abilities and run-after- catch explosiveness. He could also play safety at the next level, but his electrifying moves with the ball in his hands may be too much to pass up. Michigan and Michigan State are in good shape for Cole, who might want to stay close to home for college. Ohio State, Tennessee and Wisconsin are other contenders. Rivals.com ranks him as a four-star talent, the No. 7 athlete nationally and the No. 106 overall prospect in the land. 3. Alex Malzone, QB Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice H.S. Malzone is a lifelong baseball player whose sidearm throwing motion held him back from higher rankings early in his career. He's since shown that he can flip the switch from baseball to football, where he displays outstanding ac- curacy on his throw. Along with good power, he has a knowledge of the game that makes his total package attractive, even if he's slightly below optimal size (6-2, 205) for a pro-style quar- terback. Malzone picked up early offers from sev- eral Mid-American Conference schools along with Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech, but was offered by Michigan and accepted it imme- diately May 12. Rivals.com ranks him a four-star prospect and the No. 11 pro-style passer nationally. 4. David Moorman, OL Northville H.S. Moorman looks the part of a Big Ten line- man at 6-5, 291 pounds. He has good strength and a mean streak at right tackle. He is a little inexperienced in pass protection, but per- forms well when tested. Against top-notch talent, he has improvements to make. Moorman committed to Wisconsin over offers from Cincinnati, Minnesota, and oth- ers. He had previously planned to camp at Michigan and Michigan State to earn offers. Rivals.com ranks him a three-star recruit and the No. 39 offensive tackle nationally. 5. Kyonta Stallworth, OL Detroit Martin Luther King H.S. Stallworth is transferring from St. Clair Shores South Lake to De- troit Martin Luther King this offseason, and it should be a positive change for the 6-4, 270-pounder. He will receive excellent coaching and be tested against some of the best players in the state. MICHIGAN TOP 15 The Best In The State In The Class Of 2015 Last Year's Cream Of The Crop Michigan's coaches landed three of last year's top seven in-state recruits (plus No. 17 linebacker Jared Wangler), though they missed on the elite pair at the top. Michigan State and Ohio State were the only programs to land in-staters with U-M offers. Rk. Name Pos. High School College 1. Malik McDowell DE Southfield Michigan State 2. Damon Webb CB Detroit Cass Tech Ohio State 3. Drake Harris WR Grand Rapids Christian Michigan 4. Tyler Wiegers QB Detroit Country Day Iowa 5. Byron Bullough LB Traverse City St. Francis Michigan State 6. Maurice Ways WR Detroit Country Day Michigan 7. Lawrence Marshall DE Southfield Michigan 8. Chance Stewart QB Sturgis Western Michigan 9. David Beedle DT Clarkston Michigan State 10. Tim Cason CB Clarkston Purdue Mike Weber, a running back from Detroit Cass Tech High School, is rated the No. 10 tailback nationally and the No. 103 overall prospect in the country by Rivals.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM 270-272.Michigan Top 15.indd 270 6/19/14 12:05 PM