The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/382426
PREP PROFILES He may not be the highest-ranked player on Michigan's 2015 recruiting board, as the No. 87 overall pros- pect in California and an unranked player nationally, but Sacramento (Calif.) Grant offensive lineman Dar- rin Paulo has the body and skills to become a major contributor on the offensive line in college. The 6-5, 344-pounder is massive, but still has the mobility to pro- t e c t t h e e d g e against pass rush- ers and to be an effective puller in the run game. "Paulo has a v e r y a d v a n c e d set of pass pro- t e c t i o n s k i l l s for someone his size, and his footwork is on dis- play every time he's protecting the quarterback," said NorCalPreps staff writer Justin Rowland. "We're impressed at how he gets off the ball and how quickly he gets to the second level. "He may be big now, but there's not as much bad weight as you would imagine." That has Michigan interested in his talents, along with fellow Big Ten school Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the Midwest schools may be looking up at the West Coast options. "They have some great offensive lines in the Big Ten, but the downfall is where they're located," Paulo said. "That might be tough. I want to stay close, but in the end, I'll choose the school that's best for me and fits me best." Despite his attachment to his home region, Paulo still includes the Wol- verines and Badgers among his top group. There's a strong possibility that he makes at least one visit away from the coast just to see what the interior of the country has to of- fer from a college football perspec- tive. " I ' v e m o s t l y n a r r o w e d i t d o w n , " P a u l o said. "I'm really looking at USC, UCLA, Washington State, Wisconsin, Washington, Michigan and Oregon. I'm not going to announce a list of top schools until I get a chance to see the campuses. "The only visit I've scheduled is a trip to Washington State," he con- tinued. "It's during my bye on the weekend of Sept. 19. UCLA, USC and Washington State are for sure. But the other two visits are really a toss up." If Michigan can convince Paulo to make Ann Arbor one of those stops, there will be a shot to steal him away from the Pac-12. — Tim Sullivan California Offensive Lineman Could Leave The West Coast ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Grant High School Sacramento, Calif. Class: 2015 Position: Offensive Tackle Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 344 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 87 player in California (unranked nationally among offensive tackles) Darrin Paulo