The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/465847
2015 RECRUITING ISSUE ranking of 3.29 on a five-star system, but the overall ranking was measured against programs that brought in as many as 30 signees. As it happened, the Wolverines still pulled off a signing-day surprise, gar- nering the following stunners: Karan Higdon, a 5-10, 190-pound running back out of Sarasota, Fla., previously committed to Iowa; Shelton John- son, a 6-5, 225-pound defensive end from Delray Beach, Fla., thought to be Florida State-bound; Keith Wash- ington, a 6-2, 175-pound athlete from Prattville, Ala., who'd been verbally bound to Cal; and 6-6, 260-pound tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr., who many thought might carve his own path away from his father, the former U-M back and now running backs coach of the same name. Quarterbacks always draw plenty of attention in any recruiting class, and the Wolverines feature two: 6-2, 205-pound Alex Malzone of Bloom- field Hills, Mich., an early enrollee already immersed in winter work- outs with the Wolverines; and 6-7, 230-pound Zach Gentry, from Albu- querque, N.M., who spurned his com- mitment to Texas in favor of a shot at becoming the next Andrew Luck. Harbaugh likes them both, for vari- ous reasons. "Alex is another example of some- body who has been a winner," Har- baugh said. "He wins. He's an excel- lent thrower of the football. He's got real savvy in the pocket. His accuracy is outstanding. It jumps out on tape, where he's able to scan the field, go from a receiver to a secondary re- ceiver and move his feet. "He's been here for three weeks, so we've been around him since week one, when the students came back to 2015 Michigan Football Signees Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Brian Cole* WR 6-2 190 Saginaw, Mich. (Heritage) Andrew David K 5-9 170 Massillon, Ohio (Washington) Zach Gentry QB 6-7 230 Albuquerque, N.M. (Eldorado) Karan Higdon RB 5-10 190 Sarasota, Fla. (Riverview) Shelton Johnson DE 6-5 225 Delray Beach, Fla. (Atlantic Community) Reuben Jones DE 6-4 225 Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson) Tyree Kinnel DB 5-11 200 Huber Heights, Ohio (Wayne) Alex Malzone* QB 6-2 205 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice) Grant Newsome OL 6-7 280 Trenton, N.J. (The Lawrenceville School) Grant Perry WR 6-0 185 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice) Jon Runyan Jr. OL 6-4 275 Philadelphia (St. Joseph's Prep) Nolan Ulizio OL 6-5 293 West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West) Keith Washington DB 6-2 175 Prattville, Ala. (Prattville) Tyrone Wheatley Jr. TE 6-6 260 Buffalo (Canisius) * Enrolled at Michigan in January