The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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PREP PROFILES Junior Receiver Holds Early Michigan Offer Big events supposedly happen in threes. Michigan coaches, though, would be ecstatic with just a pair of recruits from Crete (Ill.) Monee high school. U-M landed one already in se- nior cornerback Anthony Standifer and is working diligently on junior wide re- ceiver Laquon Treadwell. Michigan was the first to offer the 6-3, 205-pounder, extending a scholarship in early October. Treadwell has since picked up a Notre Dame offer and will continue to weigh his options. The good news for Michigan — he's already vis- ited twice, and for two of the Wolverines' biggest wins of the year. Treadwell was on hand for both the 35-31 win over Notre Dame and the 40-34 victory over Ohio State. "It went great," Treadwell said of the latter. "I liked it a lot. It was a great game. I think the offense played well. The de- fense had a couple missed assignments, but it was still a great game." It was also a game in which the receiv- ers noticeably played a big factor. Treadwell has listed U-M as his leader since summer, and there have been rumblings that he might commit if his mother could find time to make a trip to campus with him. That has yet to hap- pen, and Treadwell has since said he'll proceed slowly until she makes the trip. "She should be able to make it the next time I come down there," Treadwell said. "Around June, I'll start narrowing my list down." Laquon Treadwel Monee High School Crete, Ill. Position: Wide Receiver Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 205 Treadwell enjoyed a big season for Monee, catching 75 passes for 1,400 yards and 18 touchdowns, using his large frame to shield defenders from the ball. He excelled despite opponents' ef- forts to take him out of the game, some- times throwing multiple defenders at him. Rivals.com Midwest analyst Josh Helm- holdt caught Treadwell in action earlier this fall and left impressed. Though he tries to resist comparisons to past play- ers, Helmholdt said he sees a lot of for- mer Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards in Treadwell. "He has that play-making ability," he said. "He'll make the ridiculous catch few can make, but he fights the easy ones sometimes. He has such a presence about him on the field that really makes him stand out as an elite pass catcher. "They'll put two to three guys on him, and it doesn't matter — he still comes away with the ball. He's bigger and stronger than anyone on the field. I think he's got a very strong chance to be a top-100 kid, and I don't know if there's a junior wide receiver in the Midwest this year that's better." Illinois, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Wis- consin, Nebraska, Auburn and Alabama are among those showing interest in addition to Michigan and Notre Dame. Treadwell visited Illinois for its loss to Michigan and saw Notre Dame with his mother, and has kept in touch with Irish coach Chuck Martin since. He continues to maintain more regular contact with the U-M coaches, and the Wolverines still seem to be in great shape. "I will take a lot of visits over the winter and spring and commit before I play my first game next year or before my first practice," Treadwell said. — Chris Balas Detroit Catholic Central standout Michigan Is Early Favorite For Detroit-Area Junior Athlete "It was just amazing because the Uni- Wyatt Shallman might be one of the more unique Midwest prospects in the junior class. Listed as an athlete by Rivals.com, Shallman (6-3 and 250 Wyatt Shallman Catholic Central High School Novi, Mich. Position: Athlete Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 250 pounds) is a matchup nightmare at de- fensive end with his quick burst off the line, but he's also being recruited by a number of schools, including Michi- gan, as a running back. The Wolverines were the first to offer Shallman, extending a scholarship ten- der in May. It was a dream come true, he said at the time. "We were talking to Coach [Brady] Hoke and he just slipped it in — 'By the way, you have a full scholarship to play football here,'" Shallman recalled at the time. versity of Michigan is the best college football program in history. They are just really excited, and they want me to play for the University of Michigan, so I am really excited about it, too." But he is in no hurry to make a decision. Shallman has since received offers from Syracuse, Michigan State and Cincinnati, and is hoping to see more schools af- ter leading Catholic Central to the state championship game in late November. Syracuse assistant and former Michi- gan running back Tyrone Wheatley is one who has made an impression. "He's a really funny guy and really up- beat, which I like," Shallman said. "He has the experience of being a big back and has been through it. It is interesting to talk to someone who has gone through that situation. "He's a great coach now, but he was a great football player, and it's good to talk to people who know the situations you are in. On a recruiting level, that makes them more connectable to players." Shallman hoped to make it to a Michi- gan State game this year, but the sched- ule didn't allow that. He's been on the U-M campus several times since May, having seen a few of Michigan's home games when he wasn't playing on Sat- urdays, and was impressed with what he saw. "They have been playing great foot- ball, and it is always good to check in on them and see how they are doing," Shallman said. "I like Michigan a lot, but I'm not deciding anything yet. I'm not going to rush into a decision. It is a big decision, and my family and I have to think about it." Florida, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Ne- braska, Notre Dame, California and Or- egon are just a few of the other schools showing interest. Rivals.com Midwest analyst Josh Helmholdt said the atten- tion is well deserved. "He's a legit 6-3, 240 or 250, a big, thick kid and a great athlete," Helmholdt said. "He's got a great burst off the line of scrimmage and could play on either side of the ball." — Chris Balas DECEMBER 2011 THE WOLVERINE 69