The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING 2012, Michigan's recruiting effort for the senior crop is almost complete, and the Wolverines' coaches have done an excellent job filling their re- cruiting needs. The dearth of offensive linemen Sprint To The Finish W BY TIM SULLIVAN ith just days remaining until National Signing Day on Feb. 1, on the roster — only eight players on the team have eligibility to re- turn for 2012, and four of them are seniors — has been partially fixed by a five-man group that Rivals.com ranked, in mid-January, as the na- tion's best at the position. Quality depth at linebacker (four commits, Rivals.com No. 2 position ranking) and tight end (two commits, Rivals. com No. 10 position ranking) was also added. Despite the solid job recruiting, there is still work to be done. The Wolverines have 24 commitments in the group, and thanks to three early enrollees, they can accept up to 28 total signees in the class. That leaves a possibility of four more recruits, although the coaching staff may sign fewer players, and play the 2012 sea- son with fewer than the NCAA-max- imum 85 scholarship players. That would allow them to take a larger class in the 2013 group, which cur- rently stands at 20 openings (minus any additions to the 2012 class). Offensive Linemen Despite the presence of five offen- sive linemen in the 2012 class, the coaching staff is looking to add at least one more to the list and has a couple of highly rated players still on the board. Puyallup (Wash.) offensive tackle Joshua Garnett is the top O-line prospect still left being pursued by U-M. He is ranked the No. 7 offen- sive tackle and No. 28 overall pros- pect in the country by Rivals.com, and is also the top player in the state of Washington. Garnett stands 6-5, 295 pounds, and although he is listed as a tackle, he could also slide inside to play guard in college. At that position, his ability as a road-grading run blocker would be a perfect fit for Michigan's 62 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2012 downhill running schemes. He has the frame to be a dominating blocker at guard while still maintaining the quickness necessary to excel in pass protection. Garnett is down to three schools, and will make his college decision on Jan. 26. Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford are the contenders left standing for his services, showing his strong emphasis on academics. He plans to attend medical school following his football-playing days, and all three schools are known for their education just as much as for their football. The biggest factor Garnett will use to decide between the three is the re- lationship building he has done with each school's commitments, players and coaching staff. Michigan will get a big boost in that respect from Gar- nett's friendship with Carlsbad (Ca- lif.) La Costa Canyon offensive line- man Erik Magnuson. The Michigan commitment has been in his friend's ear about joining the Maize and Blue, and is optimistic about the big Wash- ingtonian's chances of becoming a Wolverine. Chicago Simeon offensive tackle Jordan Diamond is behind Garnett in the pecking order, but is not just a consolation prize. Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 35 offensive tackle in the country, the No. 6 player in Illinois and a four-star prospect. He stands 6-5, 285 pounds, and could also play either guard or tackle by the time he gets to college. He doesn't pack as much power in run blocking as Garnett does, but he has quick feet for pass protection and a frame that will allow him to play at well above 300 pounds in college. That forms an excellent combination for Michigan's pro-style running game. Diamond has five final schools: Auburn, Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. He had vis- ited all but Auburn and Wisconsin by mid-January, and will see those two schools before he makes his com- mitment. Michigan was his favorite early in the process, but he has taken his time with recruiting, and that has allowed him to evaluate all of his options. Puyallup, Wash., product Joshua Garnett, the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 28 overall pros- pect in the country according to Rivals.com, has narrowed his choices to Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Diamond insists all five schools are equal — although he says Michigan is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest — and he won't be able to pick out a favorite until he experi- ences all of them. He will announce his college decision during a press conference shortly after National Signing Day Feb. 1. Castle Rock (Colo.) Valor Christian offensive lineman Alex Kozan is an- other prospect listed by Rivals.com as an offensive tackle — where they rank him No. 30 in the country — but who is probably better suited for the inside in college. The No. 239 overall player in the nation and No. 5 prospect in Arizona stands 6-4, 295 pounds, and most of- fensive tackles in the modern era are at least 6-5 or taller. Although there are exceptions, Michigan's coaching staff has enough tall linemen in the 2012 class to play Kozan inside, should he pick Michi- gan. He looks slim, even weighing 295 pounds, so he should be able to add weight to his frame to play heavier in college. The Wolverines' chances to land him got bumped up when the four- star narrowed his list to three schools in mid-January. Auburn, Iowa, and Michigan are the programs left standing, and Kozan will pick be- tween them when he determines which coaching staff and atmosphere he is most comfortable with. He is unwilling to tip his hand about which school leads, but ac- cording to Valor Christian football coach Brent Vieselmeyer, the pros-