The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
2016 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE drinking Diet Cokes … he studied for three solid hours because they had finals coming up. That's really impressive. "Rashan carries a 3.7 GPA. He works for things, wants to be the best in the classroom and excel in sports. With that kind of work ethic and what we do — we give them great support and coach them — I think it will be a great relationship. "Our players, they've been around him a lot now. He'll be part of our ball team. There's nothing better than being part of a ball team." DEFENSIVE PARTS OF THE BALL TEAM Harbaugh's increasingly spot- lighted ball team has added plenty of new talent to a group that won 10 games in 2015, including the 41-7 beat-down of Florida on New Year's Day. In addition to the five-star Gary, the Wolverines culled 15 Rivals.com four-star performers and 12 more three-stars. A number of other defensive play- ers could impact the Wolverines in 2016, and certainly in the seasons to come. Linebacker Devin Bush Jr., a 6-0, 224-pounder out of Pembroke Pines, Fla., is an early enrollee — one of seven in the class — who gets to go through winter conditioning and spring practice with the Wolverines. That could give him a leg up on his bid to break into the wide-open race for linebacker spots on new defen- sive coordinator Don Brown's unit. "Devin will come downhill, put his hands on you and get you to the ground," Harbaugh said. "He runs sideline to sideline. All three Flana- gan guys [including 6-0, 195-pound defensive back Josh Metellus and 6-1, 225-pound defensive athlete Devin Gil] were 8A state champs in Florida. That's not easy to do." Especially the way they did it. Flanagan outscored its five playoff opponents in Florida's largest clas- Devin Gil is part of a group of three team- mates, along with Devin Bush Jr. and Josh Metellus, bringing their football talents from Pembroke Pines (Fla.) Flanagan High to Ann Arbor. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM