The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/653976
FOOTBALL RECRUITING Tarik Black • Wide Receiver 6‑3, 201 • Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn. No. 1 prospect in Connecticut, and No. 17 WR and No. 125 player overall nationally Black is a tall, strong outside receiver capable of winning jump balls, but also can get down the field thanks to good speed. He's a true outside receiver, and a good one at that. With more seasoning against better competition (he plays in the top prep league in Connecticut, but it's not to the level of other areas in the country), he'll only get better. Black has offers from a handful of childhood favorites, including Ala‑ bama and Ohio State, but Michigan also fits into that mix. He's already visited U‑M a couple times, which is no small undertaking for a player from the East Coast, and indicates his serious interest. Stanford Samuels III • Cornerback 6‑1, 161 • Charles W. Flanagan High School • Pembroke Pines, Fla. No. 17 player in Florida, and No. 7 CB and No. 61 overall prospect nationally Michigan wants to play press‑man coverage on the outside, and that requires outstanding cornerbacks. Samuels has better height than aver‑ age at the position, but no sacrifice in athleticism to go with it. The son of former Florida State standout Stanford Samuels Jr. (also his new high school coach) has outstanding technique as well. Florida State legacies can be tough to pull out of the Sunshine State, but Michigan has plenty of connections here. Three of his teammates and his former head coach are now Wolverines (Devin Bush Sr., his son Devin Jr. — an FSU legacy himself — and defensive backs Devin Gil and Josh Metellus), and he could be more interested than otherwise expected. Cesar Ruiz • Center 6‑3, 313 • IMG Academy • Bradenton, Fla. No. 27 player in Florida, and No. 1 C and No. 106 overall prospect nationally Michigan is seeking a true center for the 2017 class, and they've zeroed in on the country's best. Ruiz has the size to project anywhere on the interior of the line, but he's accustomed to snapping and making line calls, something that gives him a leg up at the position. He is a powerful run blocker and also has the athleticism to protect the passer very well. Ruiz plays in Florida, but is a native of New Jersey, where he was team‑ mates with 2016 Michigan signees Brad Hawkins Jr. and Ron Johnson before transferring from Camden High School down South to IMG Academy. He has taken several past unofficial visits to Michigan and plans to return to Ann Arbor before spring is out. While a who's‑who of top programs (such as Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee) are also in pursuit, they're looking up at the Wolverines.