The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2012 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 5-7 • 170 • Tailback • Martin Luther King High School • Detroit DENNIS NORFLEET ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ returns kicks, he's got speed, and he can do a lot of things catching the football. He runs the football, he's an athlete, and we really were impressed with him." Tom Lemming of Prep Football Re- ranked the No. 236 player nationally, the No. 5 all-purpose back in the coun- try and the No. 6 player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com … Rated a three-star prospect and the No. 26 player in Michigan by ESPN.com … Selected a four-star recruit, the No. 167 player nationally, the No. 7 all-purpose back and the fourth-best prospect in Michigan by 247Sports. com … Ranked the No. 91 player in the Midwest by SuperPrep. Brady Hoke's Comments: "This guy was born on Feb. 8, 1993, in Detroit … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.3 sec- onds … Bench presses 225 pounds 15 times … Previously committed to Cin- cinnati (Aug. 5) but changed his com- mitment to Michigan Jan. 31 … Hails from the same high school that has produced nine scholarship Wolver- ines, including All-American middle guard Henry Hill (1968-70), defensive back Clarence Thompson (1993-96) and All-American safety Ernest Shazor (2002-04). Rankings: Awarded four stars and Personal: Dennis Sheldon Norfleet Norfleet is ranked as the No. 236 player nationally, the No. 5 all-purpose back in the country and the No. 6 player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM port: "He's an elite offensive talent and one of the more exciting players in the Midwest. He's an open-field wonder; if he gets a half-step on someone, he's gone, and he's awfully tough to bring down. I think Michigan fans are go- ing to love him and wonder why he wasn't recruited early. When I saw him last February, he wanted to commit to Michigan. I think sometimes there is too much emphasis put on size. back, returned kicks and punts, and played defensive back for a Martin Lu- ther King team that went 9-4 overall, advancing to the Division II semifi- nals … Rushed for 2,033 yards and 27 touchdowns … Had 230 yards rushing on 34 carries in a season-opening loss to Birmingham Brother Rice … Named as a starter for King, rushing for 3,913 yards and 58 touchdowns in his final two years. Senior Season: Started at running Career Totals: Spent four seasons " 64 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2012 Detroit Public School League All-City and selected to the Southeastern Elite first-team … Finalist for Michigan's Mr. Football award … Named first-team all-state by the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News … Ranked No. 14 on The Detroit News Blue Chip List of the top players in Michigan. Junior Season: Started at running back, returned kicks and punts, and played defensive back for a King team that went 7-4, advancing to the sec- ond round of the Division II playoffs … Piled up 1,880 yards and 31 touch- downs … Ran the ball 30 times for 254 yards and five touchdowns in the Crusaders' 32-19 victory against Bir- mingham Brother Rice in the season- opener for both teams … Named De- troit Public School League All-City. Sophomore Season: Played running back, returned kicks and punts, and played defensive back for a MLK team that went 7-3, losing in the first round of the Division II playoffs. Freshman Season: Started at run- ter winner in basketball and a two- year starter … Averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 assists and 3.6 steals per game while shooting 36.9 percent from the floor in 15 games this season for King … As a junior, averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 steals and 4.0 assists for a King team that went 17-4, finishing third in the Detroit Public School League championship and advancing to the Class A District 20 finals … Named All-Detroit PSL second team in 2011 … Three-year varsity letter winner in track and field, competing in the 100-meter dash, the 4x100-meter re- lay, 4x200-meter relay and 4x400-me- ter relay events … Placed fifth in the 100-meter dash at a Division I regional in 2011 (11.02 seconds) … Finished 14th in a 100-meter semifinal at the 2010 state meet (11.46 seconds) after recording a 10.60-second time in a Di- vision I regional qualifier. High School GPA: 3.0. Favorite Michigan Athlete: Denard Robinson. Favorite Pro Player: Minnesota Vi- nati. Date Of Official Visit To Michigan: Never took one. Why Norfleet Chose Michigan: kings tailback Adrian Peterson. Other School Considered: Cincin- "Michigan is a school that I could al- ways see myself going to. It's not too far from home, and it's Big Ten foot- ball, which I grew up watching. The coaches and players have a good bond; they come together as a family. I've just always wanted to be a Michi- gan Man." King Head Coach Dale Harvell's Comments: "Dennis is an extremely gifted athlete. He played three sports here in high school and has excelled in all three of them. Right away, I think he can impact with Michigan returning punts and kicks, and they can use him in the pass game and on reverses. "As a returnman, he understands ning back, and returned kicks and punts. All-Star Games And Camps: At- tended 2011 summer football camps at Alabama, Eastern Michigan and Pittsburgh. Other Sports: A four-year varsity let- blocking and wedges and what the return team is trying to do. He can spot that crease and he will hit it going 100 mph. He doesn't juke and jump around, and waste his energy. He sees the hole, gets to the hole and through it, and then with his speed, you can't catch him."