The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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COMMITMENT PROFILE on Michigan. Then, head coach Jim Harbaugh took Herbert's interest to the next level during his trip. "The visit blew my mind," Herbert said. "This was far and away my best visit to any school." Herbert's feelings about Michi- gan took off from that point. He was looking for a certain feeling, which he got at U-M. "Michigan felt like home from the moment I stepped on campus to the moment I stepped off," he said. "I have begun to develop a relation- ship with Michigan for quite some months, and it's been great." "The coaches just talked to me and explained the possibilities and doors that can open up whether football works out or not. Plus, I have fam- ily up there and an old teammate in Nick Eubanks. "Before I went up to Michigan, the coaches and I started to develop a great relationship. Then when I went up there for the camp it was freaking unbelievable." With Herbert in the fold, that marks two recruits from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage at Michi- gan, including the aforementioned Eubanks, a 2016 tight end signee. Four-star offensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton, Rivals.com's No. 50 prospect in the nation, is a 2017 American Heritage player that U-M is also re- cruiting. Cassidy thinks Michigan has dipped into a pipeline that is loaded with talent. "Jim Harbaugh has made Florida a priority, and that helped with Her- bert's decision," he said. "Nothing Harbaugh does is on accident. The twitter and outspokenness, it's all to keep Michigan out there — there's no bad publicity. "Harbaugh is the most popular coach in college football right now outside of Nick Saban. His name is in the media and Michigan, in turn, gets a boost from that. With Michigan on the rise and how Harbaugh is recruit- ing in the Southeast, it all helped get Herbert." — Brandon Justice FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Kai-Leon Herbert's brute strength has been pointed out by ev- ery analyst that has watched him. His quick feet and athleticism matched with his size are big reasons he is in the Rivals100. Areas of Improvement: Small things need to be fixed, but doing so could push him into that top 50 in the country or even gain a fifth star. His initial punch needs to bet- ter, and he needs to use his long arms more effectively. His strength dominates on the high school level, but that will be more difficult in col- lege when everyone is his size. Michigan Player Comparison: Herbert is similar to Michigan senior David Dawson. They both played tackle in high school, but seem more suitable for guard at the col- lege level. They're both strong guys, but Herbert may be more athletic. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com