The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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COMMITMENT PROFILE Channing Stribling Earns Camp Offer And Commits put plenty of effort into build- ing up depth in the secondary in the 2013 recruiting class. Highly rated Jourdan Lewis and Dy- monte Thomas bring star power, and Gareon Conley comes from one of Ohio's top talent produc- ers in Massillon Washington. That Matthews (N.C.) Butler two-star Channing Stribling earned an offer at Michigan's camp with those three already in the fold is impressive. Stribling accepted the offer Michigan's coaching staff has DB, so he's very raw. But that was a limited sample." Butler head football coach Brian Hales was not surprised that Stribling was able to earn the offer from Michigan. His young prospect's competitive streak is something that coaches don't often overlook. "Once he got up there, he June 21, becoming the fourth defensive back in Michigan's 2013 recruiting class. The chance to become a Wolverine was a dream come true for him. The coaching staff's faith in him — before most other schools had taken note of his talent — is something he won't easily forget. at the ratings, like on Rivals, and just see the top players," Strib- ling explained. "Michigan looks for players that they think will actually fit in their program. No matter what your ratings are, if they want you, they want you. "This is the only school that really noticed me and made a play on me. "Other schools might just look Stribling, who intercepted six passes and broke up 14 as a junior, impressed U-M coaches with his work at the Wolverine Technique School in June. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Matthews (N.C.) Butler head coach Brian Hales on Stribling "Once he got up there, he shined with his competitive- ness and ability." Other schools were like, 'We'll look into you,' and Michigan said, 'We see the potential in you right now.' I really liked that." The Michigan coaching staff wasn't football player, but a kid I thought would probably get some low end offers like East Carolina," Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Far- rell said. "He must have blown them away at Michigan. "Last year was his first year playing His thin frame — Stribling is just 6-2, 170 pounds — is another facet he'll have to develop to make an impact. "He's a very talented high school shined with his competitiveness and ability," Hales said. "The coaches really took notice, and he really jumped up their board pretty fast. The kid is always competing at something." Hales should know what nator Greg Mattison was im- pressed with Stribling's perfor- mance at the U-M camp. "The defensive coordinator was Stribling's capable of. Though he was mostly a wide receiver as a young player, he's developed into a legitimate two-way threat later in his high school years. He caught 35 passes for 635 yards (18.1 yards per reception) and eight touchdowns as a junior. Defensively, he intercepted six passes and broke up 14, while adding 35 total tackles. Michigan defensive coordi- just telling me that I was a special player to him," Stribling said. "He liked the way I worked hard. I came in unknown, and he liked the way I came in with a chip on my shoulder: 'They're not out here looking for me, so I'm going to go ahead and get my name out there.'" — Tim Sullivan of taller wide receivers, a defensive back that is able to not only run stride for stride with them, but also out-leap them, is at a premium. Stribling is also an explosive athlete. His top-end speed is just average, but Strengths: Height and length are a major upside to Stribling's game. In the era FILM EVALUATION exactly taking a leap of faith with Stribling. His four days at the Wol- verine Technique School in June al- lowed him to perform in front of Brady Hoke and his assistants. That was enough to net him an offer, and, before he left town, he had given his word to become a Wolverine. His offer from Michigan belies his ranking, as well. Rivals.com lists Stribling just a two-star prospect, cit- ing his lack of polish at the position. his burst and quickness in reaching that top speed both allow him to make the most of it. Areas of Improvement: Stribling is a raw prospect from a technique stand- point. That's to be expected of a kid who is in just his second year at the position. As he continues to learn the game on defense, he will improve quickly. His body is not prepared for the rigors of Big Ten play. Stribling will have to add weight in order to tackle big, physical wideouts and make plays in the run game. As he continues filling out, he may develop into more of a safety than a corner. Michigan Player Comparison: James Rogers earned a Michigan summer camp offer several years ago and suited up for the Wolverines from 2007-11. If Stribling can stick at one position, he'll be able to make the most of his size and physical tools. AUGUST 2012 THE WOLVERINE 71