The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2017 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY BRANDON BROWN Hamden (Conn.) Cheshire Acad- emy four-star wide receiver Tarik Black took his first official visit of the fall to Michigan for U-M's season opener against Hawai'i and no other program could stack up. Cheshire head coach David Dyke- man was on that visit with Black and knew right away that it would be tough for a school to do a better job than Michigan did with his star receiver. "I can tell you this — the visit was first class all the way around," Dykeman said. "From the minute we got there, to the minute we left and everything in be- tween. Him, his family and myself were thoroughly impressed with everything happening at Michigan. "He walked away in- credibly impressed. It was his fourth time at Michi- gan, and I think every time he went up there he was more and more impressed with everything happening there. There's something pretty special happening at Michigan, that's for sure." Fast forward to mid- December and Black pub- licly pledged to the Wolverines. The 6-4, 206-pounder explained why Michigan was the place for him over schools like Alabama, UCLA, Stan- ford, Notre Dame and many more. "I decided to pick the Wolverines because that's the place I feel com- fortable," Black said. "They have a really good education program. They have an alumni networking base that's worldwide, not just national. When it comes to life after football, I'll be set. "With football, I see myself com- ing and playing right away. There are receiver spots wide open for next year. The entire coaching staff came straight from the NFL, so I'd be de- veloped into an NFL guy. That's been my dream since a very young age." During the media session follow- ing the Signing of the Stars event, Black reiterated again just how im- portant the opportunity to play early was in his recruitment. "That played a big part in my deci- sion," Black said. "I want to come in and play right away, and I think Michigan gave me the best opportu- nity for that. "Losing guys that we used last year a lot, like Jehu [Chesson] and Amara [Darboh], gives us a chance to reload and be a good offense next year." All five wide receivers in the 2017 class will certainly have a chance to compete for playing time — and if it were up to Dykeman, Black would be on the field. "Tarik is a prototypical X receiver," Dykeman said. "If you go in the lab and build one, it looks just like him. He's tall and put together, he glides when he runs, he has incredible ball skills, he has an innate ability to get in and out of routes and cuts, he can catch the ball in traffic, he can go up high and get it, and he can run by you. He's the complete package as a wide receiver. "People don't think he's fast be- cause he runs with such ease and has these long strides, but every time he seems to be behind somebody. It doesn't matter where it is either. It can be here, at Rivals [camps], at other big camps — he's got high- level speed." Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic recruit- ing analyst Adam Fried- man also thought highly of Black — Rivals' No. 11 wide receiver and No. 76 overall player nationally — and believes he has what it takes to play as a rookie. "He is a playmaker, there's no doubt about it, and you can't teach that," Friedman said. "His speed is really deceptive and I think that's going to make him able to contribute as a freshman. I don't know if he'll be a starter right away, but I think he has a good chance to see some action in the slot. "In three or four-wide sets he could draw a lesser DB and cause problems. If he gets a free release and gets on top of a safety, he'll run right past them. He could see some plays down the field and I wouldn't be surprised. "He's also a tough kid, though. He's got this edge to him and he can really make tough catches over the middle. I think he could be a guy — certainly in spot duty — right away to make an impact." Black's parents were heavily in- volved in the process and they summed it up perfectly when asked why Michigan stood out over the countless other schools that offered their son. "It's a 40-year plan and he took that seriously," Malik Nichols said. "A lot of other schools offered the same types of things, but he just felt it at Michigan. In his gut, it was a feel thing and it was always Michigan." "And mom is happy," his mother added. The same could be said of the Maize and Blue coaches and fan base, with the addition of a high-level pass catcher like Black in a time of need. ❏ Connecticut's Top Player, Tarik Black, Sees A Bright Future At U-M Black hauled in 167 receptions for 2,984 yards (17.9 yards per catch) and 40 touchdowns during his four-year prep career. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM