The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2018 THE WOLVERINE 57 BY BRANDON BROWN M ichigan's 2019 recruiting board is taking shape, and certain play- ers are starting to become priorities. Here's a look at U-M's top 2019 targets by position (all rankings from Rivals.com): Quarterback Four-star commit Cade McNamara Reno (Nev.) Damonte Ranch Michigan landed its top target at the position in McNamara. The 6-1, 170-pounder quietly visited Ann Arbor in January, which ultimately led to his decommitment from Notre Dame and eventual pledge to the Wolverines. If Jim Harbaugh and Pep Hamilton decide to take two signal- callers in 2019, there are still a couple of realistic targets on the radar. Also High On The Board: Walled Lake (Mich.) Western three-star Sam Johnson III and Avon (Conn.) Old Farms four-star Taisun Phommachanh. Running Back Four-star John Emery Destrehan (La.) High Being a Louisiana native makes Emery a very tough pull, but U-M is doing an outstanding job with him early. The 6-0, 200-pounder is con- sidered the No. 8 running back and No. 179 overall prospect nationally. He has been offered by both Alabama and LSU, but Michigan is going toe to toe with the SEC big boys. Also High On The Board: Katy (Texas) High four-star Deondrick Glass. Wide Receiver Four-star John Dunmore Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna Dunmore was once committed to Florida when Jim McElwain was still running the show in Gainesville. With McElwain now on staff in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines become an intriguing option for the 6-3, 170-pound receiver. The No. 7 wideout and No. 41 overall prospect nationally will of- ficially visit Ann Arbor for the spring game, indicating that his interest is definitely legitimate. Also High On The Board: India- napolis Warren Central four-star Da- vid Bell and Orange (Calif.) Lutheran four-star Kyle Ford. Tight End Three-star Luke Deal Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald At 6-5 and 235 pounds, Deal has great size at the tight end position, and possesses a solid blend of receiv- ing and blocking skills. He actually initiated the contact with U-M and immediately got the staff's attention. Deal will officially visit Ann Arbor for the spring game, which could go a long way in convincing him that leaving the south and playing up north is the move. The No. 24 tight end in the country is being coveted by a lot of big-time programs, includ- ing Clemson, Auburn, Georgia and Notre Dame, among others. Also High On The Board: Chicago Phillips four-star Jahleel Billingsley and Lakeland (Fla.) High four-star Keon Zipperer. Offensive Tackle Four-star Xavier Truss Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendricken At 6-7 and 325 pounds, Truss is a prototypical tackle prospect. He's from the smallest state in the union, but is starting to put together one of the biggest offer lists. However, Michigan may have a couple of secret weapons that the rest do not. The No. 18 offensive tackle and No. 139 overall prospect nationally hails from the same school as U-M sophomore defensive lineman Kwity Paye and also comes from a region of the country that Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown dominates on the recruiting trail. Also High On The Board: Bel- leville (Mich.) High four-star Devon- tae Dobbs and Metuchen (N.J.) St. Jo- seph's four-star John Olmstead. Offensive Guard Four-star commit Nolan Rumler Akron (Ohio) Hoban Michigan's top target at offensive guard is already a member of the class. The coaching staff identified Rumler, the No. 6 offensive guard and No. 110 overall prospect nation- ally, early on in the process, and the 6-4, 300-pounder has always been a U-M fan because of family ties to the state. Despite being recruited mostly by former U-M assistant Tim Drevno, Rumler already has a good relation- ship with new offensive line coach Ed Warinner. Also High On The Board: Fort Washington (Md.) National Christian Academy four-star Will Harrod, Al- len (Texas) High four-star EJ Ndoma- Ogar and Tampa (Fla.) Plant four-star Will Putnam. Strongside Defensive End Five-star commit Christopher Hinton Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian Michigan also has its guy at strong- side defensive end. Hinton, ranked No. 1 at his position and No. 13 over- all nationally, pledged to U-M last summer and has been back to Ann Arbor several times. Hinton's father, Chris, starred for Northwestern and eventually for several teams in the NFL, giving the family Midwest ties and a different outlook compared to most born-and-bred Georgians. The 6-5, 265-pounder was in Ann FOOTBALL RECRUITING Michigan's Class Of 2019 Dream Team Michigan will have to go toe-to-toe with the SEC's big boys to land the services of four- star running back John Emery, a native of Destrehan, La. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM