Michigan Football Preview 2018

2018 Michigan Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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174 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW MICHIGAN TOP 10 BY BRANDON BROWN M ichigan has basically had its pick of the litter when it comes to in-state prospects under head coach Jim Harbaugh, but at first glance it doesn't look that way in 2019. As of June 1, Michigan hadn't procured a verbal commitment from any of the top 10. Harbaugh and Co. may end up with two from that group, but isn't recruiting the other eight very much entering June. The 2019 haul is shaping up to be Harbaugh's lightest within the state of Michigan. The following is a look at the best in the state, with all rankings from Rivals.com. 1. Logan Brown, OT Kentwood East Kentwood Brown is one of the best offensive tackle pros- pects in the country, listed at No. 4 at his position and No. 20 overall. The top player in Michigan, he is considered a four-star tackle and measures in at 6-6, 290 pounds. He com- mitted to Wisconsin in November 2017. The Detroit Free Press Division 1 All- State selection as a junior struggles with diabetes, and that has affected his game and work ethic at times in the past. Regardless, he's as talented as they come. 2. Devontae Dobbs, OT Belleville High Dobbs isn't the big- gest offensive lineman at 6-4, 270 pounds, but he has good range and plus athletic ability. He's prob- ably better at run block- ing right now, but has the athleticism to be better as a pass protector. Heading into his senior season, the USA Today All- USA Michigan first-teamer as a junior proj- ects as a solid lineman down the road. He has been gaining momentum on the recruiting trail for a couple of years now and has a lot of legitimate options to choose from. Entering June, he had a top group con- sisting of Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan State, Ohio State, Okla- homa and USC. Michigan offered Dobbs long ago, but a mutual interest did not develop. 3. Julian Barnett, ATH Belleville High At 6-2, 180 pounds, Barnett doesn't seem huge on paper, but he's absolutely ripped and is a lot to handle for wide receivers. He's listed as a four-star athlete, but has more upside at cornerback than wide receiver. While he could play both at the next level, he's more suited to play defensive back. The USA Today All- USA Michigan first-team pick in 2017 committed to Michigan State in Decem- ber and hasn't shown any signs of wavering. 4. Dwan Mathis, QB Oak Park High Another Michigan State commit, Mathis has been one of the more athletic prospects in his entire class for sometime. For a while it looked like he may have too many skills to stay at quarterback, but his throwing ability has kept him under center. Measuring in at 6-4, 185 pounds, Mathis is tall, fast and can throw it a mile. Consid- ered the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the nation, he has performed well at every camp he's ever attended and is pushing for Rivals100 status. Mathis is currently committed to Mich- igan State, but an April offer from Ohio State could potentially shake things up. The Wolverine never offered Mathis despite him being around Ann Arbor multiple times over the course of his prep career, including at least twice as a camper for Harbaugh's A4 Quarterback Camp. 5. Marvin Grant, S Detroit Martin Luther King Michigan and Michigan State did not pursue the in-state talent, resulting in his commitment to Pur- due. He has great length, is very physical and covers well for a 6-2, 190-pound safety. He's smooth in cov- erage, loves to tackle and even played some running back and wide receiver early in his career at King, putting his versatility and overall athleticism on display. The Detroiter announced for Purdue on the first day of June after visiting West La- fayette several times. Iowa State and Ken- tucky were the other two schools in hot pur- suit. The USA Today All-USA Michigan first-team selection as a junior seemed very MICHIGAN TOP 10 The Best In The State For The Class Of 2019 Last Year's Cream Of The Crop Jim Harbaugh and his staff didn't pursue a ton of in-state kids in the 2018 cycle, especially early on, but ended up landing five Great Lake State natives. Three-star defensive back Vincent Gray and three-star athlete Ben VanSumeren were both added late in the cycle, and the staff secured commitments from three-star tight end Ryan Hayes, four-star offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield and four-star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson earlier in the process. Here's a look at where the top 10 prospects from the state of Michigan ended up last year. Rk. Player Pos. High School College 1. Kalon Gervin CB Detroit Cass Tech Michigan State 2. Aidan Hutchinson DE Dearborn Diving Child Michigan 3. Marquan McCall OG Oak Park Kentucky 4. Jalen Mayfield OT Grand Rapids Catholic Central Michigan 5. Antwan Reed OT Muskegon Western Michigan 6. Tyrone Sampson C Detroit East English Village Fresno State 7. DeAndre Square OLB Detroit Cass Tech Kentucky 8. Jaeveyon Morton CB Detroit Martin Luther King Iowa State 9. Ovie Oghoufo OLB Farmington Hills Harrison Notre Dame 10. Reggie Pearson S River Rouge Wisconsin

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