Category: Recruiting

Michigan State makes top six for three-star lineman out of California

Elia Migao has MSU on his short list.

After a couple close misses, Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is looking to land his first California recruit since arriving at MSU and he just made a top group for another one.

Class of 2021 offensive guard Elia Migao announced his top six teams on Twitter with the Spartans being joined by San Diego State, Oregon State, Arizona, BYU, and San Jose State.

Migao, out of Chaparral High in Temecula, is rated as a three-star player and the No. 667 player in the class of 2021 in the 247Sports composite rankings. He is the No. 34 offensive guard and No. 62 player in talent-rich California.

Currently MSU has one guard committed for the class of 2021, Kevin Wigenton out of Hun School in New Jersey. Michigan State’s 2021 recruiting class currently ranks No. 62 in the country and No. 12 in the Big Ten.

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A Busy Day on D-Line Recruiting Trail for Notre Dame

It was a busy morning for Notre Dame’s coaching staff as the Irish made three scholarship offers to ’22 defensive linemen. Learn more here..

The week started with a bang for Notre Dame in terms of scholarship offers being made as three were offered by the Fighting Irish coaching staff to 2022 defensive linemen.

These aren’t offers being made to middle of the road prospects, these are some big-time names in the 2022 class that will see Notre Dame have to go toe-to-toe with the biggest of players if they’re going to eventually land a commitment from any of the three.

So who are the offers to?  A quick summary of each:

Wilfredo Aybar – Defensive End – Cheshire, CT

Aybar is a 6-3, 220 pound weakside defensive end from Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut. Ranked the top player in Connecticut by 247Sports, Aybar ranks as a top ten weakside defensive end in the 247Sports rankings.  Of the now 20 offers Aybar has received, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee stand out as the biggest competition.

Derrick Moore – Defensive End – Baltimore, MD

Moore has 17 offers to date but that number will only continue to swell.  A 6-4, 245 pound strong side defensive end from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Moore will be in demand by all of the biggest programs.  The 247Sports Composite rankings give Moore a four-star grade as he’s seen widely as a top-three defensive end in the 2022 class.

Mykel Williams – Defensive Tackle – Columbus, GA

A 6-5, 255 pound bohemeath from Georgia, Williams will be one of the best defensive tackles in the 2022 class.  Williams has 24 offers listed on his 247Sports profile page but according to his tweet annoucing the Notre Dame offer, he’s now reached 30.  The Irish will have to out-duel the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State and plenty more.

As of posting (7/20/2020) Notre Dame is yet to receive any commitments in the 2022 class but is certainly not being hesitant about putting lines in the water for some of the biggest prospects out there.

 

Top Ohio State basketball target to announce decision Wednesday

Ohio State’s top target for the 2021 recruiting cycle, Malaki Branham, is set to make his college decision on Wednesday afternoon.

It looks like Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball team won’t have to wait much longer to find out where one of its top targets for the 2021 recruiting cycle will go to school.

At six-foot, four-inches, Malaki Branham out of Akron St. Vincent-St Mary — the same high school that produced LeBron James — is rated as the top prospect in all of Ohio, and No. 5 overall shooting guard in the country according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

The Buckeyes have been heavily recruiting him for quite some time and there are still a lot of questions as to where he will end up. That will all be settled Wednesday according to a tweet from Branham himself on Monday.

For Ohio State, keeping the best kids from Ohio in the state is something it wants to continue to do. As of late, other teams in the Big Ten, and national powers have come into the Buckeye state and cherry-picked the talent. It would be a good statement for the program if OSU could land Branham and change that narrative.

The other schools in the running for his services include Xavier, Louisville, and Alabama. And if you’re looking for which way Branham is leaning, that has been hard to decipher. The only clue we have is some crystal ball predictions starting to trickle in on 247Sports. Those are beginning to fall the way of Ohio State, but we’ll just have to see.

So, be on the lookout at specifically 2:22 we guess to see what decision Branham makes.

 

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ESPN breaks down J.J. McCarthy’s game after Elite 11 performance

The Worldwide Leader breaks down the Wolverines commit’s game after he participated in the national QB showcase.

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If there’s one thing that 2021 Michigan five-star quarterback commit J.J. McCarthy is it’s consistent.

The prized pledge of the recruiting class got a chance to prove that weeks ago in Nashville as one of the participants in the much ballyhooed Elite 11 event, a quarterback competition led by former NFL QB Trent Dilfer.

While the MVP of the three-day event went to fellow five-star Caleb Williams — who recently committed to Oklahoma — McCarthy proved himself worthy as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, thus making the final list of 11 signal callers. ESPN’s Tom Luginbill and Tom VanHaaren took in the Elite 11 and further broke down what they see out of the future Wolverines quarterback.

J.J. McCarthy
6-foot-2, 190 pounds
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
ESPN 300 rank: 24

Commitment: Michigan Wolverines

McCarthy is exactly what Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis wants in his offense: a quarterback who can extend plays and is an accurate thrower. The quarterback position is one area Michigan has been lacking and a big piece of its offense that has been missing.

McCarthy could be that missing piece for the Wolverines’ future offense. Michigan has junior Dylan McCaffrey, sophomore Joe Milton, redshirt freshman Cade McNamara and 2020 signee Dan Villari on the roster right now, but the starting job is technically open.

It’s very likely McCaffrey or Milton takes that job in 2020. Both have experience, but neither has separated himself as the clear-cut starter. Having more options at quarterback is only a good thing, and McCaffrey coming in with competition will only help make him better and prepare him for later in his career.

Luginbill’s scouting report: McCarthy has good poise, good feet and good vision. He might not have an elite arm, but he throws a catchable ball with his high over-the-top release. He has a strong ability to navigate the pocket and keep plays alive.

Player comparison: Tanner Morgan

For now, Michigan football fans will have to wait to see McCarthy in action — at least while wearing the maize and blue. The IMG Academy presumptive starter won’t arrive on campus until 2021, and will have to battle it out to see the field with potentially 2-4 experienced quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart.

However, we’ve seen true freshmen supplant wily veterans recently. For instance, in 2017 (ultimately in his sophomore season in 2018) at Alabama, Tua Tagovailoa wrested the starting job away from incumbent Jalen Hurts, who then transferred to Oklahoma in 2019 as a result. Likewise, in 2018, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, the former No. 1 recruit in the country, didn’t waste much time supplanting Kelly Bryant in the middle of the season, which ended up seeing Bryant take his talents to Mizzou.

Could McCarthy do the same in Ann Arbor? It depends heavily on how this fall’s quarterback competition goes between Joe Milton, Dylan McCaffrey and Cade McNamara.

Michigan makes Top 5 for 2021 4-star WR in SEC country

The dual-sport athlete from SEC country puts the Wolverines in his top group, along with notable powerhouses across the country.

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Jim Harbaugh has long loved his dual-sport athletes.

The Michigan head coach has always preached the importance of not specializing in one sport, and has often included baseball and soccer elements to the team’s summer camp circuits, and has thusly prioritized many student-athletes who can play other sports at a high level.

Some of the current and eventual Wolverines were baseball stars, basketball standouts or track speedsters. Wide receiver Ronnie Bell was a basketball commitment to Missouri State before flipping to the maize and blue for football. Now-departed linebacker Jordan Anthony was baseball standout, while current linebacker Joey Velazquez plays both football and baseball for Michigan. 2021 commits like wide receiver Xavier Worthy is an absolute blazer on the track, running a reported 10.55 100-meter dash.

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Another Michigan target at wide receiver in 2021 is Jayden Thomas, who hails from Atlanta (GA) Pace Academy. Thomas is seeking out the possibility of being a two-sport athlete at the next level, likewise being a football-slash-baseball star down in SEC country.

Michigan recognizes and emphasizes this, as exemplified by a graphic put together by director of football creative Aaron Bills, which Thomas shared on Twitter on July 13.

Apparently, the message is resonating, as Thomas released a Top 5 on Friday, which included the maize and blue along with in-state Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State and Arkansas.

Rated in football as the No. 131 prospect in the country, regardless of position, by Rivals.com, Thomas is also the 23rd-best wideout and No. 11 player in the state of Georgia according to the recruiting site.

Given that Michigan baseball has recently fielded the best team in the north, the Wolverines have a selling point that some of the other programs in his Top 5 don’t currently have — the ability to compete at a high level in two sports.

There are currently no 247Sports Crystal Balls or Rivals.com FutureCasts made predicting Thomas’ future destination.

Watch his junior football highlights below:

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USC football: Trojans land four-star corner Prophet Brown

The USC Trojans landed four-star cornerback Prophet Brown, a 2021 commit who announced his decision Sunday afternoon.

The Trojans got a surprise gift on Sunday afternoon, with four-star cornerback Prophet Brown announcing his commitment a day early, choosing to join USC in 2021.

Brown was choosing between Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon and USC, and was expected to make his announcement on Monday afternoon before surprising everyone on Sunday.

Brown was initially ranked among the top running backs in the nation before being switched to cornerback, where he flew up the rankings at No. 126 overall by 247Sports, and the No. 10 corner. He is No. 206 in the composite rankings.

Brown joins Jaylin Smith as top USC cornerback recruits in the Class of 2021, a class that is ranked N. 7 in the nation and No. 2 in the PAC-12 at this point.

The five-foot-eleven, 180 pound corner will need to put on some muscle, but his dynamic athleticism and ball-hawking ability should make him an instant impact performer for the Trojans starting in 2021.

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A top Wisconsin 2021 CB target chooses Arizona State over the Badgers

A top Badger target commits to Arizona State

The Badgers lost out on a top 2021 target when CB Robert Regan committed to Arizona State this morning.

The California native will head to the Valley of the Sun to play for Herm Edwards and crew. It was all love from the Wisconsin 2021 family even as the Badgers missed out on a top target. 2021 Wisconsin commit T.J. Bollers chimed in to show his support for Regan’s decision.

Florida native Ricardo Hallman is currently the only Wisconsin CB commit in the class of 2021.

Auburn makes top 3 for 5-star cornerback

Five-star cornerback Ga’Quincy McKinstry, the top player in Alabama, has cut his list of schools down to three SEC West teams, Auburn, LSU and Alabama.

And then there were three.

Five-star cornerback Ga’Quincy McKinstry, the top player in Alabama, has cut his list of schools to three SEC West programs –Auburn, LSU and Alabama.

The Pinson Valley product is the No. 2 corner and No. 23 overall recruit for 2021, according to the 247Sports composite.

The 5-11.5, 172-pound McKinstry is one of the best athletes in the class, playing wide receiver, corner and also starring on the basketball team.

In 2019, he caught 47 passes for 700 yards and 12 touchdownsand intercepted a pass on defense. On the hardwood, he he averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and had 69 steals.

McKinstry has expressed interest in playing both sports at the next level, something each of the schools in his final three have expressed interest in.

His scouting report per 247Sports:

“Possesses a lean build with good length and stature for a cornerback. Tested as a good athlete prior to his junior season and should continue making progress on that front as he spends more time in the weight room over the next few years. In addition to the football field, shows his athleticism as an above-the-rim basketball player and one of the better hoopers in Alabama. Is an outstanding and productive two-way player on the gridiron, starring as a receiver and corner for Pinson Valley. Has elite ball skills as a corner and would also be a top prospect as a receiver if he wanted. Shows the ability to consistently pluck the ball at his highest point and win in contested situations on both sides of the ball. In addition to high-pointing and out-jumping the competition, also shows the ability to locate and track the ball downfield. Makes difficult plays at a high rate and finds multiple ways to effect the game. Instinctive in coverage and shows the ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and break on the ball. Impresses with his competitive nature. Will need to continue honing his coverage technique as a cornerback, which should come once he focuses on the sport and position full time. Projcts as an impact multi-year starter at the Power 5 level with the upside of developing into an early round draft pick.”

ESPN compares Notre Dame commit Buchner to who?

The future Irish quarterback is compared to a current star in college.

The Elite 11 Camp has come and gone, with recruiting experts getting a chance to go over the film, the future for each of the participants has become clearer. A pair of Tom’s from ESPN, Luginbill and VanHaaren broke down each of the quarterbacks and 2021 Irish commit Tyler Buchner got some high praise from them.

The opportunity for early playing time for Buchner is there, as they noted, but what was more important was how the Tom’s see the future for the star QB. Their report on him is very encouraging, as Luginbill see’s “Buchner has good size and a high skill set. He can navigate the pocket, keep his eyes downfield and work through progressions. For a younger player, he is an advanced passer with a lot of poise.”

The player comparison was a surprise, as I haven’t heard much about Memphis’ Brady White, so I did some research. White was 4th nationally with 4,014 passing yards last year to go along with 33 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Tiger’s star was 10th nationally in quarterback rating, just a little behind Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence who is viewed as a Top 3 NFL Draft pick. White helped the Tigers to a 12-2 record last year, a New Year’s Six appearance in the Cotton Bowl, although they lost to Penn State, it was one hell of a year for White.

White began his career at Arizona State, but then transferred to Memphis where he has put video game numbers in his two seasons as their quarterback. The wins came last year, as the Tigers finished 8-6 in his first season, but the build up was worth it. If Buchner has a career like White’s, many Irish fans will be very happy with that result.

Where the Badgers’ 2022 recruiting class stands after landing four-star safety Braelon Allen

Last week the Badgers picked up their first commit in the class of 2022 in four-star safety Braelon Allen…

Last week the Badgers picked up their first commit in the class of 2022 in four-star safety Braelon Allen.

The Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin native is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 160 recruit in the country, No. 8 at his position and No. 3 from the state of Wisconsin.

The 2022 recruiting push is a bit far off in the distance, so many top programs have yet to land any recruits in the class.

Nevertheless, Paul Chryst’s current class of 2022 national ranking is a welcome sight to see as Allen singlehandedly has the class at No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten.

With the class of 2021 currently at No. 14 in the nation and set to be the highest-ranked class in program history, it’s clear Chryst and his staff have momentum on the recruiting trail and are taking steps towards competing with the nation’s top programs both on the football field and on the recruiting trail.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.