Tag: Jordan Marshall

ESPN breaks down what Michigan football is getting in RB Jordan Marshall

He’s going to be really, really good! #Goblue

It was about almost a year ago, when seemingly from out of nowhere, Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller four-star running back Jordan Marshall shocked the world, unexpectedly picking Michigan football over his hometown Ohio State Buckeyes.

As a 2024 prospect, it was still a long ways to go before early signing day, but Marshall never wavered, and now, the highly coveted tailback from the Buckeye State is a Wolverine. He’s still not on campus, but he’s been outspoken about his love for the maize and blue and remained faithful even with the coaching changes that happened in the offseason.

So what does Marshall bring to the table as a player? ESPN broke down the top running backs in the country from the 2024 class and how they fit with their new teams (subscription required), and Marshall should provide a boost with Blake Corum having moved on to the NFL.

Marshall is everything Michigan wants in a running back — tough, physical and fantastic after contact. He has the power to press the hole, but also the vision to exploit the cutback lane when available. Michigan takes so much pride in winning at the point of attack and it’s the back’s job to get to the second level and extend runs. The only issue for Marshall? He’s joining a running backs group that is six-deep, including returning feature back Donovan Edwards.

While not as big as former Wolverine and UCLA Bruins tailback Zach Charbonnet, in some ways, his game is similar. Marshall comes in about three inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter, but after going through strength and conditioning and being able to take some time due to the depth ahead of him, he could be that type of all-purpose back who does a little bit of everything — run with power, speed, and vision.

Could Marshall see the field in Year 1? Certainly, there’s a case to be made, even with all of the depth. Of course, as ESPN mentioned, Donovan Edwards is returning for his senior season, but Kalel Mullings appeared to come on strong last year, while Benjamin Hall and Cole Cabana both redshirted and are patiently awaiting their turn. There’s an opening here, and while his touches may be limited, Marshall could find a niche and exploit it to see the field in his first year early and often.

ESPN: This Michigan football freshman could be instant impact in 2024

👀 #GoBlue

Michigan football is coming off a national championship win with a number of stalwarts remaining on both sides of the ball. However, the offense will lose a number of players to the NFL.

If the Wolverines defend their title in 2024, it will come down to the defense continuing to be elite while the offense finds its rhythm. And new players stepping up.

Though there are numerous players who have patiently waiting for their turn, particularly on the offensive line, the skill positions are mostly wide open. Though there are a few high-profile returnees like junior tight end Colston Loveland and running back Donovan Edwards, there’s room for any player who could come in and make plays. And that includes first-year players.

ESPN took a look at which top freshmen across college football could make an instant impact and one Wolverine made the list: running back Jordan Marshall. (subscription required)

RB Jordan Marshall, Michigan Wolverines

ESPN 300 rank: 153

Michigan is losing star running back Blake Corum, who led the FBS in rushing touchdowns in 2023. Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings and Cole Cabana — who was No. 117 in the 2023 ESPN 300 — are coming back. Marshall won the Ohio Mr. Football award and ran for 1,550 yards and 17 touchdowns and had 394 yards receiving with four touchdown receptions this past season. The Wolverines’ offense is built on the running game and used multiple backs last season. Marshall could find his role as Michigan tries to fill Corum’s shoes.

Of course, that’s a tough running back room to infiltrate, but Marshall is an elite player. Like Zach Charbonnet in 2019, he certainly could see the field early, despite the multiple players ahead of him on the depth chart given his skill set.

If Michigan is to find offensive success in 2024, it almost certainly will be because it continues to lean on and have a dominant run game — especially considering there’s no surety as to who will start at quarterback. If Marshall comes in and makes an instant impact, while Edwards and Mullings take steps forward, that could go a long way towards winning the conference a fourth straight year and more.

Top five running backs signed to the Big Ten during early signing period

We cover the top five running backs to sign with the Big Ten during the early signing period. #GoBucks

The early signing period is in the books and the newly expanded Big Ten added a wealth of talent.

It would take too long to evaluate every prospect in one piece, but we have already dived into the top incoming gunslingers entering the conference. Now we wanted to provide the top five running back recruits who have signed with Big Ten teams during the early signing period, according to the 247Sports composite.

It should make Ohio State fans happy that despite the drama surrounding the flip of one highly ranked running back, the Buckeyes were able to pull in one of the best running backs in the state of Texas and in the whole country, which will be the highest ranked recruit on this list.

The Big Ten snagged five of the top 25 running back prospects in the country, which is a big number but much lower than the quarterback list. Regardless, let’s dive into the haul we saw.

Early Signing Day: Jordan Marshall signs with Michigan football

#Michigan nabbed an elite prospect out of Ohio that Ohio State wanted. #GoBlue

Ratings

Stars Overall Position State
247Sports 4 147 #11 RB #4
On3 4 95 #7 RB #4
Rivals 4 53 #2 RB #1
ESPN 4 153 #9 RB #7
247Sports Composite 4 83 #6 RB #3
On3 Consensus 4 81 #4 RB #3

Vitals

Hometown Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller
Projected Position Running Back
Height 5-foot-10.5
Weight 193-pounds

Notable offers

Readiness Level

With Blake Corum leaving and Donovan Edwards still having a decision to make, this year’s Ohio Mr. Football could do as Zach Charbonnet did in 2019 and not only play early, but could start in his first year.

Notes

  • Committed March 21, 2023
  • Won Ohio Mr. Football in 2023

Scouting report

Via 247Sports’ Allen Trieu:

Has been a star and highly productive against very good high school competition. Has an innate feel for the position, good vision and finds running lanes. Reads his blocks and shows good patience. Has balance and keeps his feet through contact. Not used as much as a downfield receiver but shows good hands and natural pass-catching skills. Has gone out to some events and been timed. Has good straight speed. He is not quite elite in terms of his measureables but they are good and then when you combine his intangibles and position skills into that, he is a no-brainer national back. He should be a very reliable, productive college starter at a major program.

Film

Original commitment story

Elite 2024 RB makes surprise commitment to Michigan football over Ohio State

Michigan football commit Jordan Marshall wins Mr. Ohio Football award

Ohio State is really gonna wish he didn’t spurn them! #GoBlue

The last time Michigan football got the high school football player deemed ‘Mr. Ohio’ to come north, it was nearly 30 years ago when a young man named Charles Woodson chose to come to play in Ann Arbor rather than Columbus. Now, for the second time in modern memory, the maize and blue have Mr. Ohio coming north after spurning the Buckeyes.

Announced on Thursday, Michigan 2024 commit, Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller four-star running back Jordan Marshall was named the top player in his state, earning the crowned achievement of being named Mr. Ohio. With Blake Corum leaving for the NFL, Marshall will have the possibility of showing the world what he can do in very short order.

Michigan has tended to do well with players who spurned Ohio State, especially recently. Blake Corum was a massive Ohio State target, but chose to come to Ann Arbor. Rod Moore wasn’t really recruited by the Buckeyes, yet he made the play of The Game on Saturday. J.J. McCarthy wanted to play in Columbus, but OSU chose Kyle McCord instead, and now McCarthy has beaten the Buckeyes three straight years.

For Marshall, it will depend on what he and his future teammates (like Luke Hamilton, Ted Hammond, and Ben Roebuck, who are also from Ohio) make of it but winning the top prize in the Buckeye State is a good start.

Michigan football 2024 commit Jordan Marshall shows out again

He picked #Michigan over Ohio State earlier this cycle. #GoBlue

Michigan football may have lost a lot of its recruiting battles this cycle going head-to-head against Ohio State, but the biggest win on the trail may be the best.

2024 Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller four-star running back Jordan Marshall has had an impressive start to the season with four touchdowns in Week 1, which included a 75-yard run. Well, that man is at it again, it appears.

Video is circulating on X, formerly known as Twitter, of yet another big, 75-yard run for the tailback who spurned the Buckeyes in favor of the Wolverines. In the clip, the big-bodied back gets through some commotion but then lumbers out into the open field for a long score.

Check out the video below:

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USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Regional Football Watchlist: Midwest region

Keep an eye on these teams in the Midwest region.

The 2023 high school football season has arrived, with teams kicking off across the country in August.

That means the first USA TODAY Sports Super 25 is nearing, which marks another start to an iconic franchise that began back in 1982.

Last year’s Super 25 was one of the tightest races of all time, as St. John Bosco narrowly won out over Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman, as well as Texas power Duncanville and Miami Central (Fla.).

How will things stack up this season? Ahead of the opening Super 25, USA TODAY HSS is looking around the country at the five regions we use to create the national rankings:

First up, is the Midwest region, which includes schools in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Top 10 players in Ohio high school football heading into the 2023 season

Here are the 10 best players in the state of Ohio, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Schools from California, Florida and Texas tend to get most of the attention when it comes to the nation’s top high school football prospects. Several other highly-competitive states produce great talent every year, though. Georgia has to be on that list, as does Ohio. Today, let’s take a look at some of the top Ohio-based recruits going into the 2023 season, according to our colleagues at the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Subscribe to the Enquirer/Cincinnati.com here

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Michigan football commits that moved up in latest On3 recruiting rankings

Good news also comes with some bad.

On3 is cementing itself as the new premier recruiting service of late. Founded by Shannon Terry — who also founded Rivals and 247Sports — On3 is forward-thinking and becoming more of a standard than an upstart, though 247Sports is still stalwart in terms of its recruiting rankings.

The company released new recruiting rankings for 2024 on Monday and Michigan football saw four players move up significantly.

Running back commit Jordan Marshall was already in the top 100, but he moved up over 40 spots to No. 31 overall — which is within potential five-star range should he remain there. The cut-off is currently the top 15, but the top 32 according to On3’s proprietary rankings will all be five-stars.

Once a three-star recruit, edge rusher commit Devon Baxter is now a four-star, up to No. 200 overall.

Jaden Smith, another edge rusher/linebacker-type, was unrated at the time of his commitment, but on the heels of ESPN giving him a high-ranking, On3 followed suit, ranking him in the four-star range at No. 249 overall.

Lastly, linebacker commit Cole Sullivan also moved up from being a three-star recruit, and is now a four-star at No. 257 overall.

While that’s the good news, there is also some bad news. Once a five-star, quarterback Jadyn Davis is continuing to plummet across the recruiting rankings, and nowhere is it more stark than on On3. Davis has dropped to No. 188 overall after having been at No. 105 previously.

Of Michigan’s 25 commits in 2024, 15 are four-stars with 10 being three-stars.

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Watch: Ohio State commit makes an interception over Michigan commit

The rivalry started early with these two #GoBucks

The rivalry is starting early for a pair of [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] and Michigan football commits.

Plenty of the top Ohio high school football players were in Columbus on Sunday to participate in the Under Armour All-American Camp Series. Two of those players were linebacker Garrett Stover and running back [autotag]Jordan Marshall[/autotag].

The two soon-to-be rivals faced off in a drill with Ohio State commit Stover winning against Michigan commit Marshall. Although many of these drills don’t resemble actually football, it is still fun anytime you beat your rivals.

Check out the clip below as Stover wins this round of the rivalry against Marshall.

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