The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan top 15 Michigan Top 15 The Best In The State In The Class Of 2014 2. Damon Webb, CB Detroit Cass Technical H.S Malik McDowell, a defensive end from Detroit Loyola High School, is rated the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan and the No. 23 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com. photo courtesy rivals.com By Tim Sullivan he Michigan coaching staff focuses first and foremost on locking down territory within the borders of their own state. This year is no exception, and the Wolverines are off to a good start among the players that they've pursued. In what appears to be a relatively down year in the state, only the first six on the following list were rated as four-star prospects by Rivals.com. T 1. Malik McDowell, DE Detroit Loyola H.S. McDowell has been on the scene so long — since he was just a high school sophomore, dominating older players at the Michigan Elite Big Man Camp — that it's almost hard to believe that it's his senior year. The 6-6, 292-pounder combines size and quickness to beat offensive linemen, and will continue adding power to his game with more time in the weight room. He is considering Michigan along with Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and schools from the SEC. McDowell was named the Associated Press Player of the Year in Divisions 7 and 8 following a junior campaign in which he led Loyola to the state title game. Rivals.com ranks him as the third-best strongside defensive end and No. 23 overall player in the nation. Unlike McDowell, Webb was mostly an unknown commodity going into his junior season. He was primarily a wide receiver for UD-Jesuit High School, then transferred to Detroit Cass Tech in the offseason and made the switch to cornerback. He blew up there, thanks to excellent technique and a knack for making big plays. He stands 5-11 and 180 pounds, but plays bigger thanks to his physical nature. He committed to Ohio State over offers from Michigan, Michigan State and LSU (among others) in February. He was all-state honorable mention as a junior for the Technicians. Rivals.com lists him as the No. 6 cornerback nationally and the No. 35 prospect in the land. 3. Drake Harris, WR Grand Rapids Christian H.S. Harris is a convert from the basketball court who is just scratching the surface of his potential as a wide receiver. Without ever participating in offseason camps, he set a state record with 2,016 receiving yards as a junior and only figures to get better now that his focus is fully on football. The 6-4, 180-pounder will add weight and technique this year for his final gridiron campaign in high school. Harris made a two-sport commitment to Michigan State in June 2012, but later decided to give up his pursuit of basketball in college and re-opened his recruitment. He picked Michigan following a visit for the spring game April 13. He is rated as the No. 6 wide receiver and No. 57 overall recruit in the country by Rivals.com. 4. Tyler Wiegers, QB Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day School Wiegers is a technically sound quarterback who is known for his ability to always make the right read and deliver an accurate pass. While the 6-3, 220-pounder doesn't possess a cannon for an arm, he makes sure the ball gets where it needs to be. He also has the ability to use his feet to move the chains. Wiegers committed to Rutgers in April after considering Iowa, Illinois and several Mid-American Conference (MAC) schools. Rivals.com considers him the No. 7 pro-style quarterback in the nation. Last Year's Cream Of The Crop Michigan dominated the state, despite missing on the top player in the 2013 class. The Wolverines landed six of the top 10, and missed on only two in-state players (Steve Elmer and Jon Reschke) that they offered. Rk. Name Pos. High School College 1. Steve Elmer OL Midland Notre Dame 2. Shane Morris QB Warren De La Salle Michigan 3. Jourdan Lewis CB Detroit Cass Tech Michigan 4. Jon Reschke LB Birmingham Brother Rice Michigan State 5. David Dawson OL Detroit Cass Tech Michigan 6. Wyatt Shallman ATH Novi Detroit Catholic Central Michigan 7. Delano Hill S Detroit Cass Tech Michigan 8. Joshua Jones S Walled Lake Western NC State 9. Dennis Finley OL Detroit Cass Tech Michigan State 10. Csont'e York WR Harper Woods Chandler Park Michigan 262 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview