The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2015 RECRUITING ISSUE who are most deserving see the field, even if a redshirt might serve them better in the long term. Cole's fellow early enrollee is the another of the three in-state players in the 2015 class. Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice quarterback Alex Malzone will go down as one of the most celebrated passers in state history, and by heading to campus early will get the chance to slide right onto the Wolverines' depth chart. The 6-2, 205-pound four-star prospect — and the nation's No. 11 pro-style quarterback — will learn the offense right alongside the two re- turning scholarship players — junior Shane Morris and redshirt freshman Wilton Speight — and get a leg up on his classmate Zach Gentry for imme- diate playing time. Thanks to versatility, two-way line- man Tyrone Wheatley Jr. could make his way onto the field this season. Ex- pected to start his Michigan career as a tight end, the 6-6, 260-pounder was a four-star recruit and Rivals' No. 13 player at that position in the 2015 class. The product of Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius High School (which he at- tended during his father's tenure as the Buffalo Bills' running backs coach before Tyrone Sr. took the same posi- tion at Michigan) also has potential as a big run-stuffing defensive end with a bit of pass rush. If Michigan has a need at either po- sition — and with just four scholar- ship tight ends available, including one coming off an ACL tear in red- shirt freshman Khalid Hill, that could present the more immediate need for Harbaugh's tight end-heavy offense — Wheatley can step right in. Athletic safeties are important in every recruiting class, not just be- cause of how they impact the de- fense going forward but also because they're the type of body needed to step right in on special teams. Tyree Kinnel out of Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne was Rivals' No. 225 overall player and No. 15 safety in the 2015 class. He has a college-ready build and four years of starting experience on the high school level to give him comfort making the transition to col- Brian Cole could provide Michigan with immediate playmaking ability at wide receiver, and he also might be a contributor on special teams as a freshman. PHOTO BY TIM SULLIVAN