The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/510942
COMMITMENT PROFILE the Ivy League would be nice. Those are the best schools you can go to, but Michigan is right up there. Michi‑ gan offers a better football experience and, I think, a better total package for a student‑athlete. "With my brother and [wide re‑ ceiver] Grant [Perry] and [quarter‑ back] Alex [Malzone] up there, and the closeness of the school to home — that all went into my decision." Dunaway's older brother Jack will enroll at Michigan this fall as a pre‑ ferred walk‑on defensive end, and their father, Craig, played tight end for Bo Schembechler from 1979‑82. All of those connections have the Dunaway household buzzing after Carter committed. "We're all very happy," said Dun‑ away, who also played varsity bas‑ ketball at Brother Rice as a sopho‑ more. "I obviously talked with my brother about all of it before I com‑ mitted. My dad wasn't going to say this when I was thinking about my options, but he wanted me to be at Michigan. He would've been pretty sad if I didn't end up at Michigan. He's definitely very happy and proud of me. It's been great." As a sophomore, Dunaway wasn't a big part of the offense, playing be‑ hind solid senior tight ends, but in his junior year he'll be a focal point according to Brother Rice head coach David Sofran. "He absolutely is a game changer in terms of our offensive plan," So‑ fran said. "We were a lot of spread last year with Alex and Grant, but with Carter we are going to use him in a lot of different spots. We will split him out once in a while, but we are going to go back to a more of a FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Carter Dunaway has the natural size to be a two-way threat as a tight end. When he builds mass to his frame, he will be a devas- tating in-line blocker, and his height allows him to go up for passes over the middle without risking injury. He's also a good athlete and, more than most high school tight ends, he's experienced in the blocking game, since his high school's pass- ing attack featured a pair of senior tight ends last fall. Areas Of Improvement: The flip side of his blocking experience is that Dunaway hasn't yet shown much as a receiver. He had only one catch as a sophomore, and although he's excelled in the offseason (in- cluding at the U-M summer camp last June), he needs to do it when the lights come on. He's also still a thin player for the position, no surprise given his bas- ketball background. Adding mass will allow him to fill both roles. Michigan Player Comparison: Tyler Ecker was a tall, dual-purpose tight end in Michigan's pro-style offense from 2003-06, and had his share of big plays in the passing game. With more experience, Dun- away can look to fill a similar role in the winged helmet. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com