The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/787035
MARCH 2017 THE WOLVERINE 77 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MEASURABLES • At Nike's The Opening, Ruiz ran a 5.26-second 40-yard dash and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.66 sec- onds. He also recorded a vertical jump of 28.7 inches and recorded a power throw of 42.0 feet. Those numbers earned Ruiz a Nike+ Football Rating of 97.92 at the fi- nals in Beaverton, Ore. STATISTICS • Played only offensive center at IMG Academy as a junior and se- nior, helping the Florida school to a pair of undefeated seasons. • Recorded five total tackles, in- cluding a tackle for loss, as a soph- omore at Camden (N.J.) High. HONORS • Second-team MaxPreps All- America pick as a senior. • USA Today All-USA Florida sec- ond-team offensive lineman as a senior. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 1. • Participated in the Rivals Five-Star Challenge as a junior in Baltimore and as a senior in Atlanta. • Took part in the Rivals Camp Series as a junior and senior in Piscataway, N.J. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Michigan Dec. 18, 2016. • Other finalists were Auburn (Oct. 21 official visit) and Florida (Oct. 14 official visit). • Linebackers coach Chris Partridge and offensive coordina- tor/ line coach Tim Drevno headed up Ruiz's recruitment. NOTABLE • Born June 14, 1999. • Is an early enrollee at Michigan. • Is very close friends with fellow 2017 signee Brad Hawkins and rising sophomore defensive end Ron Johnson. All three started their prep careers at Camden (N.J.) High. 2017 PROJECTION Ruiz has a chance to earn a starting spot on the offensive line, either at guard or center, as a true freshman. He's got college-ready size and faced top competition every day for two years at IMG Academy, preparing him for the college game. He was a must-get for U-M in the 2017 class and should be a multi-year starter before his career at Michigan is over. THEY SAID IT Rivals.com National Recruit- ing Analyst Mike Farrell: "What do you call a guy who can be plugged in right away at guard and then eventually move to center and make all the line calls for you as a potential four-year starter? You call him a perfect fit, and that's what Michigan is get- ting in Ruiz." Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Re- cruiting Analyst Adam Fried- man: "Ruiz is a really good fit on the offensive line that Michigan is building. He has become a much better pass blocker. His lat- eral quickness and patience have really gotten better. He's always been a very good run blocker. He plays with this edge, this tough- ness and tenacity that offensive line coaches love to see out of their players, and Ruiz has that in spades." Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy: "Ruiz boasts an incredibly strong upper body with massive legs and a great base. Still, his true worth is in his versatility. He can easily play guard at the next level but is also capable of remaining at center, where he has a heap of experience." Linebackers Coach Chris Partridge: "Cesar is one of my favorites. He is happy-go-lucky, fun to be around — just an awesome teammate. From Camden (New Jersey) to IMG [Academy], his teammates have loved him wherever he's been. He is a hard worker, and you know what's funny is we saw all these reports on the recruiting trail from defensive linemen. When they make these all-star games, they are asked about the toughest offensive linemen they faced, and every- one mentioned Cesar. … It is really cool that [prep teammates Ruiz and linebacker signee Jordan Anthony] are going to be playing together. Their IMG coaches had mentioned that they are the team's two biggest leaders on offense and defense, so it's truly a cool thing. Those guys get along really well, and even though they were together two years at IMG, it's a cool thing to keep that connection." Offensive Coordinator/Line Coach Tim Drevno: "I love him. I had a chance to see him play last year, and I have known Cesar for a long time. He is the kind of center we are looking for. One thing in recruiting is you're always looking for a guy that plays the center position. You always have to train the guy. He's had a lot of reps on him, and his best football is ahead of him. He's been training really well, and he is going to be an outstanding player for us." CESAR RUIZ CENTER • 6-4 • 336 IMG ACADEMY (BRADENTON, FLA.) CAMDEN, N.J. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 41 1 10 (Fla.) ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 98 2 13 (Fla.) ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 55 1 8 (Fla.) ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 28 1 6 (Fla.) Three of the four major recruiting services ranked Ruiz as the nation's top prep center, and he has a strong chance to make an early impact with the Wolverines. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN RIVALS.COM MID-ATLANTIC RECRUITING ANALYST ADAM FRIEDMAN "He plays with this edge, this tough- ness and tenacity that offensive line coaches love to see out of their play- ers, and Ruiz has that in spades."