The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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56 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2018 PREP PROFILES Destrehan (La.) High four-star running back John Emery picked up his Michigan offer almost a year ago, but it took nearly nine months for him to make his way to Ann Arbor. Once the 6-0, 200-pounder got on campus, though, he immediately realized that it was worth the wait. "I got there on a Friday, and they were still showing us around the campus on Saturday — a lot of touring went on while I was there," he recalled. "After that part of the visit was over, we did a photo shoot and went out to eat a couple of times. "It was unbelievable. It was such a blessing. As a kid growing up, I never dreamed of trying on a Michigan jersey. … Needless to say, it was an unbelievable experience for me." It can be very tough for Michigan to lure kids from Louisiana and surrounding states when the entire SEC is also recruiting them. That's exactly the case for Emery, Rivals.com's No. 8 running back and No. 179 overall player nationally. With that said, Jay and Jim Harbaugh have done a great job making him feel like a priority. "I have good relationship with both of them," Emery said of the Harbaughs. "I've actually built a pretty good bond with all the coaches. We all went bowling together, and that definitely helped strengthen it." That strengthened relationship may give U-M a puncher's chance in the hotly contested battle with strong SEC programs. " T h e t r i p d e f i n i t e l y h e l p e d Michigan's chances for me," he said. "They're in my top group for sure. I'd also put Penn State, Florida, Tennessee, LSU and Georgia in there — those are the schools showing me the most interest right." Emery is a complete back. He's got good size, great speed and pass- catching abilities, and he's built like a brick house. Emery holds offers from Michigan along with Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas, among others. The Wolverine staff has sent several recruiting graphics to Emery to ensure that he knows he's a priority. A return trip to Ann Arbor would be a very positive sign, but nothing had been arranged as of March 19. — Brandon Brown Though he's just a three-star according to Rivals.com's rankings, Savannah (Ga.) Islands outside linebacker Kalen DeLoach holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Ohio State, South Carolina, Florida State and many others. The 6-1, 205-pounder is listed as just the No. 38 player in Georgia and the No. 19 outside linebacker in the country, but clearly college coaches aren't worried about that. The talented linebacker checked out Michigan in February just two weeks after picking up an offer from the Wolverines. The quick turnaround showed that he's definitely interested in U-M, and his description of the visit solidified that. "It was very nice," he said. "I enjoyed every bit of it." The defensive coaches paid DeLoach a compliment that really made him feel like a fit for Don Brown's defense. "They compare me to Devin Bush because we make the same kind of plays," DeLoach explained. "They said if I do decide to come to Michigan I could play his position when he leaves. They just want to let me make plays, which is what I do best." DeLoach didn't get a chance to spend time with Bush during his visit, but said that he'll definitely be back in order to meet and learn from U-M's missile of a linebacker. With so many schools after DeLoach, it's tough to predict exactly where he'll end up. Even he didn't know his recruitment was going to play out how it has. "In January, it seemed like every day I was picking up a new offers," he said. "Coaches from different schools were stopping by to talk to my coach about me, to check on me and things like that. "It feels great to see my hard work is paying off. I really did not expect this." In addition to Michigan, DeLoach has visited Auburn, Clemson, Ohio State and South Carolina. However, he will need to revisit some schools and still see some others before pulling the trigger. "I am probably going to take my official visits during the season, then commit sometime after that," he said. "I am not in a rush." As a junior, DeLoach was named to the Georgia Sports Writers Association 3A All-State Team and selected as the Region 3-3A Defensive Player of the Year by The Savannah Morning News after a ridiculously productive season. He had 156 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 13 sacks, with two interceptions. He also rushed for 786 yards and scored nine touchdowns. — Brandon Brown Michigan Has Impressed Four-Star Running Back So Far Georgia Linebacker Is High On U-M After February Visit ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Destrehan H.S. Destrehan, La. Class: 2019 Position: Running Back Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 200 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 8 player in Louisiana, and No. 8 running back and No. 179 overall player nationally John Emery ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Islands H.S. Savannah, Ga. Class: 2019 Position: Linebacker Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 205 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 38 player in Georgia and No. 19 outside linebacker in the country Kalen DeLoach Emery "As a kid growing up, I never dreamed of trying on a Michigan jersey. … Needless to say, it was an unbelievable experience for me." DeLoach on U-M's recruiting pitch "They just want to let me make plays, which is what I do best."