Michigan Football Preview 2013

2013 Michigan Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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midwest top 30 set combine to make him one of the region's top wideouts. Notre Dame was the first school to offer Brent, and although Louisville followed through shortly thereafter he wasted no time in committing to the Irish. Rivals.com ranks him as the second-best player in Indiana and the No. 26 wide receiver in the country. 16. Daniel Helm, TE Glenwood H.S./Chatham, Ill. Whereas most college tight ends lined up at wide receiver for their high schools, Helm is a jack-of-all-trades for Glenwood. He does split out, but he also plays in the slot, lines up with a hand in the dirt as a true tight end, and even blocks in the backfield as a fullback. His versatility makes him highly coveted, but his most polished skill set is as a pass catcher. Helm, the No. 6 tight end in the land ac- cording to Rivals.com, held offers from programs across the country — including Michigan — before committing to Tennessee in mid-April. U-M reeling in tight end Ian Bunting may have closed Helm's window of opportunity to be a Wolverine. 17. Tyler Wiegers, QB Detroit Country Day School Beverly Hills, Mich. Wiegers is a classic drop-back passer. While he can move the chains and avoid pressure with his feet, he's at his best when he can stand in the pocket and deliver passes to the playmakers around him. He has plenty of those, and regularly finds Michigan wide receiver commit Maurice Ways and uncommitted tailback Richard Wilson with pinpoint accuracy. While he doesn't have the biggest arm in the country, the 6-2, 230-pounder makes excellent reads and always finds his man. Wiegers received mid-level Big Ten and MAC offers early in the recruiting process, but shunned those schools in favor of a pledge to Rutgers in early April. Tracking The Midwest's Best The national reach of the SEC was felt across the Midwest in the 2013 class, but most of the region's top players stuck around for their college ball — including a host of incoming freshmen at Michigan. Numbers reflect final Rivals.com rankings in the Midwest. Rk. Name 1. Jaylon Smith 2. Laquon Treadwell 3. Ty Isaac 4. Jalin Marshall 5. Cameron Burrows 6. Ethan Pocic 7. Steve Elmer 8. Shane Morris 9. Evan Lisle 10. Kyle Bosch 11. Elijah Daniel 12. Dymonte Thomas 13. Mike McCray 14. Malik Zaire 15. Shelton Gibson 16. Jourdan Lewis 17. Jake Butt 18. Jon Reschke 19. Tim Kimbrough 20. Aaron Bailey 21. David Dawson 22. Danny Etling 23. Billy Price 24. Marcus McWilson 25. Jayme Thompson 26. Caleb Day 27. Antonio Allen 28. Taco Charlton 29. Darius Latham 30. Ross Douglas Pos. LB WR RB ATH CB OL OL QB OL OL DE DB LB QB WR CB TE LB LB QB OL QB DT S S ATH S DE DT CB High School Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Luers Crete (Ill.) Crete-Monee Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy Middletown (Ohio) Trotwood (Ohio) Madison Lemont (Ill.) Midland (Mich.) Warren (Mich.) De La Salle Centerville (Ohio) Wheaton (Ill.) St. Francis Avon (Ind.) Alliance (Ohio) Marlington Trotwood (Ohio) Madison Kettering (Ohio) Alter Cleveland Heights (Ohio) Detroit Cass Tech Pickerington (Ohio) North Bloomfield (Mich.) Brother Rice Indianapolis Warren Central Bolingbrook (Ill.) Detroit Cass Tech Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo Youngstown (Ohio) Fitch Youngstown (Ohio) Mooney Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic Hilliard (Ohio) Darby Indianapolis Ben Davis Pickerington (Ohio) Central Indianapolis North Central Avon (Ohio) 260  ■  The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview College Notre Dame Ole Miss USC Ohio State Ohio State LSU Notre Dame Michigan Ohio State Michigan Auburn Michigan Michigan Notre Dame West Virginia Michigan Michigan Michigan State Georgia Illinois Michigan Purdue Ohio State Kentucky Ohio State Illinois Indiana Michigan Indiana Michigan 18. Darius West, S Central Catholic High School/Lima, Ohio At 5-11 and 196 pounds, West isn't the biggest safety prospect in the region, but he brings a very intriguing package to the table. Rivals.com's No. 15 safety in the country plays cornerback for his high school team, showing that he is very sound in coverage. His biggest asset, however, is his ability and desire to lay a big hit. He packs more punch than you'd think, striking fear into offensive players. West trimmed his list of two dozen offers to four teams — Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State and Wisconsin — in late May, and made his commitment to Kentucky May 30. 19. Craig Evans, DT Sun Prairie H.S./Sun Prairie, Wis. Evans is a classic space-eating defensive tackle. At 6-2 and 315 pounds, he's massive, but still has the athleticism to make an impact in the pass rush portion of the game. His power and ability to occupy blockers are the strong points of his game, and that's where he can impact the game. The top player in the state, according to Rivals.com, made a very early commitment to Wisconsin, and though he tested the waters of a decommitment after head coach Bret Bielema left for Arkansas, he has remained in the fold for the Badgers. 20. Erick Smith, S Glenville Academic Campus/Cleveland Unlike his teammate Lattimore, Smith impacts the game with his instincts and understanding of the defense more than with pure athleticism. That doesn't mean he lacks in speed or power, however, and the fast-moving safety is a big hitter coming up from the secondary on ball carriers. Rated as the No. 17 safety in the country and the No. 6 player in Ohio, Smith isn't quite as heralded as Lattimore, but some of the bigger names in the Midwest — including Michigan and Ohio State — highlight his offer list. 21. Nick Richardson, OL Westerville Central H.S./Westerville, Ohio Richardson is a true guard prospect at the college level. The 6-4, 285-pounder has a stocky build, reminiscent of the barrel-chested

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