Shaun Crawford's decommitment from Michigan should be on its way at this very moment. In fact, he could be flipping through his phone, waiting for the precisely correct time to hit "send" and drop the bad news on Wolverines coach Brady Hoke.
Hopefully it's more than a text of "I'm decommitting, sorry." Hopefully the 5'9," 170-pounder out of Lakewood St. Edward (Ohio) has enough respect to at least call. After all, Hoke guaranteed a scholarship back on Aug. 23, 2013, so it's more than fair to expect more than a passing good-bye from Crawford, the No. 7-ranked corner of 2015 who has now decided to explore other options.
Welp. RT @TomVH: Looks like DB Shaun Crawford plans to call Michigan after school today. He did take his Notre Dame trip this past weekend.
— The Big House Report (@TBHReport) May 20, 2014
RT @Jake_Brown: ICYMI - #Rivals250 CB Shaun Crawford’s father talks status with #Michigan, visit to #NotreDame ($): http://t.co/aYxaMPEQ3C
— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) May 20, 2014
You can get the skinny in the M'nB roundup by Anthony Broome, who outlines the set of unfortunate circumstances that involve potential visits to Miami and/or Florida State. Should Crawford bolt, the Wolverines would be a little lighter in the secondary, a position group which has been a strength on the field and in the prospect rankings for two years.
As the defensive backfield stands now, it has Jabrill Peppers, a 5-star everything, to complement the likes of Dymonte Thomas, Raymon Taylor, Jourdan Lewis, and among others, Blake Countess. Next year, Countess and Taylor won't be around, but Garrett Taylor and Tyree Kinnel should be. Wait, they will be. Hopefully.
Don't drive yourself up a wall. Crawford will make the best decision for him, and that's all there is to it. But again, the secondary isn't going to rapidly sink without the two-way Ohioan.
Check out who Michigan is targeting here (4-star ATH Brian Cole!). Take a look at who's committed here.
Eyes Peeled for Garrett
Crawford is known for playing both sides of the ball, but Taylor is also capable of catching passes. And, at 6'1" and 188 pounds, he's quite a bit larger than Crawford. And really, one spot on 247Sports' rankings separates the pair of DB/WRs. Taylor is the No. 8-ranked corner, while, as mentioned above, Crawford comes in at No. 7.
In terms of national perception, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the Richmond St. Christopher's star and the guy ranked ahead of him. Size is the obvious factor. Speed helps, and Taylor runs a respectable 4.5-second 40 just like Crawford.
More is usually better. But Michigan won't be left with less if Crawford bounces. Taylor isn't chopped liver, you know.
Kinnel at The Big House
Tyree Kinnel is the No. 10-ranked safety in the nation. The 6'0," 190-pound Dayton Wayne standout is also bigger than Crawford. Sure, they play different positions, but corner, safety--what's important now is having big, athletic guys on-deck.
In terms of size, Kinnel fits the bill. He's a 'tweener of sorts: His size is great for safety/nickel. Judging recent film, he also further developed his field awareness, making improvements in open-field tackling and play reads.
He's the type that can come bust the running back or lay back and pop a receiver. He's the type that Michigan fans should love. He runs a 4.4 and seems to be firm to Michigan. However, he was offered by Alabama--which is something I'll always mention while writing about Kinnel--and that's a cause for concern.
Tyree Kinnel says for now the interest from Alabama doesn't change anything for him. He loves where he's at with Michigan.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) May 6, 2014
We've all heard players deliver the reassurance tweets. They don't mean a whole lot until NSD.
Having a current class with three top-10 DBs would be great. But having two--at this point in time and given the limited number of scholarships--is nothing for the Wolverines to downplay. This next group of corners and safeties is poised to complement one of the most talented DB corps in the Big Ten.
Follow Maize 'n Brew's Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81