New Offers Out
Arizona WDE Ismael Murphy-Richardson (6'4", 215)
A few Hudl highlights
This offer actually went out about a week ago, but I didn't catch it. Ismael is a skinny weak side prospect who shows great hips and change of direction in pass coverage; I think Michigan is going after him as a SAM prospect, although he could put on weight and put his hand down as well. He holds offers from Florida, Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and Washington to go with his offer from the Wolverines.
Virginia WR Jaason Lewis (6'3", 230) (2015)
I'm still working on finding a highlight tape of this kid. At 230 pounds I can tell you that he's either the next JR Hemingway or a candidate to be a tight end. His height isn't ideal for a tight end, so I imagine that he's just going to need to lean out and get down to the 215-pound range when he arrives to college. Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech have all come through with offers as well.
Decent Visit Weekend Upcoming
Michigan will host a solid amount of good prospects this week for unofficial visits. Names that stick out:
OT Alex Bars - The four-star offensive tackle out of Tennessee is the younger brother of current Michigan guard Blake Bars. The battle for his services should be more heated than it was for Blake.
CB Jalen Embry - I've touched on the recruitment of Embry quite a few times over recent weeks. He's an underrated corner prospect who should begin to receive lower BCS offers soon, and a Michigan offer could come down the line if they like him enough at their camp.
WDE/OLB Lawrence Marshall - Once committed to Ohio State, Marshall is now looking at several schools, including Michigan. He's a borderline 3/4-star prospect with decent length and pass rush ability. Could play the SAM or the rush end spot at the next level.
SDE Malik McDowell - McDowell is easily the most important in-state recruit in this class and might be the most important player for Michigan overall. He's massive, explosive and would be an immediate upgrade to a SDE spot that hasn't seen much elite talent come through for a while.
WR Maurice Ways - I've been in contact with Moe, and it definitely sounds like he's on the cusp of blowing up as a recruit. Michigan State is very close to offering and Tennessee just ramped up their interest in him, and Michigan could offer as well if he impresses at their summer camp. I personally think he deserves an offer now, as he's a great student and an underrated receiver prospect who has only been playing football for a short time.
General Notes and Multimedia Items
Check out a crop of pictures taken by Scout at the Adidas Invitational camp.
Rivals has begun to rank three-star prospects in the class of 2014. Wilton Speight and a few other Michigan recruits just missed the cut for a fourth star.
Mitch Sherman of ESPN talks about NCAA rules changes and the impact of eligibility rules on the college game.