Recruitment In Summary
Furbush had a fairly interesting recruitment that came down to Michigan and Ohio State, which was won by Michigan. Holding offers from Michigan, Tennessee, Michigan State and others, he visited the Wolverines and Buckeyes more than any other schools. Ohio State never came through with its offer, leaving Michigan as the victor.
Ratings and Attributes
Star Rating: Furbush is a three-star linebacker prospect across the board.
Strengths: Noah's biggest strength is his run-stopping ability. He sheds blocks well and is very tough to drive back because of his core strength and tough mentality–he played part of the season with a severely injured arm and didn't think twice about it. The first play in the above video shows him demolish a poor running back, which is something he did with fantastic regularity in high school. He also brings plenty of versatility to Michigan's defense, possessing the frame and ability to play the MIKE, SAM and rush end positions. I think his best bet is to drop five to ten pounds through some weight lifting and stay at the MIKE.
Weaknesses: Furbush isn't an explosive prospect and could struggle in space at the next level. He also isn't an exact fit for any of the three positions mentioned in his strengths, which could lead to him ending up in no man's land on the roster.
Future Impact
Years Until He Sees the Field: 1-3
Noah's combination of size, mental toughness and versatility should allow him to get onto the field before his junior season, although Michigan's strong recruitment of linebackers could work against him. I think he'll redshirt and see the field sparingly in his redshirt freshman season before seeing more serious time as a starter in his redshirt sophomore year and beyond. Hopefully he turns into a fullback-killing MIKE who strengthens Michigan's run defense. He could be pushed to the SAM spot if Mike McCray doesn't work out; rush end seems like the least likely of the three spots given the many pass rushers Michigan has landed and is pursuing in the class of 2015.