Malzone and Kirkland Impress at SMSB
Three-star quarterback Alex Malzone (Bloomfield Hills, MI) and four-star linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (Indianapolis, IN) were both present at the Sound Mind Sound Body camp in Detroit last week and showed throughout the camp why the Michigan Wolverines decided to bring them into the fold during the 2015 recruiting cycle.
247's Clint Brewster gave his evaluations of the two Wolverine commits at the camp on Tuesday afternoon. That piece can be found here. ($)
Witnesses some of the drills at the camp, both players to me basically backed up what I had seen on film when evaluating them throughout the recruiting process.
Prior to his commitment, I did a profile on Malzone for The Big House Report. (FREE)
Here is some of what I saw when watching his highlights:
He is a pocket passer by trade, but does have the mobility to scramble and make plays with his feet when he has to. He makes quick decisions and handles pressure well. Throws a tight spiral and is a pretty accurate thrower.
Where he needs to get better is extending plays with his feet. He does not panic when he gets rushed off the snap, but he could benefit from learning to pick up a few yards here and there on his own instead of forcing throws that aren’t there.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kirkland has the potential to be a great linebacker pretty quickly in his time at Michigan. My biggest takeaway from seeing him live is just how physically imposing a player he is entering his senior season. In terms of build/stature, he could go toe-to-toe with any player at the position at the next level and he is only going to get bigger.
The Wolverines got two good prospects in Malzone and Kirkland, and they will be looking to add more talented pieces to that group as the 2015 class starts to take shape.
Wolverines Offer Pair of 2016 Wide Receivers
Recruiting for the class of 2016 has started to heat up as of late, and the Wolverines have continued to strike while the iron is hot and offered a pair of wide-outs on Monday.
The offers went to four-star prospects Austin Mack (Fort Wayne, IN) and Dylan Crawford (La Canada Flintridge, CA).
Mack is the ninth-ranked player at the position, according to the 247 Composite. He is a playmakng receiver that should be a good weapon to add in the passing game wherever he decides to go.
He talked about his offer with Scout.com's Allen Trieu after receiving it at a Michigan camp on Monday afternoon. That piece can be found here. ($)
Crawford is the fifth-ranked receiver in the class, accoring to the 247 composite. The West Coast kid looks like a similar player to Mack.
With more spots opening up in 2016, look for that cycle to start growing here shortly. Recruiting news will start to pick up when 2016 commitments start to drop.
Dele Harding "Looks Like a Michigan Man," Per Coach
The Wolverines offered 2016 three-star linebacker Dele Harding (Elkton, MD) following SMSB last week, where he opened some eyes with his performance on the field.
In an interview with Scout's Sam Webb, Harding's high school coach says that he "looks like a Michigan man," and more. The interview can be found here. ($)
As I stated in one of the previous roundups, I talked to Harding briefly after his offer, where he told me that this was the one he was working hard for. He seems high on Michigan and the feeling is mutual.
Harding was a high school teammate of 2014 commits Freddy Canteen and Brandon Watson, who earned their offers from the school after good performances in front of Michigan coaches, so they do all have that it common.
Much of the buzz following camp suggested that Harding is poised to shoot up the recruiting rankings by the time he hits campus wherever he decides to go. He already has gained national attention and he is only entering his junior season. We will have to wait and see.
2016 Tight End Farrell is High on Michigan
Coming back to offers to come out of Michigan camp on Monday, the third one went to four-star 2016 tight end Luke Farrell (Perry, OH).
The lifelong Ohio State fan had a good showing in front of Michigan coaches and earned a scholarship in person while on campus in Ann Arbor.
Farrell spoke with Sam Webb about his experience at the camp and where the Wolverines sit with him right now early in the process. Check that out here. ($)
He is a bit different than the tight ends that they have brought in during the last few recruiting cycles. Michigan has a depth chart filled with pass-catching tight ends, but Farrell is more of a blocker. At least, that's how he's been utilized in high school so far.
Farrell's recruitment looks like it will be another one of those classic Michigan-Ohio State recruiting battles, which are always very fun to follow. (Especially on social media.)
That's it for the Wednesday roundup. We will see you back here Friday for the latest with Michigan football recruiting.
Be sure to follow Maize N Brew's Anthony Broome on Twitter, @anthonytbroome