Su'a Cravens & Kendall Fuller Recruiting Updates, Where Does Michigan Stand?

The Michigan Wolverines 2013 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1 in the country by all of the major recruiting services with 18 verbal commitments, however if they hope to maintain their spot atop the team rankings when national signing day arrives Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell believes the Wolverines need to land a 5-star prospect such as Su'a Cravens (Murrieta, CA) or Kendall Fuller (Olney, MD).

"Right now they've got the number one class in the country, in my opinion," Farrell told Tim Sullivan of TheWolverine.com on April 21st. "But five-stars are a key and they don't have any right now."

In the month since Farrell made those statements the Wolverines have not been able to secure a verbal commitment from a 5-star recruit, however they found out on Sunday they are still in the hunt for Cravens and Fuller.

Cravens, who is the nation's No. 5 overall prospect and No. 1 safety, has narrowed his list of schools down to Michigan, Nebraska and USC according to Vista Murrieta High School assistant coach Eric Peterson.

"It's just Nebraska, Michigan and USC now," coach Peterson informed Mike Matya of HuskerOnline.com. "That's it."

"He's trimmed down everyone else, from Alabama to Oregon to you name it, everyone else has been trimmed down. Those are his final three."

Coach Peterson also revealed Cravens will be making trips to Nebraska and Michigan at the end of the month with his family. It is likely the 6'1", 205-pounder will stick to his previously planned announcement date of June 6th and bring his recruitment to an end shortly after the midwest visits.

"He'll be in Nebraska on the 30th and 31st [of May]," Peterson said, "and he'll be in Michigan on the 28th and 29th. His mom and dad will be coming with him."

Michigan head coach Brady Hoke and Nebraska's head man Bo Pelini are the main reason why Cravens has opted to visit Ann Arbor and Lincoln instead of the countless other universities that have been pursuing him.

"Because of coach Pelini and coach Hoke," Peterson said. "It's just the character of those two men, and what they do away from football for kids."

It has been no secret that Cravens loves USC and are likely the team to beat for his services, but if the Wolverines are able to wow the California native on his visit to campus next week it will certainly give Cravens a lot more to think about.

The Wolverines are also behind a local school when it comes to Fuller's recruitment as well and unfortunately for Michigan fans it appears they are only falling further behind as the process continues for the Maryland defensive back.

Jason Stamm of HokieHaven.com caught up with Fuller over the weekend and when he asked the nation's No. 4 overall prospect and No. 1 ranked cornerback about his top schools, Virginia Tech and Clemson were the only programs the Our Lady Of Good Counsel defensive back mentioned.

Fuller also spoke with MDHigh.com at the Chesapeake Bowl tryout last weekend and declared Virginia Tech and Clemson were his top two schools followed by Michigan and Tennessee. The 5'11", 189-pound cornerback said he intends to visit all of his top four schools again this summer, however he is unsure when a final decision about his future will be made.

"I really don't have a set decision day," Fuller said. "It could be sometime this summer or it could be at the Army Bowl. I really have no clue when my mind's going to be made up."

Fuller's brothers have all played at Virginia Tech, so it is no surprise they have been the leader up to this point. From the sound of Fuller's latest interviews it would take something miraculous during his summer visit to Michigan to lure him away from the east coast.

Things can always change when it comes to college football recruiting. At the moment though Michigan has some ground to make up in their recruitment of Cravens and Fuller.

Photo courtesy of ESPN.go.com.

Michigan's 2012 Tilt with Michigan State Takes Precedent over Ohio State Rivalry

The longstanding bitter rivalry between Michigan and the Ohio State Buckeyes has often been labeled as the greatest rivalry in all of sports and there is never a bigger game on either team's respective schedule than their annual regular season finale against one another, however the Wolverines tilt with cross-town rival Michigan State on October 20th is by far the most important game they will play in 2012.

At first glance, it seems blasphemous to say that any other game could be more important to Michigan fans than "The Game" on November 24th, but when you take a hard look at what has transpired between the Spartans and Wolverines over the past 16 years it becomes easier to understand.

Michigan boasted an astounding 10-2 record against the Spartans from 1996-2007. Many of those games were made more memorable for Wolverine fans due to Michigan State's habit of coughing up late leads and their uncanny ability to seize defeat from the jaws of victory.

The six consecutive years of bragging rights from 2002-2007 eventually led to Michigan's fans and players being over-confident, brash and arrogant when it came to talking about the Spartans.

All of this came to a boiling point at the conclusion of Michigan's 10-point fourth quarter comeback victory over Michigan State in 2007 at Spartan Stadium.

Once the clock ran out, the Wolverine players gathered around midfield to have a "moment of silence" in order to mock Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, who jokingly asked if he should have a "moment of silence" after being informed of Michigan's monumental loss to Appalachian State earlier that season.

Later on in the post-game press conferences, Michigan running back Mike Hart dubbed the Spartans as the Wolverines' "Little Brother", which no one on either side of the rivalry has or ever will forget.

When Dantonio was asked about all of those events by members of the media following the game he responded with a frustrated tone, a stern set of words and set the tone for the immediate future of the bitter rivalry.

"I find a lot of the things they do amusing. They need to check themselves sometimes, but just remember pride comes before the fall," Dantonio said. "This game is an important game, so if they want to mock us I'm telling 'em it's not over. They can print all that crap all over their locker room. It's not over and it'll never be over here. It's just started.

"Whether they mock us or not this game will be important to Michigan State. If they want to make a mockery of it so be it. Their time will come."

Michigan State went on to win the next four meetings between the two squads after Dantonio's comments and it has been because of the level of importance the Spartans' head man has placed on the rivalry.

The Wolverines are to the Spartans what Ohio State is to Michigan. Their most important rival. As much as Dantonio and Michigan State love to compete for Big Ten Championships, beating Michigan means more to them than any other victory over the course of the season does.

Michigan seemed to have forgotten to take the rivalry between the two teams seriously at the height of their dominance over the Spartans, because of that - and the abysmal three years Rich Rodriguez spent as head coach of the Wolverines from 2008-2010 - Michigan is getting a dose of the medicine they dished out to Michigan State for ten out of 12 years.

Now after four consecutive wins over Michigan, a share of the Big Ten Championship in 2010 and a Legends Division title last season it is the Spartan fans who have become brash, arrogant and a bit too cocky for the likings of the Wolverine faithful.

Even Dantonio has taken a few shots of his own at the Wolverines coaches and program over the past five months.

Michigan wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski was asked to speak after Dantonio at the annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association clinic in January. Hecklinski began to talk about recruiting in the state of Michigan before being rudely cut-off by the Spartans head coach.

"OK, here's what we're going to do," Dantonio said. "We're going to get other people up here. We're going to talk about more than the University of Michigan."

In April, a reporter asked Dantonio what he thought of Michigan's outstanding success on the recruiting trail over the past year. All Dantonio did was smile and deliver an answer along with a question of his own that has tensions between Michigan and Michigan State fans nearing perhaps all-time highs.

"We're laying in the weeds," Dantonio told ESPN.com's Brian Bennett. "We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?"

Unfortunately, for Wolverine fans there is nothing untrue about Dantonio's response and even Michigan's second-year head coach Brady Hoke acknowledged on Friday afternoon they have to do better.

"They've beaten Michigan the last four years and we need to do something about it," Hoke said on WTKA-AM 1050. "That's what it's all about. We've got to do our job. We haven't done our job."

Hoke and his staff raised plenty of eyebrows across the country after leading Michigan to an 11-2 record in 2011, but he continues to remind everyone that the Wolverines failed to accomplish their main goal last season by not winning the Big Ten title, which they would have had a chance to play for had it not been for the 28-14 beat-down they took in East Lansing in mid-October.

The two teams will enter the 2012 season as the favorites to represent the Legends Division in the Big Ten Championship Game and their tilt at the Big House is likely to be a key factor in deciding which one of them it will be.

Hoke and the Wolverines got a huge monkey off of their back last season when they defeated Ohio State for the first time since 2003 and won 11 games for only the fifth time in school history. The loss to  Michigan State though is enough to say the Wolverines have not fully returned to vintage form.

Winning "The Game" against the Buckeyes will be as important as it always is to Michigan and their heavyweight bout with defending national champion Alabama at Cowboys Stadium on September 1st will give the Wolverines a chance to prove they are ready to contend for national titles.

Niether of those games would re-establish Michigan as the best team in their own state, put a pacifier in the mouths of Spartan fans until 2013 and end Michigan State's four year reign over the Wolverines.

Photo courtesy of the Detroit News.

Laquon Treadwell Will Commit Earlier Than Expected, Why Michigan Will Land Him

Crete Monee High School star wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (Crete, IL) has changed his recruitment timeline several times since last fall - when he was thought to be close to verbally committing to either Michigan or Notre Dame - but barring any surprises his latest timetable is unlikely to be altered and as it stands right now the Michigan Wolverines appear to be the team to beat for his services.

Sam Webb of GoBlueWolverine.com and The Detroit News caught up with Treadwell this month for an interview and reported on Thursday the 4-star wideout will likely end the recruitment process during his senior season of high school football.

"I think a decision is going to come faster now," Treadwell said. "I'm anxious to make a decision. I've been going through it for the longest. It's probably going to happen sooner than later. Like once football gets kicked off, I'll see where things are going and everything."

Treadwell's mother has very much been a part of his recruitment and the two-sport star - Treadwell plays on Crete's varsity basketball team - has his mother's approval and support to attend whichever university his heart desires.

"I've been in this recruiting process for a long time and my mom said she thinks she's seen enough schools to be comfortable with making a decision," Treadwell told Josh Helmholdt of Rivals.com last Tuesday. 

"It will probably be late summer or during the season. It depends how I am feeling at the time - if I feel the right school."

Even though the 6'3", 185-pound wideout has decided to end his recruitment sooner that does not mean he is signed, sealed and delivered to the Wolverines. Treadwell still plans on visiting Michigan again along with potential stops at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State among others before making a final decision.

The Michigan coaching staff has already told Treadwell he has a spot in their 2013 class no matter what happens between now and whenever he decides to end his recruitment.

"(Michigan) said there's one spot left and they're going to wait on me to see what decision I'm going to make," the Rivals.com's No. 5 receiver and No. 31 overall prospect told Webb. "They''ll hold the spot. I haven't really told the coaches I was coming up (for a return visit).

"I've just been talking to Shane (Morris) and all those guys (about coming up) and just trying to get up to hang with them. Khalid (Hill) is talking about playing basketball with some of the other recruits...just getting used to hanging around them and everything."

At this point, it is hard to say Michigan is not leading for Treadwell and even though the Wolverines have come up short in their recent pursuits of highly coveted prospects E.J. Levenberry Jr. (Woodbridge, VA) and Ty Isaac (Joliet, IL) this has an altogether different feel to it. 

With Levenberry Jr., the Wolverines were already set at linebacker with a sophomore locked in at one outside linebacker spot going into 2012, true freshman Joe Bolden primed to lock down the middle linebacking job and five other highly touted linebacker commits in the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes.

Michigan did not need another linebacker, but decided a talent like Levenberry Jr. would be too good to pass up if he wanted to commit, so the staff saved him a spot if he wished to become a Wolverine.

In a not so surprising move, Levenberry Jr. chose Florida State where he could get on the field much earlier than he would have at Michigan and also where they had his desired major, computer forensics.

In Isaac's case, the Wolverines were in dire need of a speedy running back with enough size to withstand the punishment of being an every down back in the Big Ten Conference, however the depth chart likely betrayed Michigan again.

Redshirt junior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint will be leading Michigan's stable of running backs until the end of the 2013 campaign and will likely turn the reigns over to the up-and-coming sophomore tailback Thomas Rawls, in addition to a host of change-of-pace backs like incoming freshmen Dennis Norfleet and Drake Johnson along with redshirt freshman Justice Hayes. 

On the other hand, USC's starting tailback Curtis McNeal is out of eligibility at the end of the upcoming season, former highly ranked prospects Dillon Baxter and Amir Carlisle both transferred out of the program, sophomore George Farmer is moving back to wide receiver, Javorious Allen and D.J. Morgan both have a lot to prove and the Trojans did not sign a running back in the 2012 class.

At the time of his commitment, Isaac was the only running back committed to USC in the class of 2013. Since then, the Trojans received a verbal commitment from 4-star running back Justin Davis (Stockton, CA).

To make a long story short, the stable of running backs Isaac will have to compete with as a true freshman at USC is not nearly as deep as what he would face at Michigan. 

Where the depth chart has been a disadvantage for Michigan in their past two national battles it is very much in their favor in Treadwell's case if they are up against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma signed arguably the best group of wide receivers in the country in 2012 front-lined by 5-star recruit Trey Metoyer (Chatham, VA) and supported by four 4-star wideouts.

Since Sooners head coach Bob Stoops suspended three of his top wide receivers indefinitely on May 10th these highly touted incoming freshmen receivers will likely be called upon to play early and often for however long the starters remain on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, the Sooners' in-state rival Oklahoma State signed four wide receivers in both their 2011 and 2012 classes and have two 4-star pass catchers committed in their 2013 class.

Although none of the wideouts in the previous two classes were as highly sought after or coveted by other schools like Treadwell, but remember how many schools were after Oklahoma State's latest NFL first-round draft pick wide receiver Justin Blackmon in high school? Not many.

In fact, outside of Oklahoma State the only other offers the 3-star prospect had were from Missouri, Colorado and Northern Iowa. Not exactly a group of heavyweights.

The Cowboys two-deep will be loaded with several of these recruits and a couple of other members of the 2010 class when Treadwell would arrive on campus.

Compare that against Michigan, who are recruiting taller wide receivers for their transition from the spread to a pro-style offense, where the players he will have to compete against are 2012 signees Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson in addition to the two receivers Michigan has verbals from in the 2013 class C'Sonte York (Harper Woods, MI) and Jaron Dukes (Columbus, OH).

If Ohio State and Illinois were to enter the mix for Treadwell the teams would be about even in terms of depth, but Michigan appears to be well out in front of those two programs at this point.

College football recruiting is one of the toughest things to predict due to how quickly things can change and there is still plenty of time for new wrinkles in Treadwell's recruitment to come about, however the Wolverines appear to be in the best shape to receive a verbal pledge from the Rivals100 recruit.

Photo courtesy of 247Sports.com.

Leon McQuay III Among Top Recruits Visiting Michigan This Weekend, Other Updates

Rivals100 prospect Leon McQuay III (Seffner, FL) is fairly quiet when it comes to discussing his recruitment, but TheWolverine.com reported this afternoon that the 4-star defensive back will be making an unofficial visit to Michigan over the weekend along with class of 2014 prospects Chance Stewart (Sturgis, MI) and Dante Booker (Akron, OH).

McQuay III will be visiting Ann Arbor with his father and this is sure to be the first of several summer trips for the nation's No. 32 overall prospect. Michigan is currently in the mix for McQuay III and made his top 15 in April along with schools like Florida, Vanderbilt, Ohio State and Notre Dame among others.

Although McQuay III is listed as the nation's No. 3 safety the Wolverines are recruiting him to play cornerback.

There is not much information on McQuay III's situation at the moment, or where Michigan stands in his recruitment at this point, but there will likely be more information next week. The Armwood High School defensive back will be tough to get away from the Florida schools and McQuay III's mother really likes Vanderbilt.

Meanwhile, Stewart is projected to be one of the nation's top quarterbacks in the 2014 class and already has a big enough frame at 6'6" and 205 pounds to play for just about any college team.

Michigan has not been recruiting the 2014 signal callers very hard with the exception of Stewart and DeShone Kizer (Toledo, OH), who grew up as a fan of the Wolverines.

Stewart's only offer at the moment is from Western Michigan, but the Sturgis High School standout has already visited Wisconsin, been to Michigan State's junior day in March and will compete at Michigan's summer camp.

The Wolverines would be wise to take at least one quarterback in the 2014 class to give themselves a solid No. 3 quarterback as well as another talented signal caller who can redshirt as a true freshman and give Michigan depth for years to come.

Current back-up quarterback Devin Gardner will be gone at the end of the 2013 season and that will leave only current Michigan commit Shane Morris (Warren, MI) and Russell Bellomy, who will be finishing up his redshirt sophomore season with the Wolverines.

Landing either, or both, Stewart and Kizer would be huge for Michigan's depth at the quarterback position going forward.

The Michigan coaching staff has also done a great job pulling in top notch linebacker recruits over the past two classes and hope that Booker will be another solid pick-up for them down the line.

The St. Vincent-St. Mary's inside linebacker is projected to be one of the top players at his position nationally in the 2014 class and already has offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Illinois and serious interest from his father's alma mater Auburn.

Getting Booker on campus early in the process is a good sign for the Wolverines and the 6'3", 210-pounder also said back in March he plans on attending Michigan's camp this summer.

More updates will be provided about their weekend visits when they are made available.

Photo courtesy of Scout.com.

Ty Isaac Chooses USC over Michigan, What Is Plan B for the Wolverines?

It is a well known fact that the stress and constant media attention from being one of the most highly sought after college football recruits in the country has taken a heavy toll on 4-star running back Ty Isaac (Joliet, IL), which is why he decided to end his recruitment Tuesday afternoon by verbally committing to the University of Southern California.

"I just feel really happy and excited," Isaac told EdgyTim.com shortly after his commitment became public knowledge. "It just feels great to finally have my decision made and announced. It's a decision I didn't take lightly and I really gave it a lot of consideration. I just feel like I can move forward now and not worry about recruiting anymore."

Isaac had offers from upwards of 20 major college football programs, but his recruitment essentially came down to a battle between the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines.

The nation's No. 2 running back and No. 18 overall prospect, according to Rivals.com, would have given Michigan's 2013 recruiting class something it is still missing, a speedy running back with enough durability to be an every-down player in the Big Ten conference.

Michigan's two current commits are Deveon Smith (Warren, OH) and Wyatt Shallman (Novi, MI), who both lack breakaway speed but are extremely powerful backs and have a chance to be productive in short yardage situations for the Wolverines down the road.

The Joliet Catholic Academy star brought a rare combination of power and speed to the table with his 6'3" and 215-pound frame along with the ability to outrun opposing secondaries, which would have made him a perfect fit for Michigan's transition to a true pro-style offense over the next few seasons.

So now that Isaac is off the table for Michigan, what other running backs with the Wolverines turn their attention to on the recruiting trail over the next few months?

The most similar running back to Isaac is 4-star Hermitage High School standout Derrick Green (Richmond, VA), who has put up sub 4.40 second 40-yard dash times and possesses the stature to run over opposing defenders at 6'0" and 215-pounds.

Green is the nation's No. 64 overall prospect and the No. 6 ranked player at his position and enjoyed an unofficial visit to Michigan in mid-March.

The trip to Ann Arbor gave Green an opportunity to see the campus, however he did not get a chance to meet head coach Brady Hoke, which Green hopes to do on his return trip to Michigan this summer.

With Green's timetable nowhere near ending, the Wolverines will have a chance to take a closer look at another 4-star running back and Rivals250 prospect, Jordan Wilkins (Cordova, TN), who also plans on visiting Michigan this summer.

Wilkins, who is the nation's No. 209 overall prospect, will also be making trips to Ohio State, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn in order to gather enough information about the respective programs to begin trimming his list of schools.

"Right now I'm just taking everything in and keeping my options open," Wilkins said. "I'm going to be very busy this summer. I don't want to make a decision until after next football season. I want to be 100 percent sure of my decision when I make it."

If Michigan is unable to secure a commitment from Green or Wilkins, the Wolverines may begin to seriously consider 3-star running back Berkley Edwards (Chelsea, MI), whose brother Braylon starred as a wide receiver at Michigan in the early 2000s.

Berkley's father, Stan Edwards, played fullback at Michigan as well which gives the Chelsea High School standout extremely deep ties to the school.

The only offers Edwards holds at the moment are from Minnesota and five Mid-American Conference programs, however teams such as Michigan State and Wisconsin have begun to take an interest in the 5'9", 189-pounder.

Which talented running back winds up filling Michigan's third scholarship at the position in their 2013 class is anyone's guess at this point and the mystery is not likely to come to a conclusion until it gets closer to National Signing Day in February.

Photo courtesy of 247Sports.com.

Christian Lacouture Spurns Michigan for Nebraska, Derrick Green Eyes Return Trip

Michigan's second-year head coach Brady Hoke and his staff have not lost many battles this offseason on his way to accruing the nation's top ranked 2013 recruiting class, which already boasts 17 commitments, but the Wolverines lost out on 3-star defensive end Christian Lacouture (College Station, TX) on Saturday when the 6'5", 255-pounder verbally committed to Nebraska.

The Wolverines became one of three finalists for Lacouture's services after wowing the nation's No. 25 ranked defensive end during his visit to Ann Arbor for their spring game a few weeks ago, however a return trip to Lincoln over the weekend was enough to seal the deal for Nebraska. Lacouture's top three was rounded out by LSU.

"You know, I actually committed to Nebraska today," Lacoture informed HuskerOnline.com. "I'm actually up [in Lincoln] right now. My parents are up here with me and it's just a good time.

"I committed to coach (Bo) Pelini, coach (Rick) Kaczenski and coach (John) Papuchis. They were all jacked up about it."

Michigan had hoped Lacouture would add depth to their defensive line in their 2013 class, which only has one verbal commitment from a defensive lineman at the moment. As Lacouture went on to explain though, he just felt Nebraska was "the right place".

Although options at defensive end are running low for Michigan's 2013 class, the Wolverines recently got some good news when 4-star defensive end Tashawn Bower (Somerville, NJ) told TheWolverine.com he intends to visit Ann Arbor in July.

"Yeah. It looks like me and my father will probably be going to the barbecue they are having in July," Bower said. "I'm looking forward to just seeing the school and everything. Getting to meet the coaches up there, and meeting the other recruits, too."

Bower does not intend to trim down his list of schools until later this summer, so the Barbecue at the Big House will provide the Wolverines with a crucial opportunity to impress the nation's No. 9 ranked defensive end and No. 250 overall prospect.

"I plan on taking all five [official visits]. What I have to do is take my unofficials to kind of narrow it down to a top five," the Immaculata High School defensive lineman said. "It's going to be whoever is there in my top five that will be the ones I'm doing officials to."

With the Wolverines falling behind Nebraska and Washington in the pursuit of highly coveted 4-star defensive end Joe Mathis (Upland, CA), Bower's visit to Ann Arbor this summer must go well if Michigan hopes to add another top notch defensive end to their current class.

Another highly ranked prospect who plans on visiting Michigan this summer is 4-star running back and Rivals100 member Derrick Green (Richmond, VA).

"The first time I went there, I wasn't able to meet the head coach," Green said on Friday. "I know that's a big thing and they want to get me out there to meet him. They're not trying to pressure me at all, they're telling me to take my time with it and make sure I make the right decision for me.

"I definitely want to sit down with the head coach with my parents. I'm trying to set something up with Coach (Fred) Jackson where I can come down over the summer."

Michigan already have 3-star running back Deveon Smith (Warren, OH) and 4-star athlete Wyatt Shallman (Novi, MI) in the fold for 2013, but the Wolverines are looking for a speedy back to compliment the two power runners they have committed.

Green fits that need perfectly with a 6'0", 215-pound frame and sub 4.40 second speed in the 40-yard dash.

Many Wolverine fans have been monitoring the recruitment status of 4-star running back Ty Isaac (Joliet, IL) closely, but with no decision in sight for the nation's No. 2 running back and No. 18 overall prospect the door is wide open for Green to commit if his interest in Michigan rises this summer.

Either one of the talented running backs would fill Michigan's need for a speedster in the backfield. The only problem is, there will only be room for one of them in the Wolverines 2013 recruiting haul.

Photo courtesy of 247Sports.com.

Khaliel Rodgers Will Visit Ohio State This Month, Mitch Trubisky Updates Status

Despite the recent de-commitments of two highly coveted recruits over the past week, Ohio State is still rolling on the recruiting trail and will be receiving a visit from 4-star offensive guard Khaliel Rodgers (Elkton, MD) this month.

The nation's No. 102 overall prospect and No. 2 ranked player at his position, according to Rivals.com, has compiled an impressive list of offers that includes several power conference programs like West Virginia, Purdue, UCLA and one from the Buckeyes.

"Right now I have 14 offers and my next visit is Ohio State in May," Rodgers told Marc Givler of Rivals.com on Thursday. "I don't have a date on that visit yet but I'll have one soon. It will be in May for sure."

Rodgers has not made an unofficial visit to Columbus yet and wants to take the opportunity to meet Ohio State's coaching staff as well as get an overall feel of the campus. The Eastern Christian Military standout is in constant contact with the Buckeye coaches and Rodgers is high on Ohio State at the moment.

"It's definitely high," Rodgers said. "They are coming down (to the school) this week to see me. My main recruiter from Ohio State is coach (Ed) Warinner. He's a great guy and I'll finally get to meet him in person this week."

The 6'3", 300-pounder is being looked at by some schools as a center, but the Buckeyes like him at his natural position of guard. Rodgers is also committed to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.

The Buckeyes are firmly in the mix for Rodgers' services, however the Maryland native does not have any favorites at this stage of his recruitment and it is unlikely his recruitment will come to a close soon.

Ohio State also received an update from 3-star quarterback Mitch Trubisky (Mentor, OH), who was recently mentioned among the top performers at the Elite 11 camp in Columbus on Friday.

"I thought I compared pretty well to the rest of the quarterbacks," Trubisky said after the event. "Some of the best came out here and 23 of the athletes that came here have scholarships so it's just good to come out here and compare yourself against everyone else."

The Mentor High School signal caller has an offer from the Buckeyes and Ohio State's quarterbacks coach Tom Herman stopped by to see Trubisky throw in person for the first time last week.

"I talked to Coach Herman and everything went great," Trubisky said. "He said he's going to talk it over with coach (Urban) Meyer and see what their situation is on scholarships and if they're going to take another quarterback."

Ohio State already has a verbal commitment from the nation's No. 134 overall prospect and No. 6 rated dual-threat quarterback J.T. Barrett (Wichita Falls, TX), but Trubisky is not worrying about whether or not there is room for him in the Buckeyes' 2013 recruiting class right now.

"I'm just going to keep working on my game for my high school team and just go from there," Trubisky said."

Trubisky does not have a favorite school yet, but he recently picked offers from North Carolina and Tennessee and revealed some of the schools he is interested in.

"I haven't really listed anyone at the top yet but I like Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio State and North Carolina," Trubisky explained. "It's really humbling to get offers from all over the country. I have to evaluate the schools and see what's best for me and my family but it's exciting to get those offers."

Trubisky's next step in the recruiting process is unknown at this time, but it is safe to say the Buckeyes will be keeping close tabs on the in-state prospect.

Photo courtesy of Rivals.com.

Chikwe Obasih and Rob Wheelwright Commit to Wisconsin, Other Recruiting Updates

Wisconsin's spring game last weekend brought some of the nation's top recruits to Madison to watch the Badgers in action and two of these visitors decided they had seen enough to make a verbal commitment. In-state 4-star defensive end Chikwe Obasih (Brookfield, WI) and 3-star wide receiver Rob Wheelright (Columbus, OH) brought Wisconsin's class of 2013 commitment total to five last Sunday afternoon.

Obasih has been a frequent visitor at Wisconsin over the past month and admitted to Josh Helmholdt of Rivals.com on Monday afternoon that his most recent visit did not blow him away, but his past experiences and burning desire to be a Badger made it clear that he did not need to hear anymore recruiting pitches.

"I had extra pressure this weekend," Obasih said. "It wasn't as good as the other times I went down, but I left still loving it so I knew that meant I'd be happy there for a long time.

"It's a big honor for me. My school has sent six or seven (players) to the Badgers, so the tradition at my school is going on and you just get a sense of pride from the entire state."

The Badgers have long been the team to beat for the nation's No. 22 ranked strongside defensive end and top prospect in the state of Wisconsin and Obasih's desired major was one of the reasons the Badgers had advantage over several other schools pursuing him.

"Most of the schools I was looking at - few had the right field," Obasih said. "I want to study actuarial science, risk management and statistics at the Business School and Madison has exactly that."

Another reason Obasih is excited to be a Badger is the opportunity he will have to see the field early in his career after Wisconsin graduates many of its veteran defensive linemen after the 2013 season.

"They have a huge senior class when I get there, so I would probably plan to redshirt," the 6'3", 240-pounder said. "After that, they said I would probably be in the rotation for d-end. I want to come in and prove that I have what it takes to contribute and try to make an impact."

Wheelwright's commitment came as a bit of a surprise only because the Walnut Ridge High School wideout has been tight lipped throughout the entire recruitment process. The Ohio native's current coach, Byron Mattox, knew Wheelwright had been favoring the Badgers for quite some time.

"I knew that Wisconsin was high on his list," Mattox told Helmholdt on Sunday. "He has been real secretive and kind of kept what he was thinking to himself, so I wasn't sure if he was going to commit when he went up there or not. It was kind of surprising, but not real surprising."

Mattox went on to say that Wheelwright is the same kind of receiver as former Wisconsin standout Nick Toon and that the 6'3", 185-pounder comes from a great football "pedigree". Wheelwright's brother, Ernie, starred at receiver for the Minnesota Golden Gophers until his graduation in 2008.

"He has a love for the game," Mattox said. "His brother, I know, has given him some tips, but he has all the intangibles too. He was voted as a captain going into next year by his teammates. He is a high energy guy on the field, brings that to practice and just wants to get better and be great."

Wheelwright should have a chance to make an instant impact as a freshman in 2013 alongside Wisconsin's rising star receiver Jarred Abberderis, who could potentially be coming off a breakout 2012 season as a junior.

The nation's No. 39 ranked pass catcher is the fourth 3-star prospect in Wisconsin's 2013 recruiting class - Obasih is the lone 4-star recruit - and the Badgers are not likely to add another receiver to the group.

Another notable prospect who made the trip to Madison last weekend for an unofficial visit was dual-threat quarterback Tra'von Chapman (Kent, OH).

Although the weather was not great for much of the afternoon, Chapman enjoyed his visit and liked what he saw from Wisconsin on the field.

"It was pretty cold [Saturday], but other than that it was a pretty good, competitive game," Chapman told Helmholdt after his visit. "Wisconsin is a great place with a great offense. They are rebuilding on defense, but I feel good about Wisconsin."

The nation's No. 3 dual-threat quarterback and No. 106 overall prospect has Wisconsin fans and coaches dreaming of another athletic passer running the Badgers' pro-style offense like Russell Wilson did in 2011.

"What they were able to do with (Wilson) in less than two months was, wow," Chapman said. "They like having those athletic quarterbacks and when you put an athletic quarterback in a pro system, the sky is the limit.

"They say I remind him of Russell Wilson and you see what they did with him, imagine what they could do with me."

The Theodore Kent Roosevlet High School standout's top offers to date are from Northwestern, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Arizona, but he expects more offers to come in soon and has no problem with taking his time before making a commitment.

"I have no problem taking my time. I don't plan to wait until the end of the fall," Chapman said. "I plan to do it late June or at the latest middle of July. I know a lot of new teams are coming in because their No. 1 quarterback went somewhere else."

If a Wisconsin offer comes through soon they would be considered one of the favorites to land Chapman, but whether or not that offer is extended is unknown at this time.

Photo courtesy of ESPN.go.com. 

Mario Ojemudia Becomes Michigan's Fourth Early Enrollee, Taking Spring Courses

The Michigan Wolverines had three early enrollees for their spring practice sessions and they added a fourth on Thursday when 3-star defensive end Mario Ojemudia (Farmington Hills, MI) enrolled for spring courses this week. Ojemudia will begin his classes on Monday.

The Farmington Hills Harrison High School star planned on joining Michigan's other early enrollees Joe Bolden, Jarrod Wilson and Kaleb Ringer in Ann Arbor at the beginning of the winter semester, but was unable to do so due to the fact Ojemudia's high school operates on trimesters.

"I tried to star earlier, but it didn't work out," Ojemudia told TheWolverine.com Thursday afternoon. "Right now, I don't know my class schedule or who I'm going to room with. I'm just kind of jumping into it, but I can't wait to start working out and getting to know the team."

Ojemudia currently checks-in at roughly 220 pounds, but hopes that after working with Aaron Wellman's strength and conditioning staff at Michigan over the next few months that he can get his weight up to around 230 or 235 pounds.

"That's my biggest focus over the next couple months, just getting bigger and stronger," Ojemudia said. "I have to prepare myself for Division I football, so I have to get in the weight room. Anything I can do to get bigger, stronger and faster."

The rest of Michigan's 2012 signees will not be on-campus and working out with the rest of the Wolverines until June, which should give Ojemudia a leg-up when competing against his classmates.

The No. 12 prospect in the state of Michigan and No. 30 ranked weakside defensive end, according to Rivals.com, has been told by Wolverines' defensive coordinator Greg Mattison that he will be playing at defensive end and could see some action at outside linebacker.

"Coach Mattison has told me that he was having me come in as a standup defensive end or outside linebacker," Ojemudia said last December. "My role would be just blitzing from both spots."

The extra workouts and practices with the team has already paid dividends for Bolden, Ringer and Wilson. All three of them earned a great amount of compliments from the Michigan staff this spring.

Chris Balas of TheWolverine.com believes Bolden is better in coverage than current staring middle linebacker Kenny Demens and that the true freshman will be one of Michigan's top linebackers for years to come.

Balas went on to say Ringer and Wilson have shown great "flashes" at times, but will need to be more consistent throughout the summer if they hope to secure a spot on the two-deep and hold off the other highly coveted incoming freshmen.

Photo courtesy of 247sports.com.

E.J. Levenberry Picks Florida State, Why Michigan Is More Than Fine Without Him

When 4-star linebacker E.J. Levenberry (Woodbridge, VA) picked up the garnet and gold hat and announced he would play college football for Florida State on Tuesday afternoon he undoubtedly broke the hearts of thousands of Michigan fans across the country.

The nation's No. 15 overall prospect and No. 3 ranked outside linebacker pretty much had his mind up he wanted to be a Seminole after his week-long trip to Tallahassee in early April, but opted to visit Michigan one last time just to be sure of his decision.

"I felt really good about the FSU visit," Levenberry told Warchant.com after his commitment. "But I didn't want to make a quick decision before seeing Michigan again."

Although the Wolverines wowed Levenberry and both of his parents during their return trip to Ann Arbor  a little more than a week ago there was a feeling among the national analysts that Florida State was still the favorite to land the C. D. Hylton High School star.

If Michigan fans take a step back and look at Levenberry's recruitment from an analytical perspective they would realize how difficult it was to try and sway the Virginia native away from the Seminoles and that the Wolverines are not exactly wallowing in sorrow over missing out on him.

The first strike against Michigan was the fact they did not have Levenberry's desired major, computer forensics, which would allow him to pursue a job as a federal agent if football does not work out.

The other knock on the Wolverines and probably the biggest factor in Levenberry's recruitment was the fact Michigan's depth chart at linebacker is fairly crowded at the moment with rising stars and one of the most impressive linebacker hauls in the country in their 2012 recruiting class.

Jake Ryan earned a starting job at outside linebacker last season as a redshirt freshman for Michigan, Desmond Morgan is in position to claim a starting job this season as a sophomore and although fifth-year senior Kenny Demens is out of eligibility at the end of the 2012 campaign true freshman Joe Bolden (Cincinnati, OH) is expected to take over at middle linebacker in 2013.

Mixing the young starters with incoming 4-star linebackers Royce Jenkins-Stone (Detroit, MI) and James Ross (Orchard Lake, MI), in addition to early enrollee Kaleb Ringer (Clayton, OH) who has impressed the coaches this spring, means that even if Levenberry was as good as advertised it may have taken a few years before he became a starter for the Wolverines.

Comparatively, two of Florida State's starting linebackers will be gone by the time Levenberry arrives in Tallahassee and the Seminoles have only brought in two 4-star linebackers in their last two classes.

The final important factor to Levenberry in the school he chose was their ability to win conference and national championships immediately.

This one was a tie, because both Michigan and Florida State are favorites to win their conferences and contend for a national title this season and will be for the foreseeable future if both programs continue to recruit as well as they have since Brady Hoke and Jimbo Fisher took over their respective teams.

There is no denying that adding Levenberry to an already star-studded group of incoming and returning linebackers would have made Michigan a better team down the road, however the Seminoles needed Levenberry twice as much as the Wolverines did.

Photo courtesy of Rivals.com.

Ohio Linebacker Prospect Courtney Love Is Commitment No. 5 for Nebraska

Before 3-star outside linebacker Courtney Love (Youngstown, OH) took a weekend trip to the University of Nebraska there was speculation that he was leaning toward committing to Ohio State, but on his way back from Lincoln on Sunday Love decided he wanted to be a Cornhusker and gave the coaching staff a verbal commitment.

"My family and I talked about it and they really liked it there, and they like my decision," Love told HuskerOnline.com. "...I thought I would have a better opportunity at Nebraska, and I thought I fit in just right there. I felt at home when I went down there."

Love is a standout prospect from Cardinal Mooney High School, which also happens to be Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini's alma mater. Pelini's connection to the state of Ohio and long relationship with Love ultimately sealed the deal for the nation's No. 29 ranked outside linebacker.

"(Coach Pelini) graduated from Cardinal Mooney and I've been talking to him from when I was younger until now," Love said. "Once he started recruiting me, we started talking a lot more and when I was there [in Lincoln] we got to talk one on one.

"I felt the genuine need for me there and he told me that I would be given the opportunity there. He didn't make any promises [of playing time], but he said that if I work hard I would be able to earn a position."

The 6'1", 225-pounder joins his Cardinal Mooney teammate 4-star safety Marcus McWilson (Youngstown, OH) in the Cornhuskers' 2013 class and is the fifth prospect to commit to Nebraska.

Love has also made contact with Nebraska's other linebacker commit, 4-star prospect Josh Banderas (Lincoln, NE),  and the two plan to help recruit other top notch prospects to join them in Lincoln.

"Yes I talked to Josh last weekend, and I have been talking to him a little bit too on Facebook," Love said. "I'm definitely going to help him recruit others for this class.