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Michigan football: incoming defensive lineman could be a star

Michigan football has signed the majority of their 2023 recruiting class. Here, we breakdown one player in particular who could make an immediate impact.

Published

3 months ago

January 2, 2023

Tyler Sakalys-Moore

Sep 3, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines linebacker Mike Morris (90) rushes on defense in the first half against the Colorado State Rams at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan football has had an incredibly successful start to its early signing period for the class of 2023. The Wolverines signed 22 incoming freshmen to their team on the day and gained a 23rd commitment.

Michigan football has solid Early Signing Day

They’ve officially signed eight 4-star recruits, with three being top-250 recruits, according to 247sports. Each of these players has the makings to be an immediate star for Michigan football, but none better than top-150 recruit Enow Etta.

Etta, per 247sports, is ranked as the No. 116 player in the country, the No. 14 defensive lineman, and the No. 20 player out of Texas. Coming out of a state like Texas, you know he faced top high school competition throughout his career at Covenant Christian Academy.

Etta is a 6-foot-5, 260-pound defensive lineman who could enter the defensive line rotation from day one of entering campus. He committed to play for the Wolverines in June and never waivered from his commitment.

High School Dominance

When watching Etta’s game tape, it’s hard not to be impressed by his strength and speed. In his senior year alone, he recorded 122 total tackles, 32 tackles for a loss, and 18 sacks. All season long, he showed pure dominance.

Consistently, he would either power through or run past offensive linemen, and double teams didn’t matter as he was fast enough to get through both and still get to the quarterback. He was almost dominant to a fault in this manner, as the one weakness you can see in him is that he doesn’t necessarily have a go-to finesse or power move. He was too strong for anyone at the high school level to compete with him.

He very well may have those moves in his toolkit, but when rushing the passer or stopping the run, he was more than capable of allowing his athletic ability to carry the weight.

Even when the running back could break free or the quarterback could get the pass off, one of the most impressive things about his game was his straight-line speed. Not often do you see defensive linemen running down the sideline to chase a running back, but this was almost commonplace when watching Etta’s tape.

Not only was he willing to chase after the offensive players, but he, more often than not, was able to gain ground, often leading to a tackle down the field. That alone is enough to get Michigan football fans excited about what he could bring to the Wolverines.

Translation to Michigan Football

While Etta has all the athletic talent in the world, he is still a bit raw, and this could lead to some early struggles with the college game. However, don’t let this worry you, as I don’t expect the transition to take long.

The beauty of entering college with elite athleticism is that transitioning to the college game is much easier. You don’t need to spend nearly as much time building strength and speed to compete physically; instead, you can work on technique.

This advantage is huge for Etta as he will likely be able to get on the field early and often, as he shouldn’t find himself getting overpowered often at all. He might even be the one over-powering opposition early in his career.

I wouldn’t expect all-star numbers out of Etta going into year one as a part of the Michigan football program, but we should hear his name called early on. I expect an impact similar to what we’ve seen with freshman defensive end Derrick Moore this season. He’ll get into the rotation and likely make a big play or two for the year.

Still, as is the case with most freshmen coming into a big-time program like Michigan, it might take a year or two for him to make his mark on the team.

Overall, Michigan football fans have every reason to be excited about the addition of Etta to Michigan. He’s got the potential to be an absolute star for the Wolverines for years to come. Don’t be surprised if we see him on the field early and often as Michigan football looks to compete for their third straight Big Ten title next season.

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Michigan football beats Ohio State, lands commitment from No. 2 player in Ohio

The Wolverines swooped in and stole one of the biggest names in the Buckeye state!

Published

1 hour ago

March 21, 2023

CJ Mangum

Major Ohio recruit picks Michigan football

ANN ARBOR, MI — On Tuesday evening, the Michigan Wolverines landed a massive commitment for a major Ohio recruit. Michigan football received word that Jordan Marshall, a four-star running back from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, OH, has picked the Wolverines over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

BREAKING: Four-Star RB Jordan Marshall tells me he has Committed to Michigan!

The 6’0 195 RB from Cincinnati, OH chose Michigan over Ohio State.

“Some of my friends are big O-State fans &so is my Papa. But he’s going to start rooting for Michigan.” https://t.co/zSlmTMFDzf pic.twitter.com/mrDS9fGite

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 21, 2023

Michigan football lands huge commitment from a major Ohio recruit

According to the On3 rankings, Jordan Marshall is a four-star running back recruit from Cincinnati — he stands at 5-11 and weighs in at 190-pounds. He is ranked as the No. 79 player in the 2024 recruiting class, the No. 6 running back in the country, and the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio. Additionally, the major Ohio recruit was being heavily pursued by Ohio State, though opted to head to Ann Arbor instead. The Michigan football team also beat other major programs like Ohio State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Penn State, and much more.

This elite running back is a massive addition to the 2024 Michigan football recruiting class, and he could be the next great major Ohio recruit to down the Buckeyes in the Maize and Blue.

Why did Marshall choose the Wolverines?

Here is what the four-star major Ohio recruit told On3 when asked why he committed to Michigan football:

“Family was the biggest thing for me. Being with coach Hart’s family and meeting them really meant a lot for me. See how much his family means to him and him knowing what family means to me. Also just the community and culture there. It feels like home every time I step into that building and it’s a freaking amazing place. They have one of the best institutions in the world and I take pride in that and know I have to have a plan after football. I think Michigan gives me the best opportunity. Last one they WIN. I’m trying to play for national championships. Not just Big 10 champs. But world champions.”

“It’s amazing. Me and coach Hart are like the same person and I really appreciate that. I am also super close to Coach Clink. We have grown a relationship just with life and I feel comfortable talking to him about anything . They plan to use me in every way they can in the back field . Passing, running, and blocking and whatever else I can do to help my team win.”

“It’s going to be crazy. Some of my friends are big OState fans, so is my papa. But he is going to start rooting for Michigan. I’m excited to play those guys. Just know after Blake and Donovan leave, just know that we are coming back to run that ball!”

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Jadyn Davis’s father breaks down their latest visit to Ann Arbor

Jadyn Davis loved his latest trip to Ann Arbor, which could be a deciding factor in his recruitment.

Published

5 hours ago

March 21, 2023

CJ Mangum

ANN ARBOR, MI — Over the weekend, the top 2024 recruiting target for the Michigan Wolverines was in Ann Arbor for yet another visit. While Jadyn Davis has visited with the Wolverines many times in the past, his latest trip was even more important for a few reasons — namely, it was his first time meeting the new Michigan football quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell. Campbell, who was recently hired following the dismissal of former co-offensive coordinator and QB coach Matt Weiss, clearly made a good first impression with the five-star quarterback.

Jadyn Davis is the top target for the Wolverines

‘Desperate’ would not be the correct word to describe Michigan football when it comes to the recruitment of Jadyn Davis; however, landing him is on the top of the Wolverines’ to-do list without a shadow of a doubt. Assuming current starting QB JJ McCarthy leaves the program after the 2023 (or even 2024) season, the Michigan football team will need a new, equally talented man under center to keep the Wolverines competitive.

For those around the program, the belief is that McCarthy’s successor will be the five-star North Carolina prospect Jadyn Davis, though until a commitment is secured, all of the predictions mean next to nothing.

Michigan football makes a good impression on the Davis family

After his latest (and arguably most important) visit with Michigan football, Jadyn Davis’s father broke down how it went and what he liked.

“I guess the main thing [this time] is that we got to spend a lot of time with Kirk Campbell,” Mr. Davis said. “That was three quarters of the visit. We got to sit in the quarterback room with all those [quarterbacks] and hear how he teaches the position, the progressions, and actually watch him go to work. It was pretty engaging. It’s a good room. A good room with a good teacher. Very impressed with coach Campbell.”

That was not all, though — he was impressed with much more than just the Xs and Os.

“He’s very, very relationship-oriented,” Mr. Davis said. “He’s a family guy. I can see myself in him at times when I’m talking to him. He’s going to bring the guys together, treat them like they’re family, coach them hard, but at the same time acknowledge when they do stuff right. So he’s a standup guy, in my opinion.”

When will Jadyn Davis commit? No one is sure, and his father was (understandably) as vague as he could be. “Yeah, we talked about it,” Mr. Davis added. “A timeline was discussed, and we’ll see what happens.”

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Michigan receives crystal balls for two elite offensive linemen

The Wolverines are expected to land two elite offensive tackles from Texas.

Published

10 hours ago

March 21, 2023

CJ Mangum

Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Trevor Keegan (77) blocks for quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

ANN ARBOR, MI — On Monday, following a massive recruiting weekend for the Michigan Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh and his staff received some more good news on the 2024 recruiting trail. Two new crystal balls were placed for the Michigan football program — both are for elite 2024 offensive linemen that could end up developing into the next generation of Joe Moore Award-winning linemen in the Maize and Blue.

Michigan football receives new crystal balls for two elite 2024 linemen

On Monday afternoon, the Michigan football team received many crystal balls for two separate four-star offensive tackles. The first of the crystal balls was placed at 4:12 PM by Steve Lorenz of The Michigan Insider for 2024 four-star Max Anderson, an offensive tackle out of Reedy High School. Anderson is a native of Frisco, TX, and is ranked as the No. 186 player in the 2024 class, the No. 10 offensive tackle in his class, and the No. 31 player in the state of Texas.

The crystal ball has a confidence level of five; however, Lorenz is 100% accurate for his 2024 predictions thus far.

The second elite prospect that Michigan football is expected to land is four-star Texas lineman Blake Frazier. Frazier is a massive offensive line recruit out of The Woodlands High School, and is the son of a former Michigan football national champion (Steve Frazier). Frazier did not just receive one crystal ball, he earned four crystal balls within 24 hours from Sunday to Monday, including many Michigan insiders and 247 director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong.

Frazier is a major tackle prospect for the Wolverines — he is rated as a composite four-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 213 player in the 2024 class, the No. 13 offensive tackle in the nation, and the No. 36 player in the state of Texas.

Both Frazier and Anderson could be massive pickups for the Michigan football program as the Wolverines look to stay elite while playing their own style of football. If Jim Harbaugh wants to keep winning Big Ten titles in Ann Arbor, he will need to maintain a steady flow of elite offensive line recruits coming through the door to propel his offense.