2017 DL Deron Irving-Bey (art by Brandon Whitaker)

New Michigan Man: DL Deron Irving-Bey Commits

Posted onAuthorGarrett Fishaw

After falling off a bit on the in-state recruiting front, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines have returned with a vengeance in one of the state’s best recruiting cycles in history. With five of the top six players already pledged, UM made it a clean in-state sweep as 2017 Flint Southwestern Academy (MI) DL Deron Irving-Bey has committed to Michigan.

Commitment

Scouting Report

Irving-Bey is that prototypical “sky is the limit” type of a prospect. At 6’5’’ 285lbs, he has athleticism and the size that could translate extremely well to either the defensive or offensive line. And with him still being pretty raw on both sides of the ball, he’s only scratching the surface of his potential at this point. With some elite coaching in Ann Arbor, he could be a standout at either defensive end/tackle or at either offensive tackle position during his career.

Kid with a great frame that continues to fill out. Projected as an offensive tackle early in his career and could still play there, but future seems increasingly more likely to be on defense. Long arms, naturally bends well and moves well. Gets off the ball quickly and plays with a good motor. Still developing technique and using his hands better. The bigger he gets, the more likely it is he’s a five-tech or maybe even a three for some schools, but an attractive package of skills. – via Scout.com

Recruitment

As a top-10 player in the state, Irving-Bey was a highly recruited player from the state’s top programs. But early on, it looked like he was destined to end up at Michigan State, the school that extended him his first big time offer. That’s why my Crystal Ball was on the Spartans for months.

However, things quickly changed when Michigan made him a priority.

Michigan’s Greg Mattison is said to be the main man here for the Wolverines as he pushed hard for the Flint Southwestern Academy standout during the summer and fall. And thanks to that pursuit, the chance to play early in Ann Arbor and his multiple visits to campus, Irving-Bey moved his announcement from the Army All-American game to the week before Christmas. When that happened, the writing on the wall was clear.

Michigan received his commitment on December 19th.

  • Height: 6’5”
  • Weight: 285lbs
  • Hometown (School): Flint, MI (Southwestern Academy)
  • Notable Offers: Michigan State, Tennessee, Maryland, Pitt
  • Rankings: Scout (4*, #279 overall) – Rivals (3*, #18 SSDE) – 247 (4*, #186 overall) – ESPN (4*, #258 overall)
  • Composite Ranking: Four star, #270 overall, #9 SSDE, #5 in Michigan

Highlights/Interviews

As for the Rest of the Class 

Irving-Bey is the 24th overall commitment for Michigan, the 6th defensive line commit and the 8th in-state commit. With him officially on the board, the staff will look to fill the remaining linebacker spots in the class with LB Jordan Anthony deciding on Thursday, while LB Drew Singleton is rumored to possibly move up his recruitment to this week as well. Besides that, the staff is focused on LB Willie Gay, RB Najee Harris, OT Chuck Filiaga and its remaining defensive line targets, DT Aubrey Solomon and DT Jay Tufele.

Garrett Fishaw
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