(via AP Photo/Tony Ding)

Inside the Fish Bowl: Late August Football and Recruiting Update

Posted onAuthorGarrett Fishaw

Football is back and the Michigan submarine is starting to finally emerge from the depths of training camp. Plenty of the current commits enjoyed a fast start to their senior seasons while some huge news was released this past week and weekend on the recruiting and football front. So, dive on in and enjoy:

Current Commits Go Bananas 

RB/S Kiante Enis

RB/CB Chris Evans

QB/ATH Victor Viramontes

https://twitter.com/Vicious_Vic10/status/634750223680675842

https://twitter.com/Vicious_Vic10/status/634922300635090944

Viramontes’ Full Scrimmage Highlights 

LB David Reese

QB Brandon Peters

In the Army (All-American Game) Now

When Michigan missed on KJ Costello and instead landed Brandon Peters, some fans were a little bummed that Harbaugh didn’t land himself a “elite” quarterback. However, Peters has done more than enough to prove that he not only is elite but could be one of the top 3-5 signal callers in the 2016 class.

Not only was he named to the final Elite 11 rankings but he was almost scouted and LOVED by an NFL scout who went over the 2016 class for 247Sports. And now he’ll be participating in the U.S. Amy All-American Game this winter:

https://twitter.com/Bpeters2118/status/635139372828917760

So, for anyone who is still on Harbaugh for not being able to land an elite QB…..I don’t even know what to tell you.

Gary Almost Jumps 

Almost. While it only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and telling your friends that a girl was about to give you her number at the bar, it is also a nice feeling in the recruiting world as well. Especially when it has to do with the #1 overall recruit in the country.

According to The Wolverine crew’s latest Inside the Fort, Paramus Catholic (NJ) DT Rashan Gary was “extremely close to committing” when he was on campus with his mother this summer ($).

It’s not the greatest news ever but it really does show why most Michigan analysts are so optimistic about the Wolverines’ chances to bring in the top target. If the staff can get him on campus for an official this fall, I wouldn’t rule out him giving his pledge (public or silent) to Coach Harbaugh in person.

Two of the Pipeline 9 in Town for Practice 

Michigan held a student-only practice on Saturday night but it wasn’t only for Michigan students, it also was open to some of their top recruiting targets.

While I was unable to confirm all of the names that were in attendance, a source close to the situation let me know that 2016 LB commit David Reese, 2017 LB Josh Ross, 2017 OT Ja’Raymond Hall and 2018 ATH Rashawn Allen were on hand.

When I asked them how things are looking for Michigan and Ross, they said “I think it’s soon”. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t already put together his commitment post.

As for how the team looked, they mentioned how the offense was able to move the ball and how solid and aggressive the defense looked. They also said that Grant Perry and Drake Harris were running with the ones.

For more on the Saturday night practice, check out the Practice Tweet-Cap.

Fish-tradamus 3.0 

How about that? Another shot in the dark/calculated bold prediction may be coming true for my alter ego, Fish-tradamus as Michigan insider and The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb is hearing that former Cass Tech (MI) stand out RS Sophomore David Dawson is making waves on the offensive line ($):

….word out of camp this week has (Dave) Dawson getting some reps with the first string at left guard”.

Webb was hearing these things while the submarine was still deep in the ocean and it looks like his sources are seeing/hearing the right things as Dawson also saw time with the ones during the student-only practice:

While the offensive line isn’t looking like it’ll be exactly right, if Dawson keeps improving, the starters could be the five names that I boldly predicted before the start of camp.

As for even more of a reach of a prediction, on Friday Webb had also been hearing that Henry Poggi has become the “best blocking tight end” so far in camp ($) which brings me to this tweet from Thursday:

It may not exactly be a prediction but Webb’s words are a good back up to what I am expecting out of Poggi in 2015 and beyond. Keep a close eye on the #19 not playing quarterback (Wilton Speight) or linebacker (Jared Wangler).

By the way, please look at Poggi’s team picture on MGoBlue.com. It’s amazing.

poggi

So, Long ‘Pop’? 

As for other tight end news, according to both 247Sports and The Wolverine, Naseir Upshur has all but publicly committed to Florida State and will likely make it known next week barring an incredible recruiting effort by the Harbaugh’s and Michigan. And you can’t say they aren’t trying:

If you don’t believe the inside sources from the two sites, one of FSU’s top 2017 commits basically spilled the beans on Twitter earlier in the week as well:

https://twitter.com/iamlevonta/status/634393672583409664

So, what’s next for Michigan’s 2016 tight end recruiting? I don’t believe the staff will completely give up on Upshur seeing that this is college football recruiting and just about every commitment thinks twice about their decision, especially when committing before the start of the season. Besides ‘Pop’, Michigan is likely all in on the tight end that Upshur replaced in the Seminoles’ class, IMG Academy’s Isaac Nauta.

He may be seen as a near lock to stay home and attend Georgia but, like I’ve said many times, if Michigan gets off to a hot start and highlights TE Jake Butt, like expected, and can get Nauta on campus for his official before he decides, they have a real shot at landing the nation’s #1 tight end.

If they cannot land Nauta, it has been reported multiple times that Michigan would be happy with one tight end in 2016 and current commit Sean McKeon is that guy. When you add in the development of current underclassman Ian Bunting, Tyrone Wheatley Jr, Henry Poggi, Khalid Hill and Chase Winovich, you can see why they’re perfectly fine with taking one guy.

2017 Quick Hitters 

  • CB Lamont Wade was recently followed by Jim Harbaugh on Twitter but he still has yet to hear anything from the staff. And they’ll need to pick things up quickly if they want to stand a chance with Wade.
  • I added St Thomas Aquinas (FL) DT Kedonis Haslem to my August BGRC and soon after, he released his top three (which includes Michigan) to 247Sports ($).
  • Top QB Hunter Johnson committed to Tennessee over Notre Dame. Michigan also had offered him.
  • Keep a close eye on this class moving forward. Both the coaching and recruiting staff has been very active on Twitter recently. I wouldn’t be shocked to see several offers go out once camp lets out.
Garrett Fishaw
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