Taylor Lewan, a 6-7, 280-lb offensive tackle from Scottsdale, Arizona. Lewan is a high school teammate of Michigan defensive end commit Craig Roh, and becomes the 21st commitment in Michigan's class of 2009.
Recruiting Notes Lewan was unknown early in the recruiting season, but a solid senior year at a new position and a new school has given him the ability to pick from a virtual who's-who of colleges. Michigan offered him after the first few games of his final high school campaign, and when they landed Craig Roh, it greatly increased their chances to land Taylor. However, Lewan's father is a native Minnesotan, and attended the University in St. Paul. Because of his father's roots, Lewan has described himself as a displaced midwesterner. After a Minnesota visit, Lewan maintained that he would still take trips to Michigan and Oregon before making his decision. Taylor visited Ann Arbor the weekend of December 13th, and attended Michigan's basketball victory against Eastern Michigan. Shortly thereafter, he told Rich Rodriguez that he wished to be a Michigan Wolverine, and committed to the Maize and Blue.
Player Notes In his junior year, Taylor Lewan was a little-known defensive end prospect from Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. A transfer to Chaparral High School (a more successful program) and a move to the offensive tackle position (at which he is a better physical fit) gave Lewan a new lease on football life. He has become one of the fastes-rising prospects in the country over the course of a few short months. Lewan is a true offensive tackle, and a four-star prospect to both recruiting sites. He plays with an edge to his game that sets him apart from other offensive linemen. New teammate Craig Roh had a mutually-beneficial relationship on the practice field with Lewan, and the pair helped each other improve. Roh has described Lewan as a gym rat that won't be outworked by anyone. Roh and Lewan also faced
All-conference performers in Southeastern Conference play include 2010 WR commit Jeremy Jackson of AA Huron and 2010 RB prospect Nick Hill from Chelsea.
2010 OH TE Greg Gainey has transferred from Trotwood-Madison to Thurgood Marshall. Without the pipeline advantage, and at a position of little need, will he remain a Michigan target? He stays on the board for now, but he's a candidate for removal.
56 catches for 1,099 yards (20 yards per grab) and five TDs. 132 tackles, 11 sacks.
He has offers from Penn State, Pitt, Stanford, and Maryland at this point.
Want some fluff on 2010 IL QB Detchauz Wray? It's your lucky day!
Junior quarterback Detchauz Wray completed 133 of 228 passes (58.3 percent) this season for 2,564 yards and 38 touchdowns while throwing only five turnovers. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound signal caller also rushed for 260 yards and five touchdowns...
Wray's impressive numbers have gained the attention of several Division I programs. The Flyers' standout has already received offers from Arizona and Kansas State, Sunkett said. Illinois and Kansas have also shown Wray interest.
Sunkett said East St. Louis' offense doesn't call for the quarterback to run often but that Wray has the ability to be a dual threat. However, Wray's stature may force him to change positions, possibly wide receiver or cornerback, at the next level.
For now, he'll remain at QB on the board, but he is a definite position-change candidate down the road.
Meanwhile, new Gophers running game coordinator-offensive line coach Tim Davis, who left No. 1 Alabama last week for Minnesota, spent Monday, his first day with the Gophers, in Phoenix recruiting 6-foot-6, 265-pound Taylor Lewan [2009], a nationally sought offensive lineman. Today, Davis plans to be at Cretin-Derham Hall, which has 6-8, 296-pound junior offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson [2010], who is among the country's elite prep players.
Lewan is heading to Ann Arbor this weekend for his official visit. Other prospects on the docket include: NC CB Josh Hunter (North Carolina Commit). FL S/LB Commit Mike Jones. FL K Commit Brendan Gibbons. Speaking of Gibbons, he's been selected to the Army All-American Bowl. He will be headed there instead of the ESPNU game, to which he was already committed.
Will Campbell enjoyed his Michigan official last weekend. Both parents want Will to go to Michigan, and have mentioned that recruiters have seemed... disingenuous... at some other schools, particularly in regards to treating Will's mother like an annoyance.
2010 OH RB Erick Howard grew up liking Michigan, and the Wolverines would start at an advantage if he is recruited down the road.
2009 MI TE Dion Sims has eliminated Michigan. I knew he was never really going to end up here, and I've been saying (even when he was still on the table) that he doesn't seem like a guy who likes football or has the necessary intensity to enjoy it in Rich Rodriguez's program. It's sad to lose another instate guy, but c'est la vie.
Another recruiting post sometime late this week or early next week.
Etc.: UNC CB Commit Josh Hunter intends to visit Ann Arbor. I had been ready to eliminate OH OL Marcus Hall, because he had been naming a top group without us, but now it looks like he's planning a Michigan visit. I still think the Wolverines don't stand a chance, but he'll remain on the board until they're officially eliminated. GA WR Jamal Patterson remains "100% committed" to Stanford.
Added: AZ OL Taylor Lewan. Both premium sites have front-page headlines indicating he's been offered. He's a teammate of DE Commit Craig Roh. FL CB Jarvis Byrd. Michigan is showing interest in the Pahokee-an (Pahokeeite?).
New Information: VA DE Will Hill. Enjoys a Tennessee visit, still plans to visit Michigan before deciding. SC DE Chris Bonds. The perpetually-injured one now says he's probably not going to visit Michigan. FL LB Commit Brandin Hawthorne. He's still taking other visits. I wonder if the Michigan coaches might discourage that at his official visit this weekend. FL LB Mike Marry. Michigan is in what appears to be a Top 7 for him. How about a little video?:
Official Visits this Week: TX QB Commit Shavodrick Beaver (though that is apparently not the case) FL LB Soft Commit Brandin Hawthorne MD RB Tavon Austin SC OL Quinton Washington
Analysis: Chris Bonds might be a casualty of 2 DE commits. Michigan's continued pursuit of o-linemen definitely indicates that they see Anthony LaLota staying on the DL. Michigan definitely still seems to want another CB (in addition to another LB), as their increased interest in Jarvis Byrd seems to indicate. That would fill a need and keep a pipeline open.
Etc.: MSU picks up a TE transfer. This probably hurts them with Dion Sims. I personally think he wants to go to OSU if he picks football, but the Buckeyes' class might fill up before he gets a chance to commit there.
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