ESPN Recruiting Nation Football

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 offensive lineman David Dawson (Detroit/Cass Tech) was committed to Michigan for several months before an October trip to the University of Florida violated Wolverines coach Brady Hoke's no-visit policy, causing the prospect and Michigan to part ways. The Wolverines then re-offered the No. 1 offensive guard in the nation a month ago.

“I was going to abide by their rules and I did not want to disrespect Coach [Brady] Hoke, but I had some family issues at the time with my father passing away, so I felt like football was a chance to get away,” Dawson said. “So I felt I had five free visits, so why not take them?”

After his official visit to Florida, Dawson sent out a message.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Offensive tackle Cameron Hunt (Corona, Calif./Centennial), committed to Cal since July, is about to get busy again with recruiting.

Hunt plans to visit Michigan on Jan. 11 after he returns home from the Under Armour All-America Game, Oregon on Jan. 18 and Cal on Jan. 25.

He’s also considering Ohio State, though he has yet to set a visit. It has been a long road for Hunt, who drew little recruiting interest before a breakout camp circuit last spring.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Practices began Monday morning for the Under Armour All-America Game at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports without outside linebacker Mike McCray II (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison), who underwent surgery this month to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

McCray, a Michigan commit, walked through registration Sunday with his arm in a sling. He said he was disappointed to miss the chance to practice and play this week with five other U-M pledges on the White Team.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) will be making his college decision at the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday.

The four-star athlete has a top five of USC, Michigan, Oregon, Vanderbilt and FSU, but McQuay said he won't have all five hats for his selection on Friday.

"Yeah ... I don't know [if Michigan still in consideration]. I don't know how many hats I'll have up there," he said. "My dad said he wasn't paying for five hats. I'll probably only have three hats up there.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The recruiting process is nothing new for junior athlete Nate Hall (Sylvania, Ohio/Southview) since both his brother Jimmy, now a sophomore at Northwestern, and friend Allen Gant went through the process.

Hall had seen what his brother and Gant, now at Michigan, went through and how they conducted themselves. That has helped him in the early stages of his recruitment.

“I went through some of these things with my brother, so I had a head-start on everything,” he said. “I already know what to expect and how everything will happen. Based off my brother’s recruitment, he didn’t get his first offers until around the spring, so I’ll just wait for then to see what happens.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan will need a big, athletic receiver next season, especially if Devin Gardner winds up at quarterback.

One of the bigger names remaining on Michigan's 2013 recruiting board would fit the bill perfectly.

Laquon Treadwell (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) has kept track of recruiting classes as well as shifts in depth charts. The 6-foot-3 four-star receiver wants to play early, so both will likely affect his decision. He's also looking at how teams are playing, and while the Wolverines are running a quasi-spread offense with Denard Robinson, he's well aware of their plans to move to a pro-style offense, so he has read up on that.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Derrick Green is planning to take an official visit to Ole Miss for the Auburn game Oct. 13, the four-star tailback told ESPN via text message Sunday.

The ESPN 150 prospect from Richmond (Va.) Hermitage has expressed strong interest in both schools. Green has said helping build a program at Ole Miss is appealing. He has also expressed strong interest in Auburn. He has raved about two visits there and cited a close relationship with its coaching staff as a strong factor in his recruitment.

Green took an official visit to Tennessee for the Florida game Sept. 15. He has an official visit planned for the Michigan-Michigan State game Oct. 20, and he has said he'll definitely take an official visit to Auburn. He is also considering an official visit to Oregon and Virginia Tech.

On Friday, Green ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries as Hermitage beat Richmond (Va.) Varina 20-17.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Most high school seniors who have committed to Division I programs look forward to their freshman seasons in hopes of seeing what college life is all about.

Patrick Kugler (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) is already thinking past that.

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound offensive tackle for the Tigers will move over to guard or center for Michigan and is already thinking about playing in front of 2013 quarterback Shane Morris (Warren, Mich./De La Salle) down the line.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

MASSILLON -- A Big Ten team has yet to offer 2014 guard Nathaniel Devers (Massillon, Ohio/Washington), but that does not mean the offers aren’t coming.

In fact, two Big Ten teams are already at the top of Devers’ list.

“Michigan is my No. 1 and Northwestern is second,” Devers said, “but that could change.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) roster is headlined by two ESPN 150 seniors, but the Rams’ 2014 class is a strong one, too. And star running back Ashton Jackson is one of Trotwood-Madison’s best players -- regardless of class.

The 5-foot-10, 182-pound junior had a breakout sophomore season, and he said he only got better this offseason.

“Catching the ball, I just had to work on focus because that’s the key,” Jackson said, “and my footwork, I practiced doing speed drills.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Under Armour All-American quarterback Shane Morris (Warren Mich./De La Salle) has been committed to Michigan for more than a year. And while Morris is disappointed in seeing prospects back out of early commitments during the 2013 recruiting cycle, the ESPN 150 prospect has enjoyed getting his recruitment out of the way before his junior season.

“I do not think it is good to see a lot of decommitments,” Morris said. “If you commit to a school, then that should be where you want to be so you should not break your promise. For me, committing early made everything easy as I can focus on my high school and helping recruit for Michigan. We have a great class in terms of quality and quantity, so that is really exciting.”

Morris is taking advantage of this weekend’s Champion Gridiron Kings event to do some additional recruiting for the Wolverines.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Orlando Brown Jr. (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) saw Friday how big Ohio State is and the 6-foot-8, 370-pound offensive tackle loved it. Brown was in Columbus to visit the campus and the Buckeyes made an impression.

“It was pretty interesting,” Brown said. “I got to meet some of the coaches. I got to check out the campus, which is huge. I got to learn a little bit more -- definitely got to learn a little bit more -- about what they have to offer.”

What Ohio State has to offer might just fit into Brown’s future as the 2014 recruit will no doubt feel the pressure as schools pick up the intensity for his services.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Michigan State is getting the ball rolling on its 2014 class -- in football and basketball.

Rising junior athlete Drake Harris (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) committed to the Spartans in a ceremony at his school Wednesday.

"I went up to Michigan State and they offered me for both football and basketball," he told WolverineNation’s Tom VanHaaren. "That's what I want and I feel like it's the best place for me.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider