Michigan an interesting state to watch in 2017 class
Michigan hasn’t exactly funneled talent to the Wisconsin Badgers over the last 10 years. One player from the state, offensive lineman David Moorman from the 2015 class, is on the current roster and prior to that, the last time UW signed an athlete from Michigan was in 2009 when lightly-recruited Jacob Pedersen was discovered by then-tight ends coach Joe Rudolph.
Pedersen’s hometown of Menominee, Mich., though, is much more “Wisconsin” in comparison to an athlete located near, say, Detroit. The last time that happened was in 2007 when the Badgers landed athlete Qunicy Landingham and quarterback James Stallons, both of whom ended up transferring from the program.
But in the 2017 class, Paul Chryst has Wisconsin in the mix for some big-time athletes from the Wolverine State. This week, BadgerBlitz.com was able to talk with a source to shed some insight on four prospects seriously considering UW.
2017 defensive back Jaylen Kelly-Powell
The three-star prospect from Cass Tech High School visited Wisconsin earlier this month, his second unofficial trip to Madison.
“Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Oregon and Notre Dame are his top five right now,” the source said. “I'd say Wisconsin is running fourth in that behind UM, OSU and ND.”
2017 defensive back Ambry Thomas
Thomas was on the same trip with Kelly-Powell (the two are cousins) and had some very positive things to say on the record.
“This was my first time (visiting Wisconsin) and I actually didn’t think it was going to be that good,” Thomas told Rivals.com. “I had been talking to Coach (Mickey) Turner for about a year, but had never been out there.
“It was a good vibe and I have to get back up there soon, get more of a feel. I got to see the whole campus, but it was at nighttime. I just want to chill with the players and see how they like it.”
“Ambry is a little tougher (to read) but he seemed to say some really good things about ND and Michigan over the weekend,” the source said. “I think Michigan State is definitely still up there, too. Not really sure he's vibing Wisconsin much but he was there with a group so he went and checked it out.”
2017 athlete Scott Nelson
This could very well be the prospect Wisconsin has the best chance with. A projected safety, Nelson admitted that Michigan, which offered early in his recruitment, has not been in much contact as of late.
"Coach [Tyrone] Wheatley did come to the school the other day but they aren’t really sure what position I might play," Nelson told Rivals.com. "They aren’t sure on safety or wide receiver so they’re a little unsure with me as a whole. Communication has gone down a little bit. Michigan is still a great school and a great program so we’ll see."
Wisconsin, which offered in late April, has turned up the heat as of late with defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox visiting Nelson’s school during the evaluation process.
“Scott Nelson mentioned Wisconsin as a school that is showing him more love lately and he said he really wants to visit,” the source said. “Kind of under-recruited, under the radar, high academic, versatile kid....could flourish at a place like that.”
If the Wolverines continue to slow play, Michigan State remains a big-time threat but outside the state, look for Wisconsin and Northwestern to be big players in his recruitment. A visit to Madison is currently in the works for June.
2017 outside linebacker/defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher
Malone-Hatcher made his second trip to Madison in April and was able to spend a lot of time with Wilcox.
“I’m really glad that I went because I learned a lot about their defense and their coaching staff,” Malone-Hatcher told Rivals.com. “The defensive coordinator they had last year was very good as far as football. I think the guy they got this year is going to be pretty good too, but he’s just a really cool guy. Their last defensive coordinator was a nice guy, but he was quiet and not very interactive. I spent at least an hour and a half with the new guy and he was talking scheme and relationships.”
According to the source, the four-star prospect has already tried to commit to the Wolverines, but the staff is not yet ready to accept. Jim Harbaugh was criticized last year for his "meritocracy theory" and Michigan certainly wouldn’t want to get into a similar situation in the 2017 class with an in-state prospect like Malone-Hatcher.
Notre Dame is also a big player in Malone-Hatcher’s recruitment, but if this drags out late into the fall, Wisconsin may have a chance. Look for the staff to be back at his high school this week.
All that said, there’s still a good chance the Badgers strike out in Michigan, a state with two big-time in-state schools, once again. But the positive results the staff has produced so far this off-season has been impressive. And remember, Wisconsin was in the driver’s seat for wide receiver Cody White before an offer from the Spartans ended his recruitment this winter.
Thoughts from Homestead High School
I was able to attend the NY2LA Sports Invitational on Friday evening and most of Saturday. It wasn’t a particularly loaded field, but it was good to see Wisconsin commit Kobe King again. The 2017 guard, according to reports, struggled a bit in his return to action (left hand injury) last weekend in Minnesota. But in the three games I was able to see, the top in-state junior was quickly getting back to his old form.
I really think King, from La Crosse Central, has a skillset at the guard position that the Badgers have not had on the roster in some time. His shot is going to need some work, but he’s long, athletic and has the ability to get to -- and finish -- at the rim. In the highlights below, you can also see the 6-foot-4 guard go the length of the floor for a layup.
Outside of King, there weren’t many other Wisconsin targets in the 2017 class, though the staff is still keeping tabs on guard Luke Loewe (Playground Warriors), who picked up a recent offer from Rutgers.
In the 2018 and 2019 classes, though, there were a few athletes the Badgers have serious interest in. Point guard Jordan McCabe has been discussed at length, so I won’t get into his performance/potential. But someone from his 16U Warriors team had a monster weekend.
Keshawn Justice from the Badgers’ backyard in Madison is really starting to find his identity. An athletic wing who has the ability to knock down outside shots, Justice, from East High School, was terrific all weekend. Green Bay and Milwaukee have already offered and it wouldn’t be surprising to see some high-major schools enter the picture during his junior year. The Badgers are definitely monitoring his progress and will likely get to see him firsthand at their advanced camp in late June.
In the same class (2018), Carlos Curtis is an intriguing prospect who plays for Wisconsin United. The combo guard from Milwaukee Riverside has a pretty well-rounded game and continues to trend in the right direction. He visited Wisconsin unofficially this winter.
Tyler Herro and Joey Hauser remain the top targets in the sophomore class, but Curtis and Justice are definitely giving the staff something to look at.
In the 2019 class, Marcus Domask is a name Wisconsin fans are likely going to become familiar with. The wing from Waupun led his school to a state title as a freshman and performed well this weekend for Ray Allen Select. He’s not an elite athlete, but Domask, who plays for his father, Dan, in high school, is advanced in nearly every aspect of his game. If he continues to get stronger, the sharp-shooter will no doubt be a heavily-recruited athlete.
I also had a chance to see Nobal Days from Butler Elite. There’s certainly a lot of buzz surrounding the 6-foot-9 big from Racine, but he doesn’t get to fully showcase his skillset in the AAU format. Days is still very raw at this point, but a number of schools, including Wisconsin, are monitoring his progress. At this early stage, much of that heightened recruiting is possible because Days is an excellent student and one of the top academic performers in his class at Park High School.
An eye on running backs
Running back will almost certainly be the most intriguing position to monitor in the 2017 class this summer and fall. Deon Jackson remains the top overall target, but position coach John Settle continues to monitor a number of tailbacks.
A hot name right now is Michael Warren, a three-star back from Ohio who recently decommitted from Kentucky. Wisconsin was interested before his pledge to the Wildcats but, according to a source, there’s no guarantee the Badgers will move in with an offer. From Warren’s camp, we’re hearing UW is one school he has his eye on right now.
Also keep an eye on CJ Jones, Davijuan Dean and Rutgers commit Jonathan Taylor. All three, in addition to many others, are currently being evaluated, according to a source.
Odds and Ends
*Look for three-star linebacker James Houston to officially come out with a trimmed list that includes Florida and Wisconsin at the top in the near future.
*The coaching staff is working to get a number of 2017 in-state prospects to camp in early June. Some intriguing names who plan to attend includes offensive linemen Mike Witkowski and Jonathan Gruetmacher, wide receiver Terrell Carey, running back Ezekiel Banks, defensive end Logan McCormick and Arrowhead linebackers Noah Harvey and Jake Powell.
*Top 2018 hoops target Tyler Herro was not with his Wisconsin Playground Warriors teammates in Mequon this weekend for the NY2LA Sports Invitational. Instead, the shooting guard from Whitnall was in Miami for the adidas Nations Training Camp.
Michigan hasn’t exactly funneled talent to the Wisconsin Badgers over the last 10 years. One player from the state, offensive lineman David Moorman from the 2015 class, is on the current roster and prior to that, the last time UW signed an athlete from Michigan was in 2009 when lightly-recruited Jacob Pedersen was discovered by then-tight ends coach Joe Rudolph.
Pedersen’s hometown of Menominee, Mich., though, is much more “Wisconsin” in comparison to an athlete located near, say, Detroit. The last time that happened was in 2007 when the Badgers landed athlete Qunicy Landingham and quarterback James Stallons, both of whom ended up transferring from the program.
But in the 2017 class, Paul Chryst has Wisconsin in the mix for some big-time athletes from the Wolverine State. This week, BadgerBlitz.com was able to talk with a source to shed some insight on four prospects seriously considering UW.
2017 defensive back Jaylen Kelly-Powell
The three-star prospect from Cass Tech High School visited Wisconsin earlier this month, his second unofficial trip to Madison.
“Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Oregon and Notre Dame are his top five right now,” the source said. “I'd say Wisconsin is running fourth in that behind UM, OSU and ND.”
2017 defensive back Ambry Thomas
Thomas was on the same trip with Kelly-Powell (the two are cousins) and had some very positive things to say on the record.
“This was my first time (visiting Wisconsin) and I actually didn’t think it was going to be that good,” Thomas told Rivals.com. “I had been talking to Coach (Mickey) Turner for about a year, but had never been out there.
“It was a good vibe and I have to get back up there soon, get more of a feel. I got to see the whole campus, but it was at nighttime. I just want to chill with the players and see how they like it.”
“Ambry is a little tougher (to read) but he seemed to say some really good things about ND and Michigan over the weekend,” the source said. “I think Michigan State is definitely still up there, too. Not really sure he's vibing Wisconsin much but he was there with a group so he went and checked it out.”
2017 athlete Scott Nelson
This could very well be the prospect Wisconsin has the best chance with. A projected safety, Nelson admitted that Michigan, which offered early in his recruitment, has not been in much contact as of late.
"Coach [Tyrone] Wheatley did come to the school the other day but they aren’t really sure what position I might play," Nelson told Rivals.com. "They aren’t sure on safety or wide receiver so they’re a little unsure with me as a whole. Communication has gone down a little bit. Michigan is still a great school and a great program so we’ll see."
Wisconsin, which offered in late April, has turned up the heat as of late with defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox visiting Nelson’s school during the evaluation process.
“Scott Nelson mentioned Wisconsin as a school that is showing him more love lately and he said he really wants to visit,” the source said. “Kind of under-recruited, under the radar, high academic, versatile kid....could flourish at a place like that.”
If the Wolverines continue to slow play, Michigan State remains a big-time threat but outside the state, look for Wisconsin and Northwestern to be big players in his recruitment. A visit to Madison is currently in the works for June.
2017 outside linebacker/defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher
Malone-Hatcher made his second trip to Madison in April and was able to spend a lot of time with Wilcox.
“I’m really glad that I went because I learned a lot about their defense and their coaching staff,” Malone-Hatcher told Rivals.com. “The defensive coordinator they had last year was very good as far as football. I think the guy they got this year is going to be pretty good too, but he’s just a really cool guy. Their last defensive coordinator was a nice guy, but he was quiet and not very interactive. I spent at least an hour and a half with the new guy and he was talking scheme and relationships.”
According to the source, the four-star prospect has already tried to commit to the Wolverines, but the staff is not yet ready to accept. Jim Harbaugh was criticized last year for his "meritocracy theory" and Michigan certainly wouldn’t want to get into a similar situation in the 2017 class with an in-state prospect like Malone-Hatcher.
Notre Dame is also a big player in Malone-Hatcher’s recruitment, but if this drags out late into the fall, Wisconsin may have a chance. Look for the staff to be back at his high school this week.
All that said, there’s still a good chance the Badgers strike out in Michigan, a state with two big-time in-state schools, once again. But the positive results the staff has produced so far this off-season has been impressive. And remember, Wisconsin was in the driver’s seat for wide receiver Cody White before an offer from the Spartans ended his recruitment this winter.
Thoughts from Homestead High School
I was able to attend the NY2LA Sports Invitational on Friday evening and most of Saturday. It wasn’t a particularly loaded field, but it was good to see Wisconsin commit Kobe King again. The 2017 guard, according to reports, struggled a bit in his return to action (left hand injury) last weekend in Minnesota. But in the three games I was able to see, the top in-state junior was quickly getting back to his old form.
I really think King, from La Crosse Central, has a skillset at the guard position that the Badgers have not had on the roster in some time. His shot is going to need some work, but he’s long, athletic and has the ability to get to -- and finish -- at the rim. In the highlights below, you can also see the 6-foot-4 guard go the length of the floor for a layup.
Outside of King, there weren’t many other Wisconsin targets in the 2017 class, though the staff is still keeping tabs on guard Luke Loewe (Playground Warriors), who picked up a recent offer from Rutgers.
In the 2018 and 2019 classes, though, there were a few athletes the Badgers have serious interest in. Point guard Jordan McCabe has been discussed at length, so I won’t get into his performance/potential. But someone from his 16U Warriors team had a monster weekend.
Keshawn Justice from the Badgers’ backyard in Madison is really starting to find his identity. An athletic wing who has the ability to knock down outside shots, Justice, from East High School, was terrific all weekend. Green Bay and Milwaukee have already offered and it wouldn’t be surprising to see some high-major schools enter the picture during his junior year. The Badgers are definitely monitoring his progress and will likely get to see him firsthand at their advanced camp in late June.
In the same class (2018), Carlos Curtis is an intriguing prospect who plays for Wisconsin United. The combo guard from Milwaukee Riverside has a pretty well-rounded game and continues to trend in the right direction. He visited Wisconsin unofficially this winter.
Tyler Herro and Joey Hauser remain the top targets in the sophomore class, but Curtis and Justice are definitely giving the staff something to look at.
In the 2019 class, Marcus Domask is a name Wisconsin fans are likely going to become familiar with. The wing from Waupun led his school to a state title as a freshman and performed well this weekend for Ray Allen Select. He’s not an elite athlete, but Domask, who plays for his father, Dan, in high school, is advanced in nearly every aspect of his game. If he continues to get stronger, the sharp-shooter will no doubt be a heavily-recruited athlete.
I also had a chance to see Nobal Days from Butler Elite. There’s certainly a lot of buzz surrounding the 6-foot-9 big from Racine, but he doesn’t get to fully showcase his skillset in the AAU format. Days is still very raw at this point, but a number of schools, including Wisconsin, are monitoring his progress. At this early stage, much of that heightened recruiting is possible because Days is an excellent student and one of the top academic performers in his class at Park High School.
An eye on running backs
Running back will almost certainly be the most intriguing position to monitor in the 2017 class this summer and fall. Deon Jackson remains the top overall target, but position coach John Settle continues to monitor a number of tailbacks.
A hot name right now is Michael Warren, a three-star back from Ohio who recently decommitted from Kentucky. Wisconsin was interested before his pledge to the Wildcats but, according to a source, there’s no guarantee the Badgers will move in with an offer. From Warren’s camp, we’re hearing UW is one school he has his eye on right now.
Also keep an eye on CJ Jones, Davijuan Dean and Rutgers commit Jonathan Taylor. All three, in addition to many others, are currently being evaluated, according to a source.
Odds and Ends
*Look for three-star linebacker James Houston to officially come out with a trimmed list that includes Florida and Wisconsin at the top in the near future.
*The coaching staff is working to get a number of 2017 in-state prospects to camp in early June. Some intriguing names who plan to attend includes offensive linemen Mike Witkowski and Jonathan Gruetmacher, wide receiver Terrell Carey, running back Ezekiel Banks, defensive end Logan McCormick and Arrowhead linebackers Noah Harvey and Jake Powell.
*Top 2018 hoops target Tyler Herro was not with his Wisconsin Playground Warriors teammates in Mequon this weekend for the NY2LA Sports Invitational. Instead, the shooting guard from Whitnall was in Miami for the adidas Nations Training Camp.
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