National Signing Day Central: Live Michigan football recruiting updates

EJ Holland: “I love watching Kainoa Winston play football. He’s obviously on the smaller side, but he plays much bigger. I’ve likened his game to Bob Sanders because he’s such a ferocious striker. Winston is a bit of a Swiss Army knife for Gonzaga. He plays deep safety, comes into the box often and even rushes the passer. Winston is known for his physicality, but he’s also a very cerebral player with a knack for making plays on the ball. His speed is legit as well, holding the Gonzaga record for fastest 200-meter. Winston is also a special teams ace and should get on the field right away at Michigan.”

Read our bio blast here.

EJ Holland: “Strayhorn is one the shorter side but that doesn’t matter to me too much since I view him as a pure center. He’s a bulldog in the trenches and plays with a ton of physicality when run blocking. Strayhorn actually started at tackle for IMG this year. That should help him with his pass pro at the next level. Strayhorn is very technical and should have no issues commanding the line thanks to his football IQ. He can continue to improve his feet and athleticism. It’s hard to rank a center super high, but he is one of the best in the nation.”

Read our bio blast on Strayhorn.

EJ Holland: “Holly is a high floor EDGE who should be a nice depth piece and potential late career starter. I have him ranked as a high three star. He tested really well this offseason and added some weight to his frame. He also plays with really solid technique. However, he still has to put it all together. You don’t necessarily see the power or explosion on tape that you would expect from his testing. His motor is also a bit inconsistent. Holly was injured during his senior season, so we didn’t get a full scope of his game.”

Read our bio blast on Holly.

EJ Holland: “I had a chance to see Young live in the spring, and he’s a very impressive athlete who also excels at wide receiver and has verified track times. Michigan wants to find more Rod Moore types to fill the nickel role, and Young definitely fits the description. He’s not overly tall, but he has good length, closing speed and physicality — all of which were positive traits for Moore. Young is still raw and may need some time to develop, but I really like him. I had the same opinion of Moore, but he surprised me and got on the field right away.”

Read our bio blast on Young

EJ Holland: “Like the services, I see Babalola as a five-star prospect. He’s an athletic tackle with an AAU basketball background and is continuing to polish up his pass pro. For someone that’s a bit new to the sport — he didn’t start on varsity until last year — I’m very impressed with how physical and dominant he is as a run blocker. His film is full of pancakes and authoritative finishes. Babalola’s ceiling is scary, but he already has the tools to play early at Michigan, which isn’t easy for an offensive lineman to do.”

Read our Bio Blast on Babalola

EJ Holland: “Marsh is a big addition to a Michigan wide receiver room in need of help. The Top 100 prospect could be an impact player as a true freshman. While he doesn’t have elite speed, Marsh checks a lot of other boxes. He runs great routes, is a natural pass catcher, is one of the best in-the-air ball winners in the country and plays bigger than his size. He’s also a playmaker in the open field, running over defensive backs and delivering brutal stiff arms. Very willing run blocker as well.”

Read our Bio Blast on Marsh

EJ Holland: “Parker is having a monster senior season, setting multiple records. I got to see him live for the first time last month, and he’s a taller, athletic back who doubles as a pass catching threat out of the backfield. However, he is at his best running between the tackles. Parker plays with power and loves to run defenders over. He’s a consistent yard churner and could get some early time at Michigan. However, I would love to see him improve his speed and burst. Parker doesn’t necessarily have that second gear yet.”

Read our Bio Blast on Parker

EJ Holland: “I have Marshall ranked lower than all of the services but still in the Top 125-175 range. He’s a bit shorter than his listed 6-foot-4 and has a bit of a narrow build, which makes me question how much weight he can add. He can stick at EDGE, but I think Michigan will find a way to pack the weight on him and turn him into a 4i or three. He’s super athletic. Plays tight end and wide receiver for his team and was a plus basketball player. He also has a great get off and consistent motor.”

Read our Bio Blast on Marshall

EJ Holland: “Obviously, Earls was my personal favorite in the class. I love him as a kid, but he also happens to be my highest ranked signee on the defensive side of the ball. Earls is a big corner at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. He has terrific length and plays with physicality. But he’s also a terrific athlete who could have been a P4 wide receiver. Not only that, Earls runs a blistering 10.6 100-meter and was the Virginia state champion in the long jump as a junior. He’s not as technically refined as Will Johnson but he may be a better athlete. He’s a five-star for me.”

Read our Bio Blast on Earls

EJ Holland: “Washington was a big riser in the latest On3 rankings update, but I don’t necessarily agree with it. Washington has the height at 6-foot-3 and an athletic frame. He shows excellent body control and a terrific catch radius. He also has good speed for his size and can stretch the field vertically. Willing run blocker. However, he needs to add more weight to his frame and learn to use his size to his advantage. I’d love to see more physicality from him. Right now, I have him graded as a high three/low four.”

Read our Bio Blast on Washington

EJ Holland: “I did not get to see Patterson live, and his rankings are all over the place. Right now, I have him graded as a low-four star. Patterson is an athletic prospect who spends a lot of time rushing the passer. However, he has the frame to add a lot of weight and eventually become a 4i. I see him following a similar path as Kris Jenkins, who was also more of an EDGE as a recruit but added a ton of weight and became a star defensive lineman in Ann Arbor.”

Read our Bio Blast on Patterson

EJ Holland: “Owens has received plenty of comparisons to Max Bredeson, and with good reason. Owens is a devastating run blocker who takes pride in playing more of an H-Back/fullback position. He’s just an old-school, throwback player. Owens loves to get physical and nasty, often playing like a wild mountain man. He stars on the defensive side of the ball and actually had an offer to play linebacker from Brian Jean-Mary. Owens is a better pass catcher than Bredeson and can be a true threat in the receiving game. Owens is a culture builder and a future team captain.”

Read our Bio Blast on Owens

EJ Holland: “Taylor is one of the lower ranked recruits in the class, but I could see him being a deep sleeper. I know he’s listed as a linebacker, but I love his upside as an EDGE. I could definitely see him following a similar path as Jaylen Harrell, who was also listed as a linebacker (for a bit) as a recruit. Taylor has the length and athleticism that pops out right away. While he’s a work in progress from a technical standpoint, there is a reason the staff made him a top overall priority early on. Michigan has always been very high on Taylor.”

Read our Bio Blast on Taylor

EJ Holland: “I have Gach ranked as a borderline Top 300 prospect, but that’s certainly doesn’t mean I’m down on him. I see him as a two-year starter type who can be an absolute mauler as a guard. Gach doesn’t offer much tackle flexibility, but that’s completely fine. He fits Michigan’s smash mentality and is excellent as a run blocker. Gach showed some improved athleticism as a senior, which was good to see. I still think he can continue to improve there as well as his feet. But he plays with great physicality and finishes blocks.”
Read our Bio Blast on Gach

EJ Holland: “Browder is a very intriguing prospect who I have graded in the high three-star/low four-star range. I’m actually told that he was a personal favorite of head coach Sherrone Moore, who pushed for the Wolverines to make him a top priority. Browder adds some much needed size to the wide receiver room, measuring in at 6-foot-5 on his official visit. He has a thick frame at 205 pounds and can be a physical presence on the outside. But… he is very, very raw.”

Read our Bio Blast on Browder

It will be a naturally busy day. Our EJ Holland put up a pair of pieces to preview Wednesday’s events:
• National Signing Day Preview: Final predictions for remaining Michigan targets
• Best case, worst case scenarios for Michigan on National Signing Day

EJ Holland: “Johnson is one of the country’s most fascinating prospects. He was a Junior Olympian and a highly touted recruit as a freshman. Unfortunately, Johnson tore his ACL and has played limited snaps over the last few years. He did have a strong game against Florida powerhouse Cocoa this fall, rushing for more than 100 yards and a TD. However, his carries were limited this year. He’s almost impossible to rank. A complete boom or bust.”

Read our Bio Blast on Johnson

EJ Holland: “Kanka was my lowest graded commit going into the fall. Remember, he originally committed to former defensive line coach Mike Elston, who really lied prospects with his frame. Kanka looked bigger as a senior than his 6-foot-4, 263-pound listing. While he lacks athleticism, he’s a hard-nosed player who uses his brute strength and above average technique to his advantage. He’s a hard working glue guy who will bring his lunch pail to work. I expect him to be a depth player as a three or eventually move over to the offensive line ala Dominick Giudice.”

Read our Bio Blast on Kanka

Read Holland’s insider piece here.