Devin Funchess is the second commit in Michigans 2012 class that hails from Farmington Hills High School in Michigan. The other being his teammate Mario Ojemudia. Funchess stands at 6'5 215 pounds and has the athleticism to play either wide receiver or tight end. Most recruiting sites(and the Michigan coaches) think that he has more upside at the tight end position. Funchess is a four-star recruit to ESPN, Scout and 24/7 Sports, while being a three-star to Rivals.

Devin Funchess showing off his athleticism.

I had the honor of talking with Devin about his senior season and his excitement about attending Michigan.

SimplyComplex: What was it about Michigan that made you want to commit to them?

Devin Funchess: The atmosphere and how involved the coaches were with the players. The education was a big factor in my decision as well.

SC: What was the atmosphere and experience like when you visited Michigan?

DF: It was very live . Everybody was very friendly and it seemed very family oriented, which made me feel very comfortable with the university.

SC: How often do you talk with other Michigan commits/prospects?

DF: I speak to the instate commits often, but I rarely speak with the others. Although, I do communicate with some out-of-state commits over twitter a little bit.

SC: With Michigan having depth problems at the TE position, do you feel like you could see early playing time?

DF: I think I could come in and play right away if the coaches needed me to contribute right away in an emergency or just to evaluate my performance. The coaches also tell me that I can, but I just have to come in and be ready for action.

SC:What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses at the tight end position?

DF: My main weakness is my size. I'm a little on the slim size for a TE, so I definitely need to bulk up and let my body develop properly. My biggest strength is that I have a great match up with the linebackers. I'm usually faster than them, so it's a huge advantage for me.

SC: What kind of stats did you accumulate during your senior season?

DF: I caught 21 passes for 433 yards and 6 touchdowns.

SC:What do you think is the hardest part about being a tight end? Are you looking forward to the challenges of playing the position at the college level?

DF: The hardest part for me would be learning the different and more difficult blocking schemes. The different footwork is also a bit of a challenge for me. Yes because I think it's the most underestimated position and I want to show people what I'm capable of.

SC: You're a teammate with Michigan commit Mario Ojemudia. How would you describe his game on the defensive side of the ball? Do you like going up against him in practice?

DF: He's just a complete monster. He is the type of player that just never gives up. He has a motor that just keeps going and going. We didn't really go up against each other in practice because we both played both ways.

SC: I did an interview with another teammate of yours, Gairus Coleman. How good of a player do you think he is? Have you been recruiting him towards Michigan at all?

DF: "G"(Gairus Coleman) is a fantastic player. He is the total package at wide receiver. The only thing he needs to work on is his speed. If he gets his speed up, then he will be great. We talk about Michigan all the time.

SC: How do you feel about Ohio State,uh, I mean "Ohio"?

DF: I don't care for them personally.

Devin Finchess Junior Film:


Devin is just one of the many top-notch athletes that Hoke and company are bringing in to restore Michigan to what it once was. Be on the look out for many other football prospects to come out of Farmington Hills in the coming years that may end up wearing the Maize and Blue.

Here's my plan, I'm going to watch the highlight films of current Michigan commits, and do a deep breakdown of what I see. My hope is to give you a better understanding of what makes each player so talented. Also I hope to be more specific and less general.

Each player is unique in the way they play the game. For example Junior Hemingway is a much different receiver than Jeremy Gallon. Junior Hemingway is a physical receiver who is great at boxing out a DB on a jump ball, whereas Jeremy Gallon is a quick, elusive receiver who is good at running with the ball after the catch. My point is that every player has those attributes that make them unique and affect how they are used. After reading these articles I hope you feel like you know exactly what kind of player Michigan is getting.

We will start this series with commit 24, Jehu Chesson. As a Wide Receiver five skills determine how successful a player is: hands, route running, speed/acceleration, athleticism, and physicality/separation.

Highlights
Junior Year http://youtu.be/OUbwWqLOFOg
Senior Year http://youtu.be/y64PkHcuhrM

Hands- First thing that jumps out at me is the way he catches the ball, it's textbook. He catches the ball using his hands and fingers with his arms extended away from his body. This kind of technique leads me to believe he rarely drops passes. Rarely, if ever, does he catch the ball with his body. He is not afraid to catch the ball over the middle of the field. This is where catching the ball with your hands is very important. If you catch the ball with your body it's harder to maintain possession of the ball. If you have a firm grip on the ball with your hands it's easier to control. I also like the ability to catch under thrown balls near the ground, this shows great hand-eye coordination. He has multiple catches like this and is a valuable skill. Lastly, the first play of his junior highlight tape, you cant catch a jump ball any better than that. He high points the ball very well, (catches the ball at the highest point of his jump). In all, Chesson looks to have excellent technique catching the football.

Route Running- To me this is the area of Chesson's game that needs to improve the most. Running good routes is all about timing, especially in Michigan's offense. There are a couple different plays where Jehu gets pushed off his route or cuts off a route early and this causes him to be in the wrong spot of the field. That leads to inaccurate passes. Because these are highlight tapes this only leads to the sliding or diving ground catches I already talked about. I am assuming this caused a few incompletions that we don't see on his tapes. He needs to do a better job of breaking off his routes to get separation too. When making a cut you need to drop your hips, get low, and explode out of your break. Jehu doesn't really do any of that, more simply he just runs his routes from point A to point B to point C. I would say that isn't much different than most other high school wide receivers. One positive is that route running is something that can be coached and I'm sure the coaches at Michigan can't wait to teach him the correct way to run routes.

Speed/Acceleration- When talking about this I am only going by one thing, what I see. No forty times, track times, or any other measure of speed other than how fast a player looks on film. I will start by saying Jehu's speed is good not great. Jehu is a player that is great at catching screens and turning them into a lot of yards. His running motion is very fluid and he can absolutely be a threat at getting yards after the catch. However, too many times you expect him to hit that next level and just take off from the rest of the pack. That rarely happens with him and that is against high school level talent, players will be much faster in college. Luckily with his height at 6'3, he doesn't need to be a burner. He has plenty of speed to stretch the field and be a real deep threat without being a true game breaker.

Athleticism- This is what makes Jehu such an intriguing prospect to me, he really is a great athlete. At 6'3, body control and leaping ability can make an average player look like a superstar. And the first play in his junior year highlight screams superstar, that is an amazing play at any level of football. When he gets the ball he doesn't look to be explosive, but instead elusive. He is very good at making one or two cuts that get an extra 5-10 yards, that should carry over into college. What makes him great in my opinion is his leaping ability and body control while in the air. I already talked about the first play of his junior tape, but on many occasions he out jumps a defender or catches the ball and adjusts in the air. One play that to me really shows off his athleticism is at 3:05 on his senior highlight tape, he catches the ball and as soon as he lands he makes a cut away from the defender in front of him. You just can't teach that kind of athleticism.

Physicality/Separation- Jehu looks like a different player in his senior season compared to his junior season, this says to me that he is still developing physically. Watch the play at 2:30 of his Senior highlight tape and that will tell you everything you need to know about his physicality. At 6'3 and 185 lbs, he has the frame to add 20 pounds and be just as effective and athletic. Separation is always the overlooked skill every wide receiver needs to succeed. Separation is basically the ability to get off the line of scrimmage and get space between yourself and the corner back. There are two ways to do this. First one is to be quicker and faster than the corner. The second is to be more physical and out muscle the corner. Jehu has enough speed to get separation from some corners but his size and ability to put a defender on his back hip is what makes him special. That natural ability is what makes guys like Zack Novak good rebounders in basketball or how Junior Hemingway has saved all of us from doing a lot of cussing at Denard this past season.

In Conclusion- Jehu Chesson to me looks like a very complete wide receiver. He will never be a game breaker in the sense of a Mario Manningham or Steve Breaston. He is a taller receiver that can go up over a defense to make a catch and get some yards after the catch. In my mind I am seeing a Jason Avant type player. I am not sure how he is only a 3 star. I think we found a very good player that I am excited to see in the Maize and Blue.

Oh By The Way- Since this is my first post ever, I would love to hear feedback and opinions be them positive or negative. Also if you would like, please follow me on twitter @iAmBrookBanks
(Be advised, that is a personal account and is not Michigan sports based. I am a theatre student who performs stand up comedy and from time to time I like to make jokes. I just need more followers.)

Erik Magnuson, courtesy of La Costa Canyon High School Football
That recruit is 2012 offensive line commit Erik Magnuson. Magnuson stands at 6'6 and 275 lbs., and will be asked to anchor the offensive line for Michigan for many years to come. Magnuson is one of Michigan's most highly regarded commits, because he provides depth and a need at the OL position. Magnuson's best attributes at the OL position are his versatility, athleticism, and his aggressive nature. Magnuson is a consensus 4* recruit on all four of the major recruiting services, and turned down the likes of USC, Stanford, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon and many others.
Fresh off his visit from Michigan, I caught up with Magnuson for a quick interview.

SimplyComplex: Do you think that you have improved on your game from this season compared to last?

Erik Magnuson: "Yes a lot. I learned so much this off season from camps."

SC: Have you been recruiting any (California) kids? Like Jordan Payton, Darius Powe, Joshua Garnett (from Washington) etc.

EM: "Yes I have. Jordan was in Ann Arbor the same time I was. Josh is from Washington,but I'm really good friends with him and really want him to come and play next to me."

SC: What's your favorite thing about Michigan?

EM: "The game atmosphere and the fans."

SC: How would you describe the Michigan coaches? Attitude, personality etc.

EM: "They know how to win, and what it takes to win. Very family like."

SC: What was your experience like at the Michigan-ND game?

EM: "It was unreal, words can't describe how crazy it was. The fans were nuts. I loved it. Made me happy to think I'm going to be wearing that winged helmet one day."

SC: Besides Michigan, what other schools were in your top group?

EM: "ND, Oklahoma, Miami, USC, Oregon,and Texas."

SC: What do you think of Denard Robinson?

EM: "The dude is a crazy athlete. Lots of fun to watch."

SC: What is your high school teams expectations coming into this season?

EM: "To win San Diego."
Magnuson (#77) gets into position to make a block to spring his RB for positive yardage. Photo courtesy of La Costa Canyon High School Football and Tom Mills.

Magnuson will be visiting for the OSU-UM game this November. This will be Magnuson's 4th visit to Michigan in the past 8 months. Hoke and his staff have been recruiting Magnuson since his days at San Diego State. So they have kept up and maintained a great relationship with him over the past year.

Looks like the Midnight Maize family is getting a new friend. SimplyComplex from 24/7 is hopping on the crew to help out around here. He will be doing a lot of interviews and recruiting stuff. He will be providing some great content. You can follow his recruiting stuff @SimplyComplexMM

With Scout and Simply and my useless skills, along with SCS hockey puck tidbits this should make a super friends like of team around Midnight Maize. I would be Batman of course.

Jordan Payton is one of the most sought after recruits in the country. Payton is a wide receiver for Oaks Christian, a powerhouse that produced Division 1 talents like: Casey Matthews, Jimmy Clausen, Marc Tyler, and Chris Owusu. Payton is considered to be one of the top prospects in California and one of the top receivers in the class of 2012. Against some of the toughest high school competition in the nation, Payton racked up 1088 yards on 45 receptions (18 of which were touchdowns) as a sophomore and 840 yards on 61 catches (for 9 touchdowns) in his junior season.

At 6-2 and 195 lbs., Payton has the size that is seen in many elite FBS receivers, but he also has great agility and hands. He is very smooth while running, which makes him deceptively fast. Payton does not shy away from contact, and is strong enough to run over defenders. He also has a high football IQ, and has a knack for slipping in between defenders playing zone. At the next level, Payton has the potential to make an immediate impact as a freshman and gradually develop into a physical playmaker similar to Notre Dame's Michael Floyd.


Fresh off his trip to Ann Arbor, Jordan agreed to give me an interview.

ScoutExile: ESPN commentator Brent Musburger called this weekend's game against Notre Dame an "instant classic." What did you think about the game and what did you think about the Michigan Stadium's atmosphere?
Jordan Payton: "The atmosphere was insane, and I've never experienced that before. I was high-fiving the security guards whenever Michigan scored."

SE: From what you saw on this visit, did Michigan look like it'd be a fun place to go to school and play football?
JP: "Michigan did look like it was a place I would have a lot of fun at."

SE: The "throwback" uniforms drew mixed reviews, what did you think of the uniforms?
JP: "The uniforms looked so good. I liked them a lot."

SE: Did you get to talk to the coaches, what did you guys discuss?
JP: "I talked a lot with the coaches. I walked around campus with them, and sat down with them for about an hour. They think I can come in and make a immediate impact, and play as a freshman."

SE: Ann Arbor is ranked as the second best college town by the American Institute for Economic Research. Did you get a feel for the campus and town? What were your impressions?
JP:"The town was truly amazing, and I can see why people love Ann Arbor."

SE: Do you feel comfortable with the coaches, the current commits, and players, the town, and the university right now?
JP: "I felt comfortable with everything in Ann Arbor."

SE: Is Michigan still your leader, and do you have a timetable for your decision?
JP: "Michigan is my leader right now, and I have to talk to my family [about a timetable]."

Expected 2012 Prospects:	Position	247sports	Scout
Erik Magnuson	OT	**** 96 OVR	****
Caleb Stacey	OG	*** 85 OVR	***
Chris Wormley	DE/DT	**** 96 OVR	****
A.J. Williams	TE/OL	*** 86 OVR	***
Matt Godin	DE/DT	**** 91 OVR	***
Anthony Standifer	CB/S	*** 87 OVR	***
Royce Jenkins-Stone	LB	**** 93 OVR	****
Pharoah Brown	DE	**** 92 OVR	***
Mario Ojemudia	DE/LB	*** 89 OVR	****
Greg Garmon	RB	**** 92 OVR	****
Danny O'Brien	DT	**** 93 OVR	****
Jordan Payton	WR	**** 92 OVR	****
Zach Banner	OT	**** 94 OVR	*****
Efe Scott-Emuakpor	WR	** 77 OVR	**
As of now, not visisting:
Tom Strobel	DE	**** 93 OVR	****
Kyle Kalis	OL	**** 96 OVR	*****
Yuri Wright	CB	***** 98 OVR	****
Amara Darboh	WR	**** 94 OVR	****
Aziz Shittu	DE	**** 95 OVR	****
Josh Garnett	OT	**** 96 OVR	*****
Darius Powe	WR	*** 89 OVR	***
Expected 2013 Prospects:
Shane Morris	QB	**** 97 OVR	*****
Steve Elmer	OT	**** 97 OVR	N/R
Kyle Bosch	OT/OG	**** 96 OVR	****
Wyatt Shallman	RB/DE	**** 94 OVR	N/R
Jon Reschke	LB	**** 92 OVR	N/R
Shaq Wiggins	CB	*** 88 OVR	N/R
Dymonte Thomas	S	N/R	N/R
Matt Miller	DE	N/R	N/R
Cameron Dillard	OG	N/R	N/R
Laquon Treadwell	WR	N/R	N/R
Kenton Gibbs	DT	N/R	N/R
Poet Thomas	DT	N/R	N/R
Brogan Roback	QB	N/R	N/R
Cameron Burrows	DB	N/R	N/R
Taco Charlton	DE	N/R	N/R
State College bound?
Ben Gedeon	ATH	N/R	N/R
Bri'onte Dunn	RB	**** 94 OVR	*****

Updates
-According to Justin Hopkins of 247sports, Darius Powe is having trouble finding a flight out to Michigan, and might reschedule. He is also uncertain that Joshua Garnett will visit before his season ends.
-There have been strong rumblings that Bri'onte Dunn may not be able to make it to Ann Arbor this weekend. Until his plans are set in stone, I'll separate him from the "expected" column.
-According to mspeedkills, Joshua Garnett will likely visit for the Ohio State game.
-Kyle Kalis has a 7:30 game on Saturday, so he won't be able to make it.
-Steve Wilfong of 247sports says that 2013 OL Kyle Bosch will visit for the Michigan/ND game.
-Penn State's 247sports site is reporting that Bri'onte Dunn and Ben Gedeon are heading to State College this weekend.

Bold = Michigan Commit
I'll continue to update the list as things change. To contact me, either find me on twitter @ScoutExileMM, e-mail me at scoutxile@gmail.com, or find me on facebook. Go Blue!

This is a bit late but I just wanted to comment on the two commits Michigan just picked up.

Jarrod Wilson

He is a 4 star across the board but we at Midnight Maize hand up to 10 stars so he comes in at a 6 star. With a good senior season he may get a 7th star. It pretty refreshing to have a true safety finally commit. I was getting pretty sick of the all the hybrid non sense.

Hybrid safety/LB is like Lost's Kate and Jacks will they or won't sex tension... but not sex tension but will they pan out at either position.

We don't have to worry about any of that crap with Wilson. This kid looks like the first legit safety since Earnest Shazor(sorry Adams). He got the body and has great instincts. He makes great breaks on the ball and had 10-12ish INT depending on what stat boy you believe. I think instincts might be the most important factor in a safety. Breaking on the ball, laying hard hits, reading QBs and all that comes down to great instincts. I think Jarrod has top end instincts from the film I have seen.

I could see him getting some PT in his red shirt sophomore year. With Marvin Robinson gone it may be his job to lose.

They say the kid is a real Ball Hawk... What the hell is that? I always think of this...

Kyle Kalis

Former OSU commit Kyle Kalis gave Michigan a verbal after dropping the buckeyes. Kyle is a 5 star on Scout and 4 on the rest with ESPN acting like they don't know him. On Midnight Maize he grabs 8 stars. He is a very big and physical OL.

In his highlight tape he is pancaking 8th graders left and right.. Well that is what they look like anyway since he has a man body. There was some chatter that his arms are a bit shorter then liked but either way he is gonna be a great guard or tackle.

He could play early with shallow OL Michigan has right now. Maybe as fast as a Red Shirt Frosh. But with all the new OL commits we will see what happens. He has all the tools to be a all big ten type. His offer list was also..the tits.

Naturally OSU fans acted like it wasn't his god given right as a American to choose what college he should be able go to. With not one.. not two.. but three threads on what a loser Kyle is for having free will. People were even hoping injury on the poor kid.

You would have thought he joined P.A.G.A.N. and wasn't recruited by Brady Hoke but Emil Muzz  and was wearing Goat leggings and dancing around a water pit with a giant snake slithering through it while trying to eat a virgin women wearing a white wedding dress.... The nerve.

All he did was choose the school that won't be missing bowl games and won't have to worry about a new coach in another year. He didn't push the Virgin in... OSU fans are ruthless animals.