GBMWolverine: Michigan Football Recruiting -- Patrick Kugler (OL) -- 2013 Verbal Commit -- Profile

Posted at 6:00am — 2/28/2012

GBMWolverine: Michigan Football Recruiting — Patrick Kugler (OL) — 2013 Verbal Commit — Profile

GBMWolverine readers: Here is a brief overview of recent verbal commitment Patrick Kugler. from North Allegheny High School — Wexford, Pennsylvania.

Height: 6’5
Weight: 280
Number: 57
Current Position: Offensive Tackle
Future Position: Offensive Center
City/State: Wexford, Pennsylvania
High School: North Allegheny
Head Coach: Art Walker
Recruiter: Coach Darrell Funk
Committed: 2/25/2012
Top 5 other Offers: Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Stanford.
Rankings: 24/7: 4-star … ESPN: ESPNU150 … FanSided: 4-star … Rivals: 4-star … Scout: 4-star.
40-Time: 5.1
Bench Max: 300
Squat Max: 415
Class: 2013 Michigan Wolverine Recruiting Class (Verbal Commit).

Opening Comment:

Michigan’s great offensive line haul of the last two years continued with the commitment of Patrick Kugler from the tradition rich Western Pennsylvania area. This area is know for turning out tough linemen and the son of Pittsburgh Steeler offensive line coach, Sean Kugler is tough.

It is a little risky to rate juniors, but with early recruiting comes early ratings. Kugler will be a consensus four star. There is much to like about young Patrick Kugler, and in a few years, if he does indeed translate into a great center, Patrick may be known as the missing link that solidified the Michigan line into a premium unit. That is what may happen, but for now on to the overview.

Overview:

Patrick plays offensive tackle for the famed North Alleghany High School, one of the top programs in America. He was named first Team All Penn and Player of The Year by The Pittsburgh Post- Gazette. Despite playing tackle in high school we believe he is destined to play on the interior at Michigan.

Indications are that the selling point for his recruitment may have been the opportunity and willingness to play center, a position still in need in the upcoming years.

Great genetics as his brother plays at Purdue and his dad is the offensive line coach with The Steelers. Can you say toughness?

Strengths:

Patrick is one of the more fundamentally and technically sound young players around.

Here is yet again another player who plays the game with the edge we love. Patrick is very light on his feet for a player his size. He does not just block linebackers he buries them. As the above indicates he plays with great leverage and really bends his knees. He also does a good job of getting his hands on defenders.

Needs work:

As with most high school linemen Patrick needs to add some weight and continue to get stronger. His bench press is listed at 300 pounds, and that should increase in the next two years.

Patrick also needs to improve his overall athletic ability, get a bit quicker, and continue to work on his agility. Having said that he is a good athlete.

Final Thoughts:

This commitment will bring up some obvious questions: (1) what about Kozan (2012), and (2) what about recruits in 2013 like Ethan Pocic, Colin McGovern, and possible others? Well we believe the coaches knew they wasn’t going to get Kozan (committed to Auburn) and started looking in the next class for a offensive center.

There are many other needs this team needs to address, but turning down either of those players may be difficult. Numbers always increase by attrition, etc. but the rest of the class must be very carefully crafted. The commitment of Patrick Kugler is a very welcome addition to the Michigan family. Two years from now, third and one will not as challenging as it has been in the past.

We welcome Patrick Kugler to Michigan and hope he has a successful career on and off the football field as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan. Go Blue!

Red-shirt or play his Freshman Year?

GBMWolverine believes he will likely red-shirt his first year especially as the cornucopia continues with line recruiting. Think Nebraska in the glory years.

Patrick Kugler reminds the GBMWolverine Staff of — Former Michigan Football Player — David Brandt, maybe even a bigger David Molk. — who played Offensive Center.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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