GBMWolverine: Michigan Football Recruiting — Michael McCray (LB) — 2013 Verbal Commit — Profile
Posted at 4:00pm — 3/7/2012
GBMWolverine: Michigan Football Recruiting — Michael McCray (LB) — 2013 Verbal Commit — Profile
GBMWolverine readers: Here is a brief overview of recent verbal commitment Michael McCray from Trotwood-Madison High School — Trotwood, Ohio.
Height: 6’4
Weight: 230
Number: 9
Current Position: Linebacker/Tight End
Future Position: Linebacker
City/State: Trotwood, Ohio
High School: Trotwood-Madison
Head Coach: Maurice Douglass
Committed: 3/6/2012
Top 5 other Offers: Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Carolina, Syracuse and Tennessee.
Rankings: 24/7: 4-star … ESPN: ESPNU150 … FanSided: 4-star … Rivals: 4-star … Scout: N/A.
40-Time: 4.61
GPA: 3.03
Class: 2013 Michigan Wolverine Recruiting Class (Verbal Commit).
Opening Statement:
Michael McCray becomes the fifth player from Ohio (So Far) to commit to Michigan and Coach Brady Hoke. McCary joins Dymonte Thomas (S), Taco Charlton (DE), Jake Butt (TE) and Jaron Dukes (WR) in the 2013 recruiting class. By the looks of it Michigan isn’t done recruiting in Ohio either and probably not even at the linebacker position as well.
Much has been made of the linebacker recruiting the past two weeks and four names have emerged, two from Ohio. Michigan cannot afford to take a plethora of linebackers in this class after last year’s class and the overall board numbers of the class of 2013. What to do? Well, the coaches clearly have a plan and it will not be much ado about nothing, the plan and selection is very important to the future of the defense. Some have been throwing out numbers of only two and saying such things just a few days ago as “a two-man class of Gedeon and McCray will NOT happen. I think you’ll see McCray OR Gedeon and one other LB in this class. Again, that’s barring an alteration in course… Which is always possible… But IMO is unlikely in this instance.”.
Well GBMWolverine believes that Michigan will look to add a third linebacker if they can find the right three and the right three want to come to Michigan.
Stay tuned!
Overview:
Michael is one of the top athletes in Ohio’s 2013 class. He plays for one of the top programs in Ohio Trotwood-Madison and has played in the Ohio Championship game the past two seasons, winning the title in 2011. Michael is an OSU legacy, his father was a two year starter. Michael is a good student with a 3.0 GPA.
Strengths:
McCray is a highly skilled athlete with an outstanding skill set. He shows superior intensity and has a very high motor. Michael is excellent in pursuit and blitzing. He frequently runs down running backs from behind. Michael runs very well and shows excellent acceleration and explosion. Also, he shows good hands at tight end and caught 10 touchdown passes last season. Finally, Michael is also a solid wrap up tackler.
Needs work:
Michael is not perfectly polished and needs to refine some linebacker skills, specifically taking on lead blockers and using his hands better to shed defenders. He also must become more consistent with his reading and filling.
Final Thoughts:
We welcome Michael McCray to Michigan and hope he has a successful career on and off the football field as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan who is planning on majoring in communications or athletic administration. Go Blue!
From his high school head coach: Maurice Douglass — “As a football player, he is a kid that will do whatever his coach asks him to do, and you love guys like that,” he added. “We could have asked him to play safety or quarterback, and he would have done it, and done it well. He made big plays in big games, and I expect that to continue as a college player. He works his butt off, in the weight room, in the classroom, and on the football field. I love the kid like he’s one of my own.”
“Michael is the best kid, and any coach would love to have him on their team.”
“He is not only one of the best kids we’ve ever had as a person, but he is the best athlete I’ve ever coached. He can play anywhere on the field you need him to play. You want the younger kids in your program to be like Mike McCray. He doesn’t say a whole lot, but you know he’s around, just by his presence.”
Red-shirt or play his Freshman Year?
GBMWolverine believes he will likely red-shirt his first year. With Michigan’s 2012 linebacker recruiting class haul Michigan should be able to bring Michael along lowly, so yes we see him red-shirting and something we have been talking about for around 4-5 years now with the depth chart. Michigan can now red-shirt players that were forced to play earlier because of lack of talent and the depth chart. Thank you Coach Hoke.
Michael McCray reminds the GBMWolverine Staff of — Former Michigan Football and current Pittsburgh Steelers Player — Larry Foote — who played Linebacker.
Highlight Videos:
Michael McCray: Over 30 minutes of Video from Hudl
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
Go Blue — Wear Maize!