I made my way to Miami last week to see several Michigan commits and targets despite the ongoing pandemic.
Here is my journal from my experience.
3:15 A.M.
Not again. If you follow Michigan recruiting then you know that I’m a night owl. Getting to sleep before 1 a.m. isn’t an easy task for me, and I just woke up at this exact same time on Monday, when I made a day trip to Houston through five different airports — that’s an entirely different story. Today, a Wednesday, I’m gearing up for my trip out to Miami.
It’s my second 3:15 a.m. wake-up call in the last three days. It’s so early that my cat hasn’t woken up to chirp at birds, and my downstairs neighbors still have all the lights on. They haven’t even gone to sleep. Somehow, there is a lonely Uber driver that comes and gets me.
I try to wake myself up by playing some Madden on my phone. I choose the Dolphins as my franchise. I have a feeling my quest for a Super Bowl won’t end very well.
That song by the Yin Yang twins that starts off with someone yelling ‘Miami’ is stuck in head. What ever happened to those dudes?
4:15 A.M.
If I’m thinking about the whereabouts of the Yin Yang twins, then obviously I’m a little delirious. I end up rolling through security after getting dropped off at O'Hare Airport. The TSA doesn’t care anymore, and it’s too early for anyone to be in line.
Actually, everyone that’s at the airport is apparently on my flight. My ticket says see gate agent, so I’m a little worried I won’t get to Miami on time.
Local trainer Javon Gopie, who works with top Michigan outside linebacker target Dallas Turner, texted me that his workout was moving up from 11 a.m. to 10 a.m. the night before. That won’t give me a lot of time. I’m in central time zone here in Chicago, and my flight lands at 9:15 a.m. eastern time.
I finally get a seat assignment right before boarding. But the entire process gets delayed because some dude has a meltdown about his allergies.
He’s upset that there is a dog on the plane and demands for it to be removed. The gate agent offers to move him to another flight, but he causes a scene and says something about being deathly allergic to dogs and how they are now carriers of the coronavirus.
The gate agent laughs, and people start to get upset. He’s eventually removed. There are actually two dogs onboard. One is a tiny one stuffed into a cat carrier next to me.
The entire flight is sold out. Southwest practiced social distancing on Monday. American doesn’t seem to care this morning.
5:20 A.M.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick just threw his fifth pick of the game. Jakeem Grant is the GOAT kick returner in Madden mobile, so somehow I’m still in this game. As you can tell, my plane did not take off on time. There is a problem with a bulb, apparently.
I start to get really nervous about actually getting to Miami. The guy next to me decides to put his dog in the overhead bin for some reason. The dog gets upset and falls out. This is a disaster.
9:30 A.M. (Eastern)
The dog ended up getting shoved under the seat, and a child kept messing with it. Naturally, it runs off through the plane, the exit tunnel and into the airport. Such tomfoolery. It is Miami, though.
I have no choice. I’m going to completely miss the workout if I try to rent a car — I didn’t get one online because I wasn’t sure how much time I would have. I have to get an Uber directly from the airport to the field. Of course, my Uber driver keeps doing laps around my terminal.
10:20 A.M.
I’ve made it to the field! The workout is just getting started, so I’m safe. I traveled to Florida quite a bit during my time on the Texas beat. No offense to Floridians, but it’s always an ‘I’ll believe it when I see mentality’ when I come out here to report. For some reason, things are always flaky, and setting an organized schedule is almost impossible.
With that said, the first person I see is Dallas Turner. He rarely does interviews, and I didn’t know him very well prior to the trip. I was hoping Coach Gopie would come through. He did.
Dallas has great film and an impressive build. His arms are super long, and he’s also built like an action figure. I’m excited to watch him.
Top 2022 defensive end Shemar Stewart stands out right away. He’s a monster at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and already looks old enough to be my older brother — I’m 28. Watching him warm-up is scary. There are just some kids you can tell are different in the first few minutes of observing them. Shemar is one.
Oh, and there is Oklahoma linebacker Nik Bonitto. I can’t stop laughing to myself. Bonitto was Texas bound when I was covering the Longhorns, but a team writer on the beat wrote some very disparaging comments about Tom Herman.
Oklahoma showed it to Bonitto, recruited him hard and eventually won him over. It’s known infamously as The Bonitto Situation in Texas recruiting circles.
11:00 A.M.
We are really flying through this workout. A lot of it is very technical, but Dallas is definitely impressive. I’m glad Rivals bumped him up into the Rivals250 in the recent rankings release.
He was criminally underrated. He’s going to be a stud at the next level, whether its as a pass rusher or as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end providing a pass-rushing presence from a standard spot upfront.
I check my phone and have direct message from Earl Little. As most Michigan fans know, Little was at Michigan for a year before having a big disagreement with then head coach Gary Moeller.
He transferred to Miami and played nine years in the NFL. I had just messaged Little the night before, and I was glad to hear from him. He and his son, a top Michigan target in 2022, are down to meet up later that day. He tells me that he’ll have a time for me later on.
11:35 A.M.
Dallas is a super impressive interview. Out of all the kids at the workout, Dallas is the only one that came over to me, shook my hand and introduced himself — even though he needed no introduction. That stood out the most to me about him.
Yes, he’s a beast on the field, but he’s a high character kid from a great family. His father, Delon, has an MBA from Northwestern and is a very successful businessman.
Michigan linebacker commit Jaydon Hood and cornerback pledge Ja’Den McBurrows were supposed to be here for photos and interviews, but in typical Florida fashion, they are not. I do, however, have a text from Ja’Den. It’s a picture of his Chemistry homework. I have no idea what any of it means. I’ll stick to writing about recruits.
I decide to call Ja’Den. He wants to have a quick workout, so I can film it and get some photos. I offer a couple of parks as potential spots, but he tells me to meet him at a sand pit close to his house. I hop in another Uber and jet over there.
12:30 P.M.
Ja’Den isn’t at the park yet. It actually appears to be closed, and there are a couple of sketchy dudes just wandering around. I decide to post up under some shade by the community building.
It’s so hot out here. I know I’m from Texas, but I’ve gotten used to summertime Chi. It’s like 75 degrees in Chicago everyday. I’m no longer built for this.
Ja’Den rolls up and parks his car in front of some barricade. He doesn’t seem concerned. There is no trainer around. He’s running his own workout. It’s tough to get a good feel for his game in this setting, but he shows off great footwork and speed in the sand. I’m originally from South Padre Island, Texas. Sand sucks, and running in it is terrible.
On tape, Ja’Den is a playmaker. He is a little on the short side, but he’s always in attack mode. He also brings some Florida swag. We do a Periscope interview after the short workout, and he says he’s going to be better than Charles Woodson.
That’s pretty lofty, but you have to like the confidence. This is my first time meeting Ja’Den, and I like his demeanor and attitude. Just a fun kid.
1:30 P.M.
I’m still waiting for Earl Little to hit me back. Jaydn Hood is still a ghost. I’m far away from South Beach and have nothing to do and no plan. My flight departs at 7:30 p.m., so I still have some time. Normally, I would just Uber to a Starbucks and set up shop, but that’s not really an option due to Coronavirus.
I’ve had no water and no food all day, and I’m so dehydrated. Ja’Den offers to give me a ride to the nearest gas station. I oblige. I’m thirsty, and I don’t care who’s behind the wheel.
Ja’Den asks me if it’s cold up north. I laugh and say, “Yeah, but you get used to it pretty quick.”
Remember, Ja’Den has never visited Michigan. He’ll be in for a surprise if he heads up to Ann Arbor in the winter. But overall, he seems really content with his decision. He loves everything else about Michigan ‘but that cold, man!’
1:45 P.M.
Not getting gas station food was a big mistake. I bought a water and one of those soft oatmeal cookies with the cream filling. That would be my lunch. I didn’t want to hang around the gas station. Let’s just say it didn’t seem safe (lol). I walked down the street to a storage rental space and sat down to tweet, eat and drink by a pond behind the building.
A few minutes later, I’m covered in ants. Great. I decide to move. I’m still waiting for Earl or Jaydon to follow back up with me. My plan now is to just find a place to sit down and relax.
I walk further down this street and end up at a lake. This seems like a nice spot until I see a warning sign about gators.
I keep walking and end up at a hospital. There are cops everywhere and some large, scary-looking iguanas. I FaceTime my wife so she can see the iguanas. These things are massive. I’ve been to Florida a million times, and these iguanas are growing like crazy. Must be something in the water.
I keep walking. Nowhere to sit. The next place I come up on is a nursing home. Not only do I want to avoid it because of the coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes, but because there is a long line of cars honking. I never figured out why.
I come up on some car dealerships. At this point, I’m drenched in sweat. They think I’m trying to steal a car, and I get yelled at. I finally come up to a shopping plaza when I realize I left my mask by that first pond.
It was my new Billionaire Boys Club mask. I’m devastated. Luckily, I have a temporary one in my bag.
2:45 P.M.
At this point, I’ve been walking in the Miami heat for an hour, and all I’ve had to eat is the damn cookie. Earl calls me and tells me to meet him and his son ASAP. Unfortunately, they are like 40 minutes away.
I call another Uber and have to kiss the Dairy Queen in the plaza good bye. I don’t have time to get food to go. I notice that my Uber driver doesn’t have a mask on, which is against the Uber rules. I ask if I can take mine off. It’s hot, and I can’t breathe after my walking journey. He gets excited.
The Uber driver goes on a long-winded rant about how the coronavirus is a big sham, how he doesn’t know anyone that’s gotten it and that only sissies are wearing masks.
Meanwhile, I’m just trying to enjoy the car A/C and beat the Bills. I’m going to need some Fitzmagic for the rest of this trip.
3:45 P.M.
The sun is gone, and it looks like it’s about to pour down rain. The Uber driver drops me off in a parking lot by a sports complex. He cheers as I get out, saying I’m a ‘fine human being’ for doing my job and not worrying about the virus. I just go along with it.
Earl and Earl Jr. pop out of a dark grey Tesla with big smiles. We walk up to the park, but other than a walking trail, it’s closed. No workout today. But we do find a bench, where I interview Earl first.
It’s still crazy to me that I interview former NFL players on the reg. I still remember when I was eight years old, and I got to meet Cortez Kennedy at the hotel where my dad worked. It was surreal.
Now, it’s just part of the job. That childhood excitement is gone, which is also kind of cool because Earl is just another dude to me. I can really get to know him personally.
Earl is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Even though he had a tumultuous time at Michigan, he doesn’t hold a grudge. That’s awesome character right there. On top of that, Earl takes a genuine interest in my job and my family. He speaks with candor and is so down to earth.
The rain starts to come down, so Earl has me interview Earl Jr. in his Tesla after clearing out some fishing rods. I can’t even figure out how to open the door. The Tesla is too advanced for me, and I start feeling old. Am I eventually going to turn into Chris Balas? (No offense, Chris. You’re cool for being old.)
Earl Jr. is less talkative than his dad. He’s about business. He gives short answers and doesn’t talk too much about recruiting. You can tell all he cares about is football and being successful.
Earl isn’t around for the interview. He chose to grab an umbrella and stand out in the rain because he doesn’t want to influence his son’s answers. I thought that was pretty cool.
4:15 P.M.
Earl comes back to the car, and I finally get a text from Jaydon Hood. He says he’s down to meet up, but he’s all the way in Boynton Beach, which is about 45 minutes from where we’re at. Earl tells me it’s too far, but I’m never the one to shy away from getting a story.
Earl laughs when I tell him I’ve just been Ubering around and have no car. He drives me to his house, which is close by, and I catch another Uber from there. The rain is coming down now, but I really want to meet up with Jaydon.
Halfway through the Uber ride, Jaydon calls me and tells me to meet him at a Courtyard Marriott. Of course, I ask him why a hotel. He says a pipe burst at his house, and his family had to move into the Marriott for a couple of days.
Jaydon calls me back right as I’m pulling up to the Marriott and says there is a change of plans (Miami!). He is instead going to the house of Louisville defensive line commit RJ Sorensen. He has a home gym in his garage, and their trainer, Nathan O’Neal, is going to meet them there.
I tell Jaydon to give me the address, so I can Uber there, but he tells me to just ride with them, so I jump into a black SUV. Jaydon actually lives around Boynton Beach, but he tells me he takes the train to St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale every day when school is in session.
I’ve always enjoyed my phone conversations with Jaydon. He’s super intelligent. In fact, U-M’s engineering program was a big selling point for him. While talking in the car with him, I can tell that he has the will to be great, and I fully believe Jaydon is going to be successful in whatever he does after football.
5:00 P.M.
I get a text from Ja’Den asking if I’m safe. I appreciate that. Fine human being that Ja’Den McBurrows.
RJ and Jaydon are getting ready when Coach O’Neal walks in. He’s a big, intimidating looking guy. I look him up on Twitter and realize that he’s under the at @FeetHipsHands.
I had exchanged a few messages with him about Robert Beal, who landed at Georgia a few years ago. O’Neal was training him in the Atlanta-area, and Texas was hard after Beal. Funny how recruiting works sometimes.
Soon after, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Deon Yelder walks in, daps everyone up and goes into the house. I never see him again.
The lifting begins, and you can tell Jaydon is a strong, well-built kid. While he doesn’t have ideal height, he’s perfect for the Mike spot at Michigan. RJ jokes that Jaydon isn’t breaking a sweat. But it’s not a joke. Jaydon literally isn’t sweating, while RJ is starting to get drenched.
This isn’t a knock on RJ, but Jaydon is clearly the stronger of the two. Remember, RJ is a defensive lineman. Jaydon is considered a small linebacker. O’Neal gives Jaydon more weight, which he handles well. But you can tell he has to put in more effort.
I joke with Jaydon that Junior Colson would have lifted the weight with one arm. He just laughs. Junior and Jaydon developed a great friendship throughout the process, and Jaydon actually told Junior that he was committing the day I was at Junior’s house. They’ll be a dynamic duo for Don Brown.
5:35 P.M.
I couldn’t stay at the workout long. The airport is an hour away, so I do my interviews, snap some photos and jump in another Uber. Luckily, there isn’t much traffic because people are still working from home. I connect to my hotspot and put up an insider on Dallas just before we get to the airport.
The Miami security line is terrible. There are a ton of people. I’m glad when I see there is a Clear line, which allows me to move ahead of the standard, but it’s time for me to renew. Bye $150. Unfortunately, Clear does me no good — TSA pulls me aside for a full body check.
This happens to me regularly. I’m not one to pull the race card, but it’s absurd how often this happens to me at airports. I actually like that nobody really knows what race I am, but it’s clear I’m not white.
I’ve been pulled aside for baggy clothing. sagging pants, etc. even though most of the time I’m in skinny fit sweatpants or shorts. This time, they give no explanation. Hope the TSA dude had fun feeling me up because I smelled like a mix of wet dog and a foot.
6:45 P.M.
I still haven’t eaten anything but that damn cookie. And nothing is open until I run into a Dunkin Donuts. But they are out of all food, including bagels. I have to settle for a donut. No Boston Creams. Ugh.
I chug down an iced Cocoa Mocha Latte (it’s the best drink on the menu for sure) and somehow manage to type 1,000 words worth of scoop in 30 minutes.
I wait until the very last minute to board, so I can get it on the site and on social. I actually posted Jaydon’s commitment that Monday from my phone on the plane before it took off from Houston.
You have to be clutch to be a recruiting reporter.
9:40 P.M. (Central)
My plane lands, and I still haven’t slept or had food. American gave us some crappy pretzels. Nobody likes those. It’s all about the peanuts. I was actually scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 10:15 p.m., but the recruiting gods were on my side because as soon as I got off the plane, four-star defensive Kechaun Bennett decided to commit to Michigan.
I coordinate with our national analyst Adam Friedman and get a story up in eight minutes from a seat right outside of my gate. I throw it up on the board and on social. When a kid commits, it’s more than just one filler story. It’s multiple articles.
My wife is waiting for me, so I have to get to the car before she loses it. She tries finding a pizza place to get carryout, but everything is closed. I tell her to just drive home, and we’ll get something from Uber Eats. She scolds me and tells me that nothing will be open. I just ignore her and connect to my hot spot.
I’m able to type up the rankings story and commit impact story and get them on the site on our 30-minute ride from O’Hare to our apartment. You have to work quick in recruiting.
Once inside, I get audio of Kechaun from Adam, and I start typing up a story on that and find a pizza place — Rosati’s, which was great but unfortunately got destroyed during the Chicago lootings this week.
Midnight
All the stories are up including the one for 8 a.m. the following day. My wife and I get in bed, eat pizza, watch some weird documentary on dinosaurs going extinct, and I pass out. I literally ate half of the large pizza and had been awake basically all day since I can't sleep on planes.
By the way, I traded the house for Ezekiel Elliott and led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl. #EJ4GM
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