Another weekend on road gave The Wolverine an opportunity to see a pair of commits in Chicago as well as a handful of underclassmen targets.
The action got started on Friday night as temperatures dipped below 40. Despite frigid conditions, four-star 2020 Michigan wide receiver commit AJ Henning put on a show in Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln Way East’s blowout win over New Lenox (Ill.) Lincoln Way West.
Henning racked up 115 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns as he made his case as the best high school football player in the state of Illinois.
Illinois wide receiver AJ Henning is committed to Michigan.
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Ranked as the top commit in Michigan’s 2020 class, Henning certainly lived up to the billing. He almost immediately made a statement as he blazed past a defender and made an athletic touchdown grab in the back of the end zone in the first quarter.
Coming into the game, the thing I was impressed with the most about Henning was his versatility. He played in the slot and out wide, got some carries at running back and returned kicks and punts.
However, the thing that stood out to me the most after seeing him live was his speed in space, which is obviously important in Michigan’s revamped system under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.
It’s hard to find a lot of faults in Henning’s game. The dude is downright explosive and can do so many things on the offensive side of the ball. If used correctly, Henning will be a star in Ann Arbor.
It was hard for me to come up with a comparison for Henning, but I’m going to go with New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate. Like Henning, Tate played running back in high school and can be effective in several ways. They have a similar build and playing style.
Henning happens to be good friends with 2021 Michigan quarterback commit JJ McCarthy, who gave me an easier player comp. McCarthy reminded me a lot of former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel thanks to his playmaking ability behind center.
McCarthy, who led La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy to a 27-8 win over Lisle (Ill.) Benet Academy, is a gunslinger. Point blank.
I had a chance to see 2020 Michigan quarterback commit JD Johnson earlier this fall. And while Johnson is a safe and steady option, McCarthy has that ‘it’ factor and is a guy you ride or die with.
McCarthy has a strong arm, elite level mechanics and loves to push the ball down the field. Like Manziel, McCarthy has a lot of trust in his receivers and makes dangerous throws that allow them to make plays.
The four-star prospect threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns but only completed about 50 percent of his passes and threw two interceptions while trying to force throws.
It should be noted that weather conditions were not ideal and that it poured the entire second half. Even in the rain, McCarthy tossed this touchdown to basically seal a win and an undefeated season for his team.
Again, McCarthy has everything you’re looking for in a quarterback. There is a reason he is ranked as a Top 50 recruit for next cycle. Sure, his style can get you in trouble, but at the end of the day, he his ceiling is being one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football.
One of the knocks on McCarthy has been his weight, but he looks like a healthy 180 pounds and will continue to bulk up with age. By the way, McCarthy is a great leader as well and an extremely smart kid. He should excel under the guidance of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
In fact, Harbaugh is exactly the guy McCarthy needs to help him reach that aforementioned ceiling. McCarthy is a great system fit and should compete for the starting job early in his college career.
Nazareth Academy is also home to a trio of Michigan underclassmen targets. The most impressive of the bunch was elite 2022 athlete Tyler Morris, who made plays at both wide receiver and cornerback.
Morris was on the receiving end of that touchdown pass from McCarthy in that last clip and made that insane catch in the second McCarthy clip, where he somehow managed to get a foot inbounds.
Morris is a natural, athletic pass catcher. While he’s a bit on the small side, Morris has the traits to be an explosive slot receiver at the next level. He also took a short pass from McCarthy and turned it into a 32-yard touchdown early in the game.
Michigan is recruiting another Morris in 2021 wide receiver Landon Morris. It was a rough start for Landon as he dropped a couple of passes in the first quarter. But I like that he bounced back with a key grab for a first down shortly after.
At 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, Landon is an intriguing physical specimen. The jury is still out on him. He has the potential to be a monster target on the outside, but he’s a little stiff in and out of breaks, which is expected at his size, and is still extremely raw.
Lastly, 2021 defensive lineman Ryan Keeler showed a few flashes of potential. Keeler spent a lot of time playing offensive tackle out of need and actually looked pretty good at the position.
He showed some nice balance and physicality as he grinded in the trenches. However, his future is on the defensive side of the ball. Keeler still got time at his natural position and played with excellent technique.
Keeler is listed as a defensive end, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to add weight and slides inside to defensive tackle. He didn’t have a lot of highlight plays, but he did his job and played well.
