Prospects from Michigan shine at passing camp

By Sam Webb
Special to The Detroit Free Press

COLUMBUS, OHIO--Michigan doesn't have a reputation for being one of the most talent-rich football states in the country, but that certainly wasn't evident at the Badger Sports/Scout.com passing camp at Ohio State last weekend. A number of the state's best prospects put their talents on display inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex, and when the dust settled, they were among those that had shined the brightest.

Camps such as these are often litmus tests for both athletes and analysts alike. One of the players under both parties' microscopes was Orchard Lake St. Mary's quarterback Robert Bolden. Because he had made it to only one practice before the event, the Eaglets signal caller was second in the rotation behind Detroit Southeastern quarterback Ed Thomas. Bolden's lack of familiarity with the plays and his teammates was evident at the start, but his comfort level increased as the camp progressed. It was at that point that he began showing why his scholarship tally recently climbed to 19.

"He's a good kid," said the man in charge of Team Michigan's offense, Detroit Southeastern assistant Dion Godfrey. "He delivered the ball quite well. He threw the long ball exceptionally well. One of the things that he has got to work on is the intermediate routes, but he read the defenses well."

"He got better as the (camp) went on because he started realizing what type of talent he had around him and he made adjustments on things he was seeing," Renaissance assistant Eric Knox said. "He got comfortable and talked to the other players and came up with different plays. One of his strengths is reading defenses. He's the type of player that will pick you apart. He understands man coverage and zone coverage. I don't see him making a lot of mistakes his last year in high school and in college."

The primary beneficiaries of Bolden's improved efficiency might be two of the more underrated receivers in the country. One of them -- Dearborn Fordson wideout Baquer Sayed -- was profiled in The Detroit News back in December. Almost four months later, he has yet to receive a scholarship offer. If the opinions of the coaches at last weekend's camp are indicative of how good he is, that no-offer status shouldn't last much longer.

"Baquer is an extraordinary player," Godfrey said. "We played him in the state playoffs and I didn't know how good he was until we actually got to see him this weekend. He's a D-I kid for sure. Whoever gets him -- they've got a gem."

"Baq is an excellent receiver," Detroit Renaissance assistant Antoine Edwards said. "I hear all the knocks on him (like he isn't fast enough), but I don't see all that. I see a competitor -- a guy that can get open and a guy with great ball skills who can out-leap people. He catches everything in his vicinity."

Like Sayed, Ann Arbor Huron receiver Jeremy Jackson won't run a blazing 40 time, but he uses his size, leaping ability and ball skills to make plays. The Michigan commitment entered the weekend with a chip on his shoulder because of the recent criticism from a vocal group of naysayers. By the time the camp was over, the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder had proven his point to all of the observers in attendance, especially his coaches.

Said Edwards, "(Jackson) is a huge kid. He has very good size and great hands. He knows how to use his body well to box people out. He understands offenses and creates enough separation. He's a great kid. He just needs to work on continuing to get faster, stronger and just add to his game."

"He's awesome," Knox said. "He made good catches and he's a terrific route runner. He runs them precisely. The sky's the limit for him."

As good as Sayed and Jackson were, the weekend performance by Detroit Crockett quarterback-turned-receiver Tony Lippett might have been more impressive. As part of the effort to get the best athletes on the field, the lanky 6-3 athlete was moved to the outside and responded by flashing his 4.5 40 speed and big-play ability. What could have started out as a whimsical dalliance ended up being the kind of display of versatility that will make him a more valuable prospect in the eyes of college coaches.

"If he was a full-time receiver, he would arguably be the best receiver in the state," Edwards said after observing Lippett's game. "He's 6-3 or a shade under, has great explosion, is a great route runner and has unbelievable ball skills. He has an understanding of the game. He knows how to work zones. I don't know if that's because he's a quarterback in high school and just has a better understanding, but his upside at wide receiver is unbelievable."

On the opposite side of the ball, three of Team Michigan's defenders were every bit as impressive. Detroit Cass Tech corner Dior Mathis, Detroit Renaissance corner Mylan Hicks and Livonia Stevenson athlete Austin White lined up in the secondary, and all three boosted their stock significantly.

Questions about size have hampered Mathis at every turn, and while improvement in run support is certainly necessary, the talented youngster has proven time and time again that he is not the liability in pass coverage that observers often expect.

"Everybody was talking about how short he is, and usually when I see a 5-8 corner I say the same thing," Jeremy Jackson admitted. "That was what threw me off. Everyone was like, 'I can get him!' But watch Dior play. Not many people beat Dior that day. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone did, (except) for one time. He's a real good corner."

"He has great makeup speed and is one of the quickest players we had," added Team Michigan's defensive coach, Detroit Southeastern assistant Archie Collins. "He can turn on his acceleration quickly to make up sometimes. He was baiting people to make sure they throw to his side."

Not to be outdone, Hicks was every bit as good. At 5-11 and 175 pounds, Hicks was more than willing to get physical, showed good speed and quintessential defensive back moxie. Few passes were completed in Hicks' direction over the weekend and he was one of the few corners to have a modicum of success against the nation's top wideout, according to Scout.com -- Kyle Prater of Chicago.

"I hadn't heard about Mylan Hicks," said Jackson. "He's also a good corner. He was putting the lock on Kyle Prater for a little bit."

If Mathis and Hicks were locking receivers down, White was hammering them. A running back by trade, White lined up at safety during the camp and demonstrated why coaches are excited about the athletic possibilities beyond those for him in the offensive backfield. He broke on the ball extremely well and showed really good closing speed. Best of all, he lives for the physical side of the game. That's an attribute not normally distinguishable in passing camps, but White is an aberration in that regard. He was the initiator of at least two high-speed collisions that had opponents limping afterward, in addition to four or five other tackles.

"(White) is a football player," said Detroit Crockett head coach Rod Oden. "I put him in the same category as Jeremy Jackson. He plays the game at another level. At the high school level with him, it's man against boys. He's a terrific football player. He played safety and had about five breakups and two interceptions. The kid's wonderful."

Not a bad showing for a group of kids from a "basketball state."

Recruiting Sam Webb is managing editor of GoBlueWolverine magazine and GoBlueWolverine.com, and co-host of the "Michigan Insider" morning show weekdays on Sports Talk 1050 WTKA. His column appears every Thursday.

Prep Football

No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.