Recruiting Board Updated: Aaargh Edition

Update 1/30: Linked to a couple articles on DE Adam Patterson, Detroit News article in which Lemming asserts that PA DT Jason Kates will commit to Michigan. There's also an South Bend Tribune article with a mention that ND was going to pursue Kates after losing out on some high profile DTs. Linked to Columbus Dispatch article with reference to Peters (and Greg Mathews) and an older article. At the time it was written Peters was down to UK and Auburn. Linked to short squib in which Patterson's coach declares he's down to South Carolina and Michigan. Removed OL Daron Rose.

The madness! Does not stop! Here's Rivals' initial top ten for '07. Three Michigan recruits are on it: WI OT Josh Oglesby, MI CB Ronald Johnson, and TX QB Ryan Mallet.

Removed CB commit Jai Eugene.

Editorial Opinion: I am extremely upset about a cornerback prospect who may or may not be very good who I have never seen play deciding to play somewhere else! Balls! Eugene decided that he was going to go to LSU and stay home with his kid, which is amongst the best reasons you can have to do a kinda-crappy thing like tell a school you'll play for them and then not. This did not prevent several message board posters from diving into the douchebag playbook and setting off my Internet Pet Peeve alarm, We Never Wanted That Program Savior Anyway version:

we never wanted him anyway. He's a head case, a loser, afraid of competition, who wasn't any good anyway, who beats his mother I heard. He isn't man enough to play for Old State U. He lied to the coaches. He looks suspiciously like a witch. Let's kill him!

Joey eviscerates said Internets creeps, asking if these people are indeed grown-ass men, to paraphrase. This is "yes" for a certain definition of grown, "no" for another.

So, this sucks--I like to get a gradual runup on panic about a position group instead of having it thrust upon me suddenly--but Michigan should be okay as long as the practice hype on one Johnny Sears pans out. The 2007 class in Michigan is knee-deep in defensive backs of all descriptions (see above: Ron Johnson, #6 on Rivals' early top ten), two of whom are widely expected to commit sooner rather than later. A blow that leaves a sour aftertaste (er... um... that didn't come out right), yes. Reason to run screaming into the hills, yelling "only the strong will survive" at the top of your lungs... probably not. You have the permission of this blog to do so if 2007 looks as bare at corner as this year did, however.

A brief rundown on Michigan's remaining targets:

• OL Daron Rose: Dropped us, unsurprisingly.
• DT Corey Peters: Visited OSU and M recently; those two with UK and Auburn are the final four. I think the late visits to Big Ten schools that had not offered indicate serious interest.
  
• DT Jason Kates: His Scout profile has the following two teams as "high" interest: Michigan and Syracuse. No offense to Matt Glaude, but, uh, I think we win this battle.
  
• S Jonas Mouton: Down to USC, Michigan, and Texas, though USC has about four guys of the exact same size and build as Mouton--I doubt he ends up there.
  
• DE Adam Patterson: Down to Michigan and South Carolina, as the article above notes.
  
• DE McKenzie Matthews: Haven't heard much about Matthews as of late. He still maintains a nominal top four of Michigan, Pitt, BC, and Syracuse. With things looking good for Peters, Kates, and Patterson he may get slow-played to one of the other schools, though with the Eugene decommit we do have room.

Michigan also picked up its first 2007 commitment, though it's decidedly unsexy as these things go: FB Vince Helmuth from Saline, Michigan. Scout has an interview with Helmuth, who is the half-brother of ex-Spartan TE Chris Baker, now with the Jets. Junior fullbacks from Saline are not noted for having a ton of press, so information is slim on him.

Update: We be out with Matthews. Curses! Foiled again! Although... given the low profile schools remaining on his list, what I bet happened is this: Patterson commits; Matthews is informed that his spot has been filled.