Recruiting Board Updated

Update 3/28: Removed CA CB Courtney Viney(UCLA) and SC S Mark Barnes(has dropped us). Linked to mondo Muskegon Chronicle article on MI CB Ron Johnson. Michigan is named as the favorite within (by the author, not Johnson). Added a link to the (surprisingly professional) Piqua HS website -- that's Brandon Saine's school. Linked to video of OH RB Dan Herron and Rivals roundup article with mentions of MI TE/DE Ryan Van Bergen and MI CB Chris Rucker.

Added MI DT Ryan Wheat and MI OL Darrell Davis-Budnaro based on the latest JimS opus.

Editorial Opinion: The passage in question from the Ronald Johnson article:

Michigan is considered the frontrunner in the "RoJo" recruiting battle, for many reasons. First, is his friendship with Taylor, a projected starter at noseguard this fall for the Wolverines. Second, his closest relationship with a college coach is with U-M defensive backs coach Ron English. Third, he took his first official visit there.

But unlike Taylor, who verbally committed to U-M before his senior season began, Johnson has no plans to do that and said he might not make a final decision before the official signing day in February.

"Part of me wants to stay close, so that everyone can come see me play," said Johnson, who some schools have not ruled out as a receiver, or even a running back. "But part of me wants to go south where it's warm. I don't want to rule out any options."

Also, the article contains further evidence that Pete Carroll is kind of a tool:

Annese laughs when he plays the message, which he has kept on the answering machine in the Muskegon High School football office.

"Hey Tony, this is Pete," the message goes, sounding like an old friend. "I'll be around today. Give me a call back."

But that is neither here nor there, as they say.

Chris Rucker is listed at 5'9" 170 and has offers from BG and Cincinatti so far. That height combined with his list -- the two offers, Michigan, and mid-level BCS schools BC and Georgia Tech -- makes it seem doubtful that he'll receive an offer if DB recruiting goes to plan. It's well known that Ron English likes his corners big and ornery. We'll probably see how much mutual interest there is at camp; the bet here is that Rucker stops listing Michigan sometime during the summer.

Ryan Van Bergen, however, may receive an offer at either DE or TE, both positions of need going into the year that don't have a lot of high profile offers out at the moment. At TE there's PA H-back offer Steve Paszkorz, but that's about it. Van Bergen's early offers -- Indiana and Purdue -- are also a notch above Rucker's. Junior year stats:

He was a junior all-state selection in 2005, after recording 59 tackles, seven sacks and four interceptions at defensive end and catching 20 passes for 274 yards and four scores on the offensive side of the ball.

BONUS Irresponsible Speculation Section! The Piqua Football site has a message board full of we're-OSU-fans-who-think-Saine's-M-bound worrying similar to that found on BP:

Allot of people think that with him being a huge fan all he needed was an offer from them. With most of us being Buckeyes fans....that just isn't good news. haha

Obviously that's all very, very [sic]. Also, BP resident insider unionfutura on OH S Eugene Clifford:

Gonna be a battle

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Pros: Likes OSU, is/will be receiving a ton of attention by the OSU staff.

Cons: The coach he likes the most is Ron English, and he's now personally recruiting him, will camp at Michigan.

Not as optimistic as others (the people who have emailed me saying he's done deal to OSU are flipping crazy), but we have a better chance than I thought possible.

That's a step back from the optimism shown recently by BP residents. Especially like the last bit ("we have a better chance than I thought possible") and the implication that English can snatch away an Ohio player who grew up an OSU fan -- that's mojo. Wonder if he calls up the coaches at Colerain and says "hey, it's Ron. I'm getting some java, let's exchange beat poetry. Lataz."

Link here.