Latest news with #CarterMeadows
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How Michigan, Oregon football recruits balance basketball dreams
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Carter Meadows is, admittedly, concerned about feeling a void. He knows his future is in football. The fifth-best defensive end in the 2026 class and the No. 29 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite, Meadows is a rising senior at Gonzaga College High School in Washington D.C., who entertained offers to play at football powerhouses like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Auburn, among others. On June 29, he committed to Michigan, bolstering UM's class as the Wolverines' top recruit. Advertisement But basketball was Meadows' first love, a sport he says is 'in my blood,' which is why 16 days after picking football, he started his first game at Peach Jam. The premier Nike EYBL showcase event of the grassroots circuit, Peach Jam, is where college recruiters and NBA royalty pack the sidelines each summer to watch the next generation of basketball stars. It's the event, Meadows said, that kids dream about, the highlight of many players' club experience. If you can play well at Peach Jam, you can play anywhere. Meadows couldn't imagine skipping it. He was also curious who might be there watching him. 'Whenever we'd be walking around the gym, I was keeping my eye out for the maize and blue,' he said with a laugh. Does that mean Meadows, who is 6 feet 7, 235 pounds and averaged 9.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game at Peach Jam, wants to play both sports in college? Specialization has become so common across America, it's not unusual for elementary-aged kids to focus all their energy — and parents' money — on one sport. In college, playing multiple sports is rare, but doable: Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher led the Ducks with 94 total tackles last season and will play his final year of football this fall, despite being drafted by the Houston Astros in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft last July. At Notre Dame, Jordan Faison caught 30 passes for 356 yards as an Irish wide receiver last fall; he also plays on Notre Dame's lacrosse team. Texas freshman Jonah Williams, the top-ranked safety in the 2025 class, enrolled early and started 15 games last spring for the Longhorns baseball team. Football players who double often do so by also competing in track, like Florida State All-ACC sprinter Micahi Danzy, a receiver on The Athletic's Freaks List this year. In Augusta, Meadows wasn't the only two-sport star thinking about his future. Kendre Harrison, the No. 2 tight end in the 2026 class from Reidsville, N.C., is a starter for Team CP3 who averaged 13.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game at Peach Jam. Harrison committed to Oregon in November and plans to play both football and basketball for the Ducks. Advertisement They're not the only dual-sport stars in the 2026 class, either. In early July, Syracuse scored a recruiting coup when Calvin Russell of Miami, one of the best receivers in the country, committed to the Orange. He is expected to play both football and basketball in college. At Peach Jam, Meadows and Harrison, who are friendly, kept an eye on each other. They're familiar with each other's games and know the advantage they each bring to the court — a big, strong body that basketball-only athletes aren't used to banging into — would have likely been negated against each other had their teams matched up. (They didn't.) They admire each other, too, because they know how time-consuming it is to juggle two sports, school and a social life. As of now, Meadows is planning to focus solely on football in college — he's excited about having a simple, straightforward schedule, he joked — though he wonders sometimes how easy it'll be to give up basketball. 'That's lingering on my mind a lot,' he said, adding that he believes Sherrone Moore and the Michigan football coaches would be 'open' to him playing both 'if it was something I really desired.' 'There's no thinking about, could he do it, he absolutely can, he is absolutely good enough,' said Steve Turner, who coached Meadows in basketball at Gonzaga College High, previously coached NBA star Kevin Durant and knows a thing or two about how good someone has to be to play college hoops. (Gonzaga also produced Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.) 'He's a different kid. He could've gone to any Ivy League he wanted — he can really do anything and handle anything. The discipline it takes to be involved in both made him better at both.' Sometimes Meadows thinks it might be worth trying both 'just to prove people wrong.' That was part of his motivation in playing Peach Jam, he said. He hears the doubters. And he loves shutting them up. A post shared by Elon | Video/Photographer (@ Still, picking football, he said, was mostly a logical decision: 'It would be difficult to balance both and keep my body in the best shape for football,' he explained. He anticipates Michigan strength and conditioning coaches pushing him to add 15-20 pounds of muscle once he gets on campus. 'Growing up in a basketball family, I always thought that's the sport I'd want to do,' said Meadows, whose uncle Randy Ayers has coached in the NBA for 20-plus years. 'But the way my body was developing, football took over. I mean, there's a bunch of 6-6, 6-7 dudes in basketball now. That's like the bare minimum at this point.' Advertisement Harrison thinks about his size, too. 'Height-wise, I don't know,' said the 6-foot-7, 243-pound Harrison. 'If I grow to 6-9 or 6-10, I might have to throw football out the window.' He's joking, mostly. But basketball is important, to say the least. Harrison said schools that told him he wouldn't be allowed to play both football and basketball — like Ohio State — were immediately eliminated from consideration. During his visit to Oregon, both staffs assured him they'd work together to make Harrison's transition from football to basketball as smooth as possible. They also promised him '24/7 access to the gym so I can get shots up, whenever I want.' Oregon has a history of multi-sport stars, too: Besides Boettcher, Oregon's Devon Allen was a star receiver from 2014-16 who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and competed in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Jordan Kent was a football, basketball and track athlete from 2002-06 who bounced around NFL practice squads for a few seasons. But as a North Carolina resident, Harrison is much more familiar with former UNC two-sport star Julius Peppers, an All-American defensive end who walked on to the Tar Heels basketball team. Peppers eventually focused on football, becoming a nine-time Pro Bowler over a 17-year NFL career. Harrison has met and talked with Peppers, who encouraged the young two-sport star to 'not let other people get to me or tell me I can't do something.' A post shared by Game of Inches HS (@gameofincheshs) Playing just one sport in college is demanding as it is. This upcoming season marks the first time athletes will be paid directly by their schools via revenue sharing, with power conference schools expected to dedicate 70-80 percent of the $20.5 million cap to football. Theoretically, an athlete who decided to play two sports could get more rev-share money from his or her school by playing two sports. Both Meadows and Harrison said NIL wasn't a factor in their decisions to play one or two sports. Meadows said he 'didn't start playing football and basketball because I wanted to make NIL money when I was older, and I don't want to lose sight of that. I'm grateful for any dollars I get.' Harrison didn't ask specifically if playing both would mean more money, and isn't concerned about it; from an NIL perspective, he said he feels taken care of and valued. Both declined to share details of what they've been told they could make their freshman seasons. Regardless of how their college and/or pro careers play out, both Meadows and Harrison are adamant that playing two sports helped mold them into the highly coveted recruits they've become. Meadows credits basketball's 'fluidity of movement' with helping him change direction on the football field. Harrison said basketball conditioning has helped in football. 'When you have to grab a rebound and go right back up to score, the explosiveness I have in football is from that,' he said. Advertisement Erik Teague, Harrison's high school football coach at Reidsville, said the hand-eye coordination required in basketball helps Harrison excel as a tight end. Playing multiple sports also keeps athletes fresh from a mental perspective, Teague said. Harrison's path to playing both in college is already inspiring those around him. His point guard at Reidsville and with CP3, Dionte Neal, is a 2026 wide receiver who's started to get offers to play both in college, too. 'Those young kids who are only playing one sport, they get overwhelmed,' Teague said. 'Playing multiple sports, with different challenges and different goals, that's good for a kid.' It increases their popularity, too. In Reidsville, Teague described Harrison and Neal as 'local celebs,' particularly with all the nearby elementary school kids. Fifth graders, for example, think it's unbelievably cool to star in two sports. Why limit yourself, Harrison figures, especially when no one knows exactly what the future holds? Maybe he's destined for greatness in something else. After all, he said, if given the opportunity, he's confident he could become a star lacrosse player, too. He's joking again. Mostly. (Photo of Carter Meadows: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Ten thoughts on Michigan's summer recruiting surge: How high can Wolverines climb?
For Michigan fans who don't follow every twist and turn in recruiting, two stretches of the calendar have become especially important: early December and late June/early July. December is when the late action happens, as it did last year when quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped from LSU to Michigan. June and July, meanwhile, are when the building blocks of the class fall into place. After another summer surge, Michigan's 2026 recruiting class jumped from the mid-40s to No. 7 in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Michigan isn't finished, but with 20 commitments, the class has a definitive shape. Here are 10 thoughts on Michigan's class now that the smoke has started to clear. 1. Michigan's class has its headliner, at least for the moment. It's Carter Meadows, the four-star edge prospect who picked Michigan over Ohio State. If you could design an edge prospect in a lab, you'd probably come up with a player who looks a lot like Meadows. There's a wide variation in his recruiting rankings — On3 has him as the No. 6 player in the case, while Rivals has him at No. 241 — and time will tell which of those evaluations comes closest to the mark. Michigan clearly saw Meadows as one of the top edge prospects in the class and prioritized him accordingly. Advertisement Derrick Moore and TJ Guy are seniors, which means Michigan is headed for a changing of the guard at the edge positions. Sophomore Dominic Nichols appears to be next in line, and freshman Nate Marshall shouldn't be far behind. Add Meadows to that list as another young pass rusher with a chance to hear his name called in the early rounds of the NFL Draft. 2. There's plenty of buzz about Meadows, but don't overlook Julian Walker, another four-star edge prospect who committed to Michigan last week. Walker may not be the flashiest player in the class, but he's a big, strong edge defender who plays with great effort, similar to Nichols from the Class of 2024. His father is a strength coach at South Carolina, so the weight room shouldn't be an issue. Beating out South Carolina for one of the top players in the Palmetto State was more fuel for Michigan's hot streak. 3. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito continues to stack recruiting wins. Remember, Esposito wasn't Sherrone Moore's first choice for the job; that was Greg Scruggs, whose short tenure at Michigan ended with a drunken-driving arrest. Esposito got the job instead and has assembled two excellent D-line classes. A dominant front four has been one of Michigan's keys to success, and the Wolverines have the young talent to sustain that trend. We'll see if Michigan ends up taking another defensive tackle, but as it stands, this is a strong class with Meadows, Walker, McHale Blade and Tariq Boney on the edge, a versatile defensive line prospect in Titan Davis and a true three-technique defensive tackle in Alister Vallejo. 4. Quite a few Michigan fans tuned in to watch wide receiver Calvin Russell's announcement on Saturday. When the livestream eventually started, they watched Russell commit to Syracuse, a program not known for reeling in top-50 prospects. Advertisement That was a huge recruiting upset for Syracuse coach Fran Brown and a disappointment for Michigan, the perceived favorite. It's relatively rare for Michigan to chase blue-chip wide receiver prospects from Florida, and perhaps Russell's announcement shows why. The silver lining is that Michigan has commitments from two other wide receivers with similar skill sets in Travis Johnson and Zion Robinson. 5. Johnson, a top-150 player from Chesapeake, Va., looks like the most polished all-around wide receiver prospect in Michigan's class, and that might have been true even if Russell had committed. Johnson has the hands, the speed, the size and the route-running ability to play early in his career. Pairing him with Robinson gives Michigan two more big targets to fill out the offense. The Wolverines needed to win some recruiting battles at wide receiver in this cycle, and they've done that, even with Russell committing elsewhere. There's room for another player or two, but beating out Penn State and South Carolina for Johnson was a must-have recruiting win for wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy. 6. On the same day that cornerback Brody Jennings flipped to Miami, Michigan landed a commitment from Dorian Barney, a four-star cornerback from Carrollton, Ga. On paper, it's an upgrade: Barney is a top-150 prospect, while Jennings is ranked No. 277. Michigan presumably would have liked to have both, but landing Barney and defensive back Andre Clarke Jr. gives Michigan a solid foundation in the secondary. Barney can cover a lot of ground and has the instincts and closing speed to be a ballhawk at one of the outside corner spots. Clarke, a top-200 prospect from Richmond, Va., looks like one of those versatile DBs who could play almost anywhere in the secondary. It wouldn't be a surprise if Michigan tries him at both nickel and safety to see where he sticks. Advertisement 7. A lot of Michigan's efforts in this class have been concentrated on a swath of the country from Washington, D.C., down through Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. It's too early to declare this a trend, but Michigan seems willing to venture a bit further from home to land players in the top-200 range, even if it means taking fewer players from the Midwest. Maybe that's just how the chips fell in 2026, and the 2027 class will have more of a Midwest flavor. It's still notable for Michigan to have one player from Ohio and no in-state commitments at this stage of the game. 8. Cue up Savion Hiter, another prospect from Virginia who's among the last big names still on the board for Michigan. Hiter, the No. 1 running back in the class and a top-20 overall prospect, has yet to set a commitment date after visiting Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio State. If there's a must-win recruiting battle left for Michigan, this is it. Even with Underwood playing quarterback, Michigan doesn't plan to deviate from its identity as a run-first offense. That means paying for running backs who can perform at an elite level. Michigan has a commitment from Jonathan Brown, a three-star running back from Columbus, Ohio, but otherwise the Wolverines appear to be pinning their hopes on Hiter. He's the player who could elevate this class into top-five territory. 9. The offensive line is another position with remaining needs. The Wolverines landed two of their top tackle targets in Malakai Lee and Marky Walbridge but missed out on Felix Ojo, who agreed to a headline-making deal with Texas Tech. John Turntine (Texas), Zaden Krempin (Texas A&M) and Kelvin Obot (Utah) also visited Michigan before committing elsewhere. True tackles are the hardest offensive line prospects to find, and Michigan has a readymade one in Lee, plus a developmental player in Walbridge who has the frame to play tackle as he adds weight. Adding another interior lineman would make sense, but it's not urgent. Michigan could wait to assess the options in the fall or monitor potential flip targets as the signing period approaches. 10. That leaves linebacker, a position that's still in process. Michigan added an intriguing prospect in Markel Dabney, a three-star athlete from Richmond, Va., who flipped from SMU. Dabney plays everywhere for his high school team, including safety and wide receiver, but likely projects as a college linebacker at 6 feet 1 and 205 pounds. Adding another inside linebacker or two would be prudent, and Michigan has players on the board who could fill that need. Anthony Davis Jr., a four-star prospect from Loganville, Ga., visited Michigan in June and included the Wolverines alongside Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida on his list of finalists. Michigan is also in the running for Nick Abrams, a top-250 player from Owings Mills, Md., who will choose from a final four of Michigan, Oregon, Alabama and Georgia next week. (Photo of Sherrone Moore: Matt Pendleton / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan Adds Blue-Chip Receiver Commitment to Top 10 Recruiting Class
Michigan Adds Blue-Chip Receiver Commitment to Top 10 Recruiting Class originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In recent weeks, coach Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines football team have been on a recruiting hot streak. The 2023 national champs have secured 14 commitments since June 1. Advertisement One of those commitments was from five-star EDGE Carter Meadows, who is ranked No. 6 player in the country by On3 and 36th overall in their industry composite rankings. On Friday, Michigan earned another blue-chip commitment when four-star wide receiver Travis Johnson announced his pledge. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound receiver from Chesapeake, Virginia, caught 21 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns in five games played. When discussing what it meant to join the Big Ten program, Johnson shared his enthusiasm. 'It's amazing to be a Michigan man,' Johnson said. 'Michigan was the best fit for me.' Hailing from Oscar Smith High School, Johnson had more than 30 offers but chose Michigan over North Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina, Indiana and more. Advertisement 'Coach Bellamy and coach Moore, we clicked from day one when they offered me," Johnson continued. "Then Chip Lindsey, the new offensive coordinator, I love the new system, and with Bryce Underwood being the new quarterback, I could see myself thrive there for sure.' Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Han / USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images The Wolverines now boast the No. 9 class in On3's 2026 team rankings. Michigan has 21 commitments, 13 of which are four-star players. 'Just the culture for real and they won the (national championship) two years ago,' Johnson added. 'I want to win one, too. I'm trying my best, I'm going to give my hardest every step of the way to try and get another one.' Advertisement Related: Michigan Adds Third Blue-Chip Commitment in Three Days Related: Paul Finebaum Gets Real About Jeremiah Smith's Fiery Jab at Michigan This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Is good Ohio State recruiting news coming soon? Where Buckeyes stand after D-line misses
Ohio State may have a top-five recruiting class as the calendar turns to July, but there isn't a celebratory feeling around Columbus right now. Sunday brought bad news when top-100 defensive end Carter Meadows chose Michigan over the Buckeyes. Losing a high-priority prospect to rival Michigan is never easy, and Meadows being a defensive end made it even more difficult. The rough run got worse on Monday when four-star defensive end Landon Barnes chose Ole Miss over Ohio State and Washington. Both of those misses come just a week and a half after four-star end Luke Wafle chose USC over the Buckeyes. Advertisement Should fans be panicking, or is this just a brief lull? Now that June official visits have wrapped up, commitment season is in full swing and preseason camp is nearing, there are plenty of recruiting storylines to watch for the Buckeyes, who have 19 commitments in a 2026 class that ranks No. 5 in the 247Sports Composite behind USC, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. What's next? Let's reset some of Ohio State's recruiting storylines. Ohio State is notably without a quarterback in the 2026 class after signing five-stars Julian Sayin (who quickly transferred from Alabama) and Tavien St. Clair in the past two classes. That could change in the coming days. Four-star Mission Viejo, Calif., quarterback Luke Fahey will make his decision on Thursday. Ranked No. 356 (24th among QBs) in the 247Sports Composite, Fahey got an offer from Ohio State on June 22 just after visiting Columbus. He also visited Stanford and Indiana and is the third-highest-ranked uncommitted quarterback in the class. If he chooses Ohio State, he'll be the lone quarterback in the 2026 class and fill a notable void. A pair of five-star Ohio State targets are nearing decisions this summer. The first is Mansfield, Texas, offensive tackle Felix Ojo, who is expected to announce his decision on Friday, choosing between Texas, Michigan, Florida and Ohio State. New offensive line coach Tyler Bowen has done a nice job filling out the offensive line class, adding four prospects thus far and looking for more. Ojo could end up with the home-state Longhorns, but these recruitments are hard to call until they are finalized, especially in the NIL era. Missing on Ojo wouldn't be a massive hit for the Buckeyes, who already have two top-130 offensive tackles. They are big fans of Sam Greer and Maxwell Riley. Greer made a strong impression at the Rivals Five-Star Camp a week ago. This is an important class for Ohio State along the offensive line, and Bowen has done a solid job, though landing Ojo would push the haul over the top. Advertisement The other five-star with a known decision date is Flowood, Miss., safety Bralan Womack. He's set to announce on Aug. 22 and could be a game-changer for safeties coach Matt Guerrieri. The Buckeyes already have one five-star safety on board with Blaine Bradford, but they want to pair him with Womack in this class and continue their momentum at the position. Womack visited Ohio State on June 20 with Bradford. The Buckeyes appear to be in a good position battling with Auburn, Texas A&M and Florida. A win here would help Ohio State's final ranking and depth and give the Buckeyes plenty of long-term options at safety after Caleb Downs leaves for the NFL. The Buckeyes are also awaiting decisions, dates unknown, from a pair of five-star running backs and an offensive lineman who visited in June: Ohio State's defensive line class is in a difficult position entering July. On one hand, defensive line coach Larry Johnson has done a nice job rebuilding the defensive tackle position, which is one of the team's biggest question marks entering this season and beyond. Already having Damari Simeon and Cameron Brickle is a solid start, and if the Buckeyes can flip three-star Jamir Perez (who plays at Cleveland's Glenville High School) from Florida, it'll be a very good group of interior defensive linemen, even without a highly ranked player. Still, no matter what happens at tackle, the misses at defensive end will be hard to shake. Edge commit Khary Wilder, ranked No. 241, does appear to be the real deal. The four-star prospect from Gardena, Calif., was the MVP of the Rivals Five-Star Camp. The question is who Ohio State pairs with him in this class. With Wafle, Meadows and Barnes off the board, options are getting slim and may be down to one: KJ Ford, who's ranked No. 116. Advertisement Ford, a four-star end from Duncanville, Texas, visited on June 20, just after Wafle committed to USC. Ohio State appears to be pursuing him aggressively. Ford doesn't have a commitment date set publicly, but he has also visited Texas A&M, Florida and Alabama. Simply put, Ohio State has to land Ford, because if it doesn't, the options become limited. Johnson is one of the best defensive line coaches in the country, and his development of JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams played a big role in Ohio State's national championship run. His on-field resume can't be debated, so he deserves a little bit of leeway here. But at some point, Ohio State has to close on these edge targets.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hours After Landing 5-Star EDGE, Sherrone Moore, Michigan Secure Another Recruiting Win
Hours After Landing 5-Star EDGE, Sherrone Moore, Michigan Secure Another Recruiting Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The recruiting wins keep coming for the Michigan Wolverines. The Big Ten powerhouse secured a commitment from one of the best players in the country on Sunday when five-star EDGE Carter Meadows announced his intention to join the program. Advertisement Some may view Michigan's 2024 finish as a disappointment due to its 8-5 record, but the Wolverines closed the regular season by beating their main rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and secured a signature bowl win against the SEC's Alabama Crimson Tide. Adding to that momentum, the Wolverines defied the odds in December by flipping five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood away from the LSU Tigers. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound signal-caller is projected to be the team's starter this season. Michigan and head coach Sherrone Moore received more good news on Monday upon earning another blue-chip commitment from four-star safety Andre Clarke from Richmond, Virginia. Hailing from Hermitage High School — which has produced some star talent in the NFL such as Duane Brown, Jamie Sharper, Darren Sharper and Shawn Barber — Clarke follows in the footsteps of the school's pedigree. Advertisement On3 rates Clarke as the 185th player in the country, the No. 16 safety and sixth-best player from Virginia. He visited Michigan earlier this month and upon committing to the Wolverines, Clarke described what helped him make his decision, per On3's EJ Holland. 'There is something about Ann Arbor,' Clarke said. 'It feels like home.' Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore.© Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images The 6-foot, 165-pound defensive back also spoke highly of secondary coach LaMar Morgan and coach Moore. 'I like Coach Morgan's knowledge,' Clarke said. 'I like the way he coaches. He's really smart. I think he can help me become a better man. I really enjoyed talking to Coach Moore, too. I like his story and how far he's come.' Advertisement Michigan has the 10th-best recruiting class according to On3's 2026 team rankings. Related: Former Michigan QB Delivers Verdict on Sherrone Moore After Major Recruiting Win Related: Michigan WR Makes Feelings Clear About Bryce Underwood Before 2025 Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
