Breaking Down GVSUs Recruiting Class (So Far)

Grand Valley State is a well-oiled machine when it comes to recruiting. From my point of view, this is a program that takes a very aggressive approach to recruiting. When GVSU wants you, you'll know it, and that style leads to a ton of early commitments. So far, Grand Valley has a whopping 10 in-state commitments as of August 8. Here are my thoughts on all of the in-state commitments so far!   (I may have missed a few- these are players from our rankings)    What a pickup for Grand Valley State! [player_tooltip player_id='602070' first='Michael' last='Chude'] is one of the best defensive linemen in Michigan, and alongside his size, I'm confident Michael should be able to develop into a GV Starter.   On tape, Michael is a solid contributor. Lining up both on the interior and on the outside, this is a versatile defensive lineman. The aspect of his game that I like the best is undoubtedly his effort. Every single play, Michael gets off the ball quickly and wreaks havoc in the backfield, especially against bad teams. At other times, Michael flashes good speed and block shedding (1:50, for example). Michael still needs to work on his power, but I have little doubt that GVSU will go a great job at developing that area.     Damon is yet another Detroit MLK receiver who heads to Grand Valley State. Like a few other GV Commits, Damon had offers from a few Division 1 schools. Similar to many other DET MLK athletes, Damon has incredibly fast feet, is explosive, and has an impressive catch radius. Damon also has experience playing defensive back, and he's found good success there. I don't have much else to say other than this is a very high-upside commit. If Damon is able to get the job done on and off the field, he'll develop into a great player for Grand Valley State. I could easily see Damon fit in as a DB or Receiver- we'll just have to see what he settles into!     Abram is someone who I've talked about quite a bit over the past few months. All in all, Abram is a very well-rounded receiver who can fit a multitude of roles for Grand Valley. At DeWitt, Abram is at his best when given a wide-open field to work with. Abram is one of if not the best slot reverse player in the state. He can also burn you downfield or climb the ladder and secure a contested catch. At GV, I'd expect Abram to further work on his athletesism, explosiveness, and I think he has an opportunity to be a phenomenal DII football player in a few years time.     Brinks is a phenomenal pickup for GVSU. At South Christian, Tyler is utilized as a TE on offense and an DE on defense. Considering his height, Tyler has phenomenal upside at both positions.   Offensively, Tyler has shown flashes. Mainly, I'm impressed with Tyler's ability to block and maintain high effort throughout the game. I watch a lot of tape from prospects that are generally afraid to hit- that is not the case with Tyler. He can put his hand in the dirt and block, and that will serve him well in college. Defensively, Tyler has a wide tackle radius and can easily shed blocks of shorter-armed linemen. Still, he's quite raw in both areas.   I expect Tyler to be a developmental piece for GVSU. In a few years time, if Tyler can polish his skillset while getting in the weight room a ton, he'll be a great player for GVSU.     I'm extremely excited to see what [player_tooltip player_id='600178' first='Cameron' last='Summerour'] will be able to do for Grand Valley State. Last year for Cass Tech, he served as a phenomenal off-ball linebacker. Like many great linebackers, Cameron reacts incredibly quickly and does not hesitate in attacking. Against the inside and outside run, Cameron does a great job at quickly diagnosing the play before taking a good pursuit angle to make the tackle. In other instances, Cameron is able to scrape/dip past blocks while keeping his body square.   I do think that Cameron could be a little more athletic and a little more reactive, but he already has an excellent foundation. Like most college athletes, it may take him a few years to see the field, but I'm confident he'll be an incredible starter once he puts in that work.     I know that GVSU wanted to recruit some DBs this cycle, and boy do they have one here with [player_tooltip player_id='899621' first='Chris' last='Little']. Now, this is a prospect that I don't ever remember watching in person. But I've always been highly impressed by his tape. With 17 career interceptions BEFORE his junior season, Chris is one of the best and most aggressive playmakers in Michigan. In fact, the very first play on his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17806788/654bbc9532e77e0718d3c2b0">highlight tape</a> showcases an incredible 1-handed interception. Look further in his tape, and you'll see interception after interception. Sure, a few of those are gimmies from the QB, but most of them are genuinely great plays made by Chris.   My only question marks are to do with press man coverage. I don't see much press on Chris's tape, but I'm honestly not too worried. I know that Chris is a ball hawk, I know he's a competitor, and he should develop into an incredible DB for GVSU!     Darylle is someone I've talked about quite a bit as of late.   All you need to know- Darylle is an awesome man-to-man corner. I've seen him run press, I've seen him defend every route, and I'm confident that he's one of the more polished DBs in this class. I'd like to see him secure a few more interceptions, but he should develop that skill in college. Heading into this season, Darylle is one of if not the best defensive back in Mid-Michigan.   If any DB has a chance to impress early at GVSU, it's Darylle!     Carson is one of the most dominant interior linemen in Michigan, and I'm confident he'll be able to contribute a ton at GVSU.   Check out Carson's tape. Watch as, time after time, he dominates the line of scrimmage. Although most of Spring Lake's scheme is pretty straightforward when it comes to run blocking, Carson has found extreme success. He does an incredible job at using his leverage to his advantage and putting all of his strength into every single block. Carson can also block at the second level plus I know he's worked on his pass sets this offseason.   GVSU's current starting center, Kyler Blake-Jones, is another "undersized" offensive lineman. Yes, 6'2" is small on paper, but I know that GVSU wouldn't have offered Carson if they didn't 100% believe in him to produce.     I really like this pickup from GVSU!   Last season, Nolan showed a ton of improvement as a tackle. No matter what block he's asked to execute, Nolan has done a great job at being a straight-up brick wall. In addition, I like Nolan's consistency and his footwork. With practically all run blocks, Nolan does a great job at getting an explosive first step before engaging with his defender. While Pass blocking, he has a solid dropback and he's great against power rushers. He does look a bit stiff at times, so that's something to work on in college.   GVSUs O-Line room is loaded, but I'm confident that Nolan will be able to work his way through the ranks over the next few years.     It's been a long time coming for Lucas. A few years ago, I discovered Lucas. Back then, Lucas was an incredibly raw prospect who was working very hard to grow into a better player.   Now, Lucas is a much-improved player and he's taking a chance on himself, committing to Grand Valley State. Lucas still needs to work a lot on his pass sets, but that should improve after a short while at GV. I'm not sure if Lucas actually received an offer from GV, but as long as he stays internally motivated, Lucas will develop into a great player. I hope Lucas is able to have a great senior season, and I hope he develops at GVSU!

Grand Valley State is a well-oiled machine when it comes to recruiting. From my point of view, this is a program that takes a very aggressive approach to recruiting. When GVSU wants you, you'll know it, and that style leads to a ton of early commitments. So far, Grand Valley has a whopping 10 in-state commitments as of August 8. Here are my thoughts on all of the in-state commitments so far!