Today we reported that Whitmer standout defensive lineman Chris Wormley is leaning toward committing to Michigan. Should that happen, and I get a strong sense it will, Michigan will have landed an apparent cornerstone in this year's recruiting class. Although I've never seen Wormley play (the reviews I've heard are excellent) I love what he brings physically. I stood next to him earlier this month at the state track and field meet and was amazed at how big this kid is, and I'm hard to impress. He goes 6-6, 270 --- and actually looks thin at that size. It's somewhat uncanny. His chest and back extend for days, and his hand absolutely engulfed mine when I greeted him. Can he play? Again, I haven't seen him. Just know this. I've spoken with more than one coach in Toledo whose team played against Wormley's team last year, and they all were faced with a dilemma --- either game plan to stop Wormley at one of the defensive end spots, or game plan to stop Wormley's teammate, Kenny Hayes at the other. Hayes is 6-6 and a high-profile recruit for Ohio State, but it was Wormley that these coaches were most worried about.
More Wormley notes ...
- He'll make his decision by the end of August, although I'd expect an announcement will come sooner than that. Maybe by the end of July.
- Wormley has scholarship offers from every Big Ten team (that includes Nebraska) except for Minnesota and Penn State. Notre Dame has offered him, as have Florida, Alabama and Tennessee from the SEC. Wormley's high school coach, Joe Palka said: "The way I phrase it is anyone whose seen tape of him or come here have all offered him. Once they've seen him, they'd like him, and they've offered him."
- Hayes occassionally filled in on Whitmer's 400 relay team this spring and ran a 11.4 split. That's fast, very fast, for someone his size.
