By Sharat Raju
Daily Sports Editor
Michigan's incoming football recruiting class can be summed up in one word: big.
The Wolverines lost guards Zach Adami and Damon Denson, tackle Thomas Guynes and center Rod Payne to graduation. So, Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr went out and recruited the top big men in the country.
According to Prep Football Report's Tom Lemming, Michigan's incoming freshman class is ranked fourth nationally, second in the Big Ten to Penn State and possesses the top offensive line recruiting class in the country.
The biggest of the big is Maurice Williams, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound lineman from Detroit. There's little question about his ability - his size alone should be enough to give smaller opposing linemen fits.
But there is one dilemma: Where to play this giant - offense or defense?
Williams could fill a void on the offensive line left by one of the four graduating seniors. But the coaching staff would like to fit him in on the defensive line, perhaps replacing William Carr, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL draft.
Along with Williams in the trenches will be Adam Adkins (6-4, 260), Todd Mossa (6-4, 295) and Ben Mast (6-5, 285).
But Carr didn't only focus on the meaty part of his roster. The Wolverines also addressed some more pressing issues, such as the defensive backfield and running backs.
The Wolverines recruited four defensive backs - Eric Rosel (6-3, 200), William Peterson (6-0, 197), James Whitely (6-0, 180) and DeWayne Patmon (6-1, 183). Peterson is a speed demon, having been clocked at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash.
Highlighting Michigan's offensive backfield is 6-1, 220-pound Anthony Thomas. The Winnfield, La., native is considered one of the top tailbacks in the country and has drawn comparisons to former Michigan tailback Tyrone Wheatley.
The most glaring omission from this recruiting class is at quarterback. Although the Wolverines have their hands full with a four-quarterback quagmire, it still seems unusual to let a season go by without signing a signal caller.
Fear not, for the situation is in good hands. Drew Henson, who will be a senior at Brighton High School in the fall, has already given an oral commitment to Michigan - over Florida State and Stanford.
The 6-4, 217-pound prep star was the only junior to be selected to the all-state first-team by The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.
Michigan's only fear is that Henson will choose to play professional baseball over football. He's projected as a first-round pick in the 1998 Major League Baseball draft.
Sizing up the recruits
| Name | Position | Height | Weight |
| Adam Adkins | OL | 6-4 | 260 |
| Kurt Anderson | LB | 6-5 | 240 |
| Eric Brackins | LB | 6-2 | 208 |
| Jason Brooks | OL | 6-4 | 267 |
| Jake Frysinger | LB | 6-4 | 235 |
| Ray Jackson | RB | 6-4 | 210 |
| Anthony Jordan | LB | 6-1 | 210 |
| Ben Mast | OL | 6-5 | 285 |
| Patrick McCall | RB | 5-11 | 189 |
| Todd Mossa | OL | 6-4 | 295 |
| Dwayne Patmon | DB | 6-1 | 183 |
| William Peterson | DB | 6-0 | 197 |
| Eric Rosel | DB | 6-3 | 200 |
| Bill Seymour | LB | 6-4 | 227 |
| Demetrius Smith | FB | 6-2 | 272 |
| Anthony Thomas | RB | 6-1 | 220 |
| Shaun Thompson | TE | 6-4 | 220 |
| James Whitley | DB | 6-0 | 180 |
| Maurice Williams | DL/OL | 6-7 | 280 |
Summer Orientation 1997
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