SaveUMFootball Papa Cane Scout's Geoff Vogt calls UM commitment RB Duke Johnson the #1 player in Florida, and best player he's ever seen. ow.ly/1BOpx4 Posted by: UMike | December 10, 2011 at 11:21 AM I have been saying this on the blog for the last couple of weeks that Duke Johnson is the best RB to come out of Dade County for years, and that includes some very good RBs like Lamar Miller. Duke may be small, but he is fast, understands the game and has got the heart of a lion. I have seen Duke play, and anyone watching him play can instantly see that he is special. Duke is as tough as they come, and he will play a lot next year. Also, Reggie Northrup returned a fumble for a TD last night and he might be a real player too.

I would be interested in what would Manny's grades be for this recruiting class. I know you will never really know until 2-3 years down the line whether this is a great class, but so far I think it is a solid class based on what I read about the recruits in this blog. I would rate this class based on the needs stated at the outset of the recruiting season as reported by Manny on previous articles: Offense: A- QB - goal 1; committed 1 RB - goal 2; commmitted 2-3 OL - goal 6-7; committed 5-6 TE - goal 2; committed 1-2 Defense: A-/B+ DL - goal 4; committed 4 LB - goal 1-2; committed 1 CB - goal 2-3; committed 2 S - goal 2; committed 1-2 K/P - goal 1; commmitted 0 Overall scholarships 27; goal 23-25; committed 20-21 Overall, I would give this class an A-/B+ based on addressing needs and overall talent and depth. Any thoughts? Corrections?

Manny, Great article. You are the best source for information about the Canes. Manny, I saw that Seminole v. NW game and Ray Ray Ray Armstrong or D. Dye were spectacular. Could either of them play tight end, or are they both better fits on defense? _________________________________ As for the Jacory Harris critics/Robert Marve fans, JH statistically did a better job of moving the team to scores and JH showed greater leadership on and off the field (Marve's arrest, poor class attendance, jerk attitude, suspensions, etc., didn't help his cause). According to ESPN, JH's passer rating 125.8 (4th in ACC) to 107.2 for RM (9th in ACC). JH, who is 1 1/2 years younger than RM, was an upper tier ACC quarterback. JH's numbers will only improve under Whipple's tutelage and direction. As JH's numbers improve and this good, young defense (ranked 28th in the country, and 3rd in ACC) improve, UM should be ready to take an ACC title. I agree with all the other posts that Barrington fits UM's needs moreso than Telfort. Barrington has the physical tools that UM needs, and he is a more versatile LB athlete based on his impressive high school stats as a 6'3" running back. Last year's UM recruiting class was good because of their #1 ranking, the players filled UM's needs AND that class delivered on the field. This 2009 class is also good in terms of filling needs and ranking, and only the next two years will determine whether they deliver on the field. 5 OL already committed is impressive, and as other posts have pointed out, the recruiting evaluators often get it wrong when it comes to OL, which is difficult to project. These are great classes and the UM program is headed in the right direction.