Michigan adds to top-ranked football recruiting class with commitment from fast-rising WR Csont'e York
The nation's No. 1 recruiting class has added another member.
Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy receiver Csont'e York committed to the Michigan football team Wednesday afternoon, only one day after he was offered by the Wolverines, according to Scout's Allen Trieu.
The Harper Woods native is the 18th player to commit to Michigan for 2013, making it the largest class in the country. It's also the best class in the country, according to the Scout team rankings that were released earlier this week.
Rivals has yet to release its ranking.
The class has commanded attention not only for its size, but also its quality. Only tight end Khalid Hill and York don't have at least four stars from one of the two major recruiting outlets.
York is a three-star receiver according to Scout, and is not ranked by Rivals.
Trieu, who compiles Scout's Midwest rankings, said one reason York isn't highly ranked -- his best offers were from Cincinnati and Syracuse -- is he plays at Chandler Park Academy, a school that has had a football program for only three years.
So, it tends to get bypassed by coaches and recruiters.
But York's stock "rocketed up" recently after he strung together several outstanding camp performances, including at the Adidas Invitational in Ann Arbor, the Badger Sport Elite 7-on-7 in Pittsburgh and last weekend at the Nike camp in Columbus, Ohio.
Michigan offered three days later.
"If you waited on the kid, you were going to have a lot of competition for him," Trieu said of Michigan's quick trigger.
York ended the courtship swiftly, electing to commit less than 24 hours after receiving the offer.
"I'm a little surprised at how quickly he made his decision," Trieu said. "He's always liked Michigan State, and a lot of other schools were getting on to him because of the strong camps. With his stock rising, I thought he'd wait.
"He said he was going to sleep on it, but then couldn't sleep last night, and decided today it was just too big an opportunity to pass up."
York has a familiarity with several players in Michigan's class, which also contributed to his quick decision. In fact, he's already played 7-on-7 ball with five-star prospect Shane Morris (Warren DeLaSalle), who could be his quarterback with the Wolverines.
Hill (Detroit Crockett) and cornerback Jourdan Lewis (Detroit Cass Tech) also played on that team.
York is the second receiver to commit to Michigan for 2013, joining Jaron Dukes of Columbus, Ohio. Both are big-bodied receivers, with York measuring 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, according to Scout.
"He's a guy who is very long, with outstanding hands and ball skills," Trieu said. "He's the kind of player who, if a ball is thrown somewhere in his stratosphere, he's coming down with it.
"His speed isn't his forte, though. He can get down the field, but he's not a home-run hitter kind of receiver."
Trieu said the Wolverines could use one of its five or six remaining slots on a third receiver, although if they did, it probably would be to add a speed guy. Possible targets include Laquon Treadwell of Crete, Ill.; Alvin Bailey of Seffner, Fla; Devon Allen of Phoenix; and Sebastian Larue of Santa Monica, Calif.
Otherwise, Michigan will look to complete its class at positions of greater need, including running back, cornerback and defensive line, Trieu said.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Comments
Tru2Blu76
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:30 p.m.
It's just great to see that all of these talented high school players and their parents are seeing Michigan as The Place of Promise and Trust. This is Michigan. This is TPPT.
observer
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 12:46 p.m.
remember, everyone looks good in shorts and shirts.......
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:15 p.m.
especially York !
killerbrooks
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 12:17 p.m.
1:58 of the video (ouch!)
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:19 a.m.
"His speed isn't his forte, though. He can get down the field, but he's not a home-run hitter kind of receiver." Of coarse . What do you expect of this Michigan skill position offensive recruiting ? Slow and big. Hence easy to defend. Borgess and Hoke know this offense will win the easy games but never win the difficult ones. We can count on the same old beat-downs from USC type teams.
GoBigBlue
Fri, May 11, 2012 : 2:38 a.m.
Oh Ted oh Ted he loves the spread All other forms of football in his mind are dead Go root for your boy in AZ if you don't like what this staff is building.
umgoblue47
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:25 p.m.
ted. . . if this kid were a 4* or 5* you would still be negative or complaining about him! go over to mgoblog and read what they have to say about YORK (he is an under the radar sleeper)! get your head out of the sand and get back into the game!! GO BLUE!!!!!!
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:14 p.m.
Wolves fans, pay ted no heed I'm sure ted is an miami of ohio fan. At one time I thought he was an indiana fan but I was wrong, I'm sure it is, miami of ohio. See there ted we appreciate your humor and ted, thanks for the laughs.
BuckFanHater
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 8:03 a.m.
Ted- Please relax. Most of us are enjoying this ride. If all you can do is complian then..... I watched up close and in person how Iowa came into the Big House in RR's final season and their BIG SLOW WR Pushed our DB's out of the way because we were much smaller...I look at this York kid and I see a body that needs to put on weight to compete in the B1G....but he does have some amazing hands and he "appears" to be able to catch just about anything (video biased in his direction) But please Ted...if you need to complain, complain, complain....please take it elsewhere and not rain on our parade. Because we need a little sunshine in our lives...just be happy and smile instead. Thanks GO BLUE!!!
Robert Granville
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 6:41 a.m.
We now have 4 receivers in the 4.5-4.6 40 range coming in the next 2 years. That's plenty of speed for the NFL, let alone the NCAA.
Scott Laux
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:44 a.m.
Boise State had two guys go in the first round of the NFL draft last month who were two star recruits out of high school. The coaches know what they are doing.
DonAZ
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:14 a.m.
Over at: http://thisismichiganfootball.blogspot.com/2012/05/csonte-york-commits.html The following "Positives" and "Needs Work" -- POSITIVES + Height + Can get open with nice shifty moves + Ability to adjust to the ball in the air + Attacking the ball/not waiting for it to come to him + Aggressiveness when fighting for the ball + Hands are extremely soft + Done big things in camp against big competition NEEDS WORK: - Strength - Improving YAC If indeed that's a fair appraisal, then the upside is huge on this kid. The two "needs work" items can be addressed with strength conditioning and coaching. There's nothing in the record (yet) to suggest that Hoke and staff are foolish with their recruiting efforts. It sure looks like this is someone they spotted flying under the radar and they convinced him the place for him is Michigan.
GoBigBlue
Fri, May 11, 2012 : 2:35 a.m.
Great breakdown Don. I will also add a positive I noticed in the video. It looks like many times after great TD catches he will toss the ball right to the official. No hot dogging WR diva stuff that I could see. Hopefully that speaks to his character. WRs make me nervous on that front.
unclefred
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:06 p.m.
Don - Also if you look at the highlight video, he is rarely hit in stride and often has to stop to catch the ball. I also like the way he comes back when his QB is under pressure. Give him a QB who can hit him in stride and his YAC are certain to improve.
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:08 p.m.
Blue Marker, ted is not a Mich. fan, ted is a wanna be comedian from another school but it's okay cause ted's schtick is a little funny sometimes. Blue Marker, pay ted no serious attention he's just a funny guy, you go ted.
Blue Marker
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 11:57 a.m.
I've got to admit Ted, after a surprising first year that saw Michigan win 11 games, beat OSU for the first time in 7 years and win a BCS game for the first time in 12 years you're incredibly negative regarding this staff. Haven't they earned the benefit of the doubt? I wasn't thrilled when Hoke was hired but let's say he's won me over. And not just by winning but by taking the same kids RR had and making them better....that's coaching. IMHO you need to give this coaching staff the chance they deserve!
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:48 a.m.
Yeah, whatever guys. You forgot under needs work.... speed. I guess you can't work on that though. You either have it or you don't. This kid doesn't have it. Michigan's wide receiver recruiting under Borges and Hoke is nothing short of a joke. Pathetic . How exactly do they plan to move the football with the personel they are collecting? Run it up the middle until the d stops you, then throw up the ball to covered receivers and pray they come down with it. Not very smart. Not to mention , very boring.
Terry Star21
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:47 a.m.
Just like this Drake Johnson kid they nabbed from Pioneer - these coaches know what there doing.
Engineer
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:34 a.m.
What a joker the writer of this article must be. Suprised he committed so soon he really liked moo u. Are you kidding I like a chevy but you offer me a Lambo. I don't think I would have to think to long either.
Canabian
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 6:19 p.m.
"Lambo"? Really? You know how much insurance costs on a Lamborghini? I'm pretty sure any degree from MSU won't cover it anyway so don't worry too much about it.
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:04 p.m.
ya, if I was a Mich. state fan I'd be on our site bragging about the last 4 yrs. cause it won't be long now before Mich. state fans and that snotty, arrogant dantonio will be crying in their beers or pink lemonade or what ever they drink.
Terry Star21
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:44 a.m.
I can't imagine how tough it is to lose recruit after recruit to Michigan.....very painful I suppose...
Terry Star21
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 1:10 a.m.
The coaches definitely saw something in this kid. The good showing at the camps I believe made the greatest impact - you want a kid that can step-it up when it counts. I agree he is still growing, getting stronger and faster. The explanation for his low star rating is the schools that were recruiting him and his own teams status. Sorry msu, this guy now becomes 'your threat'. MgoBlueForTiM....look for this #1 to be a 4+ star, come 2013.
GoBigBlue
Fri, May 11, 2012 : 2:29 a.m.
Oh Ted oh Ted he loves the spread All other forms of football in his mind are dead Go root for your boy in AZ if you don't like what this staff is building.
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 5:33 p.m.
@hailmary, Never mind the substance of the argument
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:35 p.m.
ted, ted, ted we know you hate our beloved Wolves. and hey ted, that's okay because if I was an opposing fan like you I'd be very nervous at what I see coming down the pike at me. ted, your sarcastic dooms day humor is much appreciated kind of like a Don Rickles wanna be. ted, you make us realize how lucky we are to have Brady and staff, thanks again ted.
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 5:16 a.m.
He's a pro-style qb. You think he's going to be threatening in anyway with the ball in his hand other than to throw up balls to slow wide receivers ?
Andrew
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 5:01 a.m.
No skill recruits? How about Shane Morris?
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:38 a.m.
a no ranking to a 4 star ? Maybe you should watch his video. The only catches he makes are jump balls. He never gets away to run after the catch. It says he has no speed. Michigan has yet, in this "great " class, to recruit ANY quality skill position recruits! No-one who is going to do great things with the ball in their hands !
Steve McQueen
Wed, May 9, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.
WR is the one position coming out of HS, where there is a lot of upside with 3 star recruits. Kid are still growing, getting stronger and faster. Coach Hoke and team's approach to looking at the potential of some of these lower ranked WRs will pay off in the long term. Csonte York has the body type and play making ability to be a big contributor at Michigan.
Hailmary
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 1:59 p.m.
Good to read you again ted, a good Thurs. morn. belly laugh. heartbreakM is on the money ted. Going after jump balls is an important part of being a WR in college football. ted, I guess you missed the Mich. vs Notre Dame game in 2011. Going after and catching a couple of those jump balls may very well have won the game for Mich.. Well ted, good hearing from you, keep the good humor rolling ted.
ted
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:31 a.m.
Great genius offensive strategy heartbreakM. Run, Run , run and throw up jump balls to guys who can't get away from their one on one coverage. Do you think thats a clever way to move the ball.
Scott Laux
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4 a.m.
Boise State put a two star recruit at DE and a two star recruit at RB into the NFL in the first round this year. So there are talented guys at many positions that get overlooked because they go to the "wrong" school or don't attend camps early or any number of reasons.
heartbreakM
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:11 a.m.
WR is the one position that Hoke can gamble with. Hoke will run, run, run and his WR will block block block (though if you can jump, you can get jump balls). This guy sounds like he may be a riser through the year.
Gabe Callender
Wed, May 9, 2012 : 11:12 p.m.
Michigan coaches must be seeing something that Scout, Rivals, and other BCS schools arent seeing. He might turn out to be a real good player but I am not sure why, from the way our recruiting is going, we would offer a player ranked this low...
Scott Laux
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 3:40 a.m.
Boise state had two guys go in the first round in last months NFL draft. Both were two star recruits coming out of high school.
eagleman
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 1:28 a.m.
You do realize that Braylong Edwards was once an lightly recruited WR do you not?
GeeWhiz
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 1:07 a.m.
Maybe you should read the article again - "Trieu, who compiles Scout's Midwest rankings, said one reason York isn't highly ranked -- is he plays at Chandler Park Academy, a school that has had a football program for only three years". He was an under-the-radar kid that competed against the best and excelled at two recent camps. He will definitely move up the rankings. Great get for Michigan!
Steve Kleintank
Wed, May 9, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
Csont'e York not Woods
Kyle Meinke
Wed, May 9, 2012 : 10:55 p.m.
Oops, brain fart. Thanks for pointing that out Steve. I made the change.