Michigan Wolverines football recruiting got off to the perfect start in 2009 after securing quarterback commitments for Kevin Newsome Jr. (video below) and Shavodrick Beaver. Newsome hails from Virginia and is rated the #5 QB overall in the nation by Scout.com and thought to be a top dual threat QB, only behind LSU commit Russel Shephard. Just a few days later Beaver, a Texas native also pulled the trigger in hopes of seeing some time as a true freshman in the Rich Rodriguez spread option attack. What's interesting is that Texas and Texas Tech had liked Beaver as a receiver and he was actually about to pull the trigger for TCU when RRod came a knockin' explaining he'd get to play QB for the Wolverines. I always find it interesting when young athletes elect ot play quarterback, rather than what their pro potential may favor, at least early on but Shavodrick Beaver knows what's best for Shavodrick Beaver, so who am I to judge.

Kevin Newsome Jr. and Shavodrick Beaver (Scout.com). Will either of these guys be better than Terrelle Pryor?

With all due respect to Beaver who sounds like a great athlete and playmaker, Kevin Newsome Jr. seems to be the real recruiting prize as UM fans can't help but compare him to the kid they were fooled by last recruiting season, Terrelle Pryor (AKA-Toilet Paper). The comparisons are fair, as Pryor was supposed to be the savior but now that title will go to Newsome, who will be the favorite to start from day one. Rumors also have it that he will try for early enrollment, which would be huge if he truly wants to make an impact in 2009. The same goes for Beaver, who would almost certainly need to polish his QB skills over the course of spring practice if he truly wants to see valuable minutes in 2009.

Newsome seems as if he may be a little more polished as a passer than Pryor at this stage of his career, throwing for over 1,600 yards as a junior, while running for over 500. He has run the 110-meter hurdles in 14.1 seconds. In my opinion, hurdlers make some of the best football players because they exemplify not only quickness and speed but burst as well. He placed fourth in the 55m high hurdles nationally (7.97), which is an indicator that if you are a defensive end than you don't want to let this kid break containment.

To break it all down in simpler terms, Michigan fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief knowing that no matter what happens in 2008 they'll have 2 top QB athletes looking to pounce on the starting role in 2009. Don't be surprised if they bring in another quarterback, because, why the hell not!

With these two quarterbacks Michigan has not moved only moved 2 gigantic steps forward, they've moved back into the minds of Big Ten fans everywhere who silently let out an "Oh Shit." These kids are good and Michigan will be pretty damn good to, I'm predicting, by 2010.

Kevin Newsome Highlight Video

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