Michigan football commit and No. 1 center Cesar Ruiz.
Michigan football’s 2017 recruiting class is beginning to make a national impression.
The Wolverines had six players in Sunday’s Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando and four played, including three who stood out.
Playing for Team Highlight, Providence, R.I. defensive end Kwity Paye had a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry.
Though he’s the lowest-rated player in Michigan’s class, he fit in well with the nation’s top players.
With a tackle for loss in first quarter, he got the edge and showed a major burst getting into the backfield. On his quarterback hurry, also in the first quarter, he came right up the middle and forced a rushed and awkward incompletion.
Playing for Team Armour, Alexandria, Va., defensive end Luiji Vilain had three tackles and three quarterback hurries. He was named one of Scout.com‘s top five players in the game.
“If you want to know who was close to about half a dozen sacks, it would be this guy,” Scout’s Corey Bender wrote. “Vilain got around the corner and pressure the quarterback numerous times. He also flushed the quarterback out of the pocket and set the edge against the run a couple of times too. The Michigan commit has only played a couple of years, so his future is bright.”
The nation’s No. 1 center, Cesar Ruiz, from Camden, N.J. who played the past few years at Bradenton, Fla.’s IMG Academy, started the game and played well by most reviews, certifying his ranking. He is an early enrollee and was planning to move into his U-M dorm on Monday.
Detroit Cass Tech cornerback Jaylen Kelly-Powell also played in the game.
Two other U-M commits, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic linebacker Drew Singleton and Tamarac, Fla. offensive lineman Kai-Leon Herbert, did not play due to injury.
A number of other commits and targets will participate in Saturday’s Army All-American game in San Antonio, Texas.
Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder.
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