@holdengerienr / Twitter
Michigan Offers 2022 Quarterback Holden Geriner
Looking ahead to the 2022 class, Michigan has one player currently committed in Essexville (Mich.) Garber athlete Alex VanSumeren. The Wolverines previously held a pledge from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy safety Myles Rowser, but the Michigan native from Belleville rescinded his commitment in order to check out other programs. However, Rowser still holds Michigan in high regard.
Looking at the rest of the cycle, the Wolverines have offered 12 quarterbacks so far, and Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School's Holden Geriner is the most recent athlete to pick up a scholarship from U-M.
Offered on Wednesday, Geriner already has a loaded offer sheet with some of the country's top programs interested. Tennessee offered Geriner shortly after Michigan did on Wednesday, but the 2022 prospect also reports offers from LSU, Florida State and Auburn as well.
Last season, Geriner produced 1,400 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, but he also logged 12 interceptions during his sophomore campaign. But with a little work on reading defenses and decision making, Geriner has the physical tools to end his high school career as one of the top quarterbacks in his class.
On tape, Geriner shows a lot of bright spots, such as a strong arm, the awareness to shift around the pocket to create throwing lanes and has a big frame for a player of his age. At 6-3 and 210 pounds, Geriner is already prepared for college from a physical standpoint, but he continues to work on his athleticism, such as increasing his speed over the offseason.
From a classification standpoint, Geriner is more of a pro-style, pocket-passing quarterback rather than a dual-threat option, but he is mobile to break off a first down run when necessary. Regarding his footwork, Geriner has an exaggerated first step in his drop back, but he does reach the top of his drop quickly and plants a solid foot in the ground to drive forward and deliver a pass. Geriner has a tendency to get on top of the football and dip his front shoulder, but his mechanics are fairly clean for an incoming junior recruit.
In terms of his collegiate interest, Geriner's stock is rising throughout the coronavirus quarantine, and that trend is likely to continue during the lead up to the 2020 season. Geriner has visited Florida State multiple times in the past, including a workout for the Seminoles coaches during a camp setting, so he is familiar with what FSU's program is like at this point. Geriner has also taken trips to Notre, Dame, Florida, Georgia and Alabama throughout his recruitment.
In terms of Michigan's offense, Geriner could be a quality fit for U-M's scheme since the Wolverines are looking to air out the football and pass a bit more with a speed-in-space concept. However, Shea Patterson did operate the read option a bit last year, so having a mobile quarterback can be beneficial in offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' offense. Geriner shows that he can both stretch the field and flee the pocket when asked to do so.
As far as Michigan's other quarterback offers in the '22 cycle, one prospect that is high on Michigan is Des Moines (Iowa) Southeast Polk prospect Jaxon Dailey. In March, Dailey had an opportunity to check out Michigan's campus and he spoke about his recent offer from the U-M program with Wolverine Digest.
“It’s awesome,” Dailey said. “I took my junior day visit up there March 1st, and I loved it. I loved the atmosphere, the coaching staff and everything about it. I loved all of it.”
While in Ann Arbor, Dailey received a first-hand look at the Wolverines program and received a tour of Michigan Stadium with a host of other coveted recruits in tow.
“We got to walk onto the stadium, took some pictures out on the stadium, walked us to the locker room, the weight room and pretty much all the facilities they have,” Dailey said. “It’s beautiful.”
Another prospect that holds a Michigan offer at the position is Carrolton (Ga.) High four-star M.J. Morris, who landed an offer from the Wolverines in January.
“Of course, what pleases my mom is the academics,” Morris told Wolverine Digest. “It’s a great academic school. Definitely just the coaches on that team, the whole staff, I feel like they can make me a better player and give me a chance to play in the NFL.”
Morris is a dual-threat quarterback who is incredibly gifted from a physical standpoint and can make all the throws on the field. Morris is strong, stands tall in the pocket and can escape pressure and run with the football as well, which creates a rather well-rounded package from the quarterback position.
Now, Geriner joined Dailey and Morris as offered 2022 quarterbacks that are firmly on Michigan's radar.
Out of those players, which one catches your eye the most? Is Geriner a good fit at Michigan? Can the Wolverines pry Morris out of the south? Let us know!
