Quintin Somerville Checks In As No. 8 DE In The Nation
Ranking just behind Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood outside linebacker Junior Colson, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro defensive end Quintin Somerville is the most coveted defensive prospect in the Wolverines' 2021 class. Throughout the process. Michigan made Somerville a priority as he was one of the quicker developing players in his class on that side of the ball, and U-M's continuous push ultimately resulted in a pledge from the four-star prospect in June.
From a game play standpoint, Somerville shows the ability to explode off the line of scrimmage and has remarkable bend and flexibility on the edge. He is a compact player that can really gain leverage when crashing in from either the strong-side and weak-side positions, and he has more refined pass rush moves than many other prospects at this stage. Somerville has violent hands, and all of these traits combine to form a high ceiling prospect that Michigan had to have in its '21 class.
Over the offseason, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star quarterback and Michigan commit J.J. McCarthy spent time working out with Somerville, so U-M really operated a full-speed ahead approach for the SI All-American candidate. With him in the fold, Michigan has the No. 7 class in the country with a particularly strong group of defensive linemen in the fold. Somerville leads the way in that category, and this is what the SI All-American team had to say about the Michigan pledge who ranks No. 8 at his position for this cycle:
8. Quintin Somerville, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
6-foot-3, 230 pounds
Committed to Michigan
The future Wolverine is a true first-level threat with pass rushing traits strictly off the edge or even inside on occasion. Great hand technique combines with pound-for-pound strength and flash quickness and finishing power to affect offensive tackles and guards alike, regardless of alignment. Somerville's frame will likely designate him to the outside on a more permanent basis once competing in the Big Ten, a role in which he is already plenty familiar. A polished pass rushing tool box pairs well with his hands and borderline elite first-step quickness, where moves like a long-arm stab, slap-and-club, arm-over and a rip bridge the gap between blocker and passer. Just as consistent versus the run as a true edge setter, with strong hands and leverage while working in contain, Somerville offers a true three-down skill set sooner rather than later when he arrives in Ann Arbor.
For a further breakdown of the Michigan commit's strengths, SI All-American explored how Somerville projects at the next level and focused on five main categories when doing so:
Frame: Big shoulders with thick arms and solid length. Athletic frame that has a lot of definition to be explored.
Athleticism: Solid first-step quickness off the edge. Uses length and good hand quickness to win at the point of attack. He has good strength to set the edges and can anchor and shed blocks. Shows solid agility, balance, and coordination to redirect and chase ball carriers in pursuit. Possesses very good straight-line speed and closing quickness to finish plays.
Instincts: Good play instincts and very good hand usage. Has a long-arm stab, slap-and-club, arm-over and a rip to counter in his pass-rush toolbox. Possesses good body-control and block-awareness to lower his pad level and skinny through creases. Very good ball-location skills in traffic to pursue and finish.
Polish: Uses hands very well and plays with an impressive technique for a player at this stage in his development. He appears to have a good-sized pass-rush toolbox and a fair pass-rush plan. Will need to work on coverage aspects to his game if he is to play outside linebacker at the collegiate level - drops, buzzes, route recognition, transition quickness, etc.
Bottom Line: Somerville plays on the left and right side of the edges, along with kicking inside to defensive tackle at times. Should he develop to be solid in coverage on the weak side, he projects well as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He can set the edge versus the run and threaten offensive tackles as a pass-rusher due to his good technique and ability to play with his hands, along with his strength and closing quickness. Somerville will be a good starter on the edge for a college program.
After choosing Michigan, Somerville mentioned that the U-M staff had been recruiting him with the intention that he'd play a little bit with his hand off the ground. This was also a selling point to U-M defensive end commit Kechaun Bennett, so the Wolverines clearly have a creative vision for how to use edge rushers going forward.
What kind of impact do you see Somerville having in Ann Arbor? Will he be a strong-side defensive end or a weak-side end in college? Let us know!
