Deyvid Palepale announcement that he is leaving the Wolverines now another significant issue for the Team…..
Michigan has put a strong emphasis on finding big bodies for the interior of their defense and have found plenty of success in recent years with the likes of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. They targeted a talented big man in Deyvid Palepale out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania this cycle. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder, who grew up Anchorage, Alaska before moving to Pennsylvania at 14, was offered by the Wolverines in February and hosted him for an official visit in June. Michigan looked to be trending in the recruitment following the trip, but USC and former Wolverine defensive line coach Shaun Nua were able to secure his commitment instead over the summer. However, defensive line coach Mike Elston remained in pursuit and following the Trojans disappointing 2023 season, which resulted in coaching changes on the defensive side of the ball, Palepale silently flipped his commitment to the Maize and Blue around Thanksgiving and made it public in early December.
Scouting Report:
Per The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich
At 6-foot-3, 315-pounds, Palepale has the prototypical size to come in at any program and be college ready. Despite his large stature, he has an athletic background having played basketball many years, which has resulted in his quick footwork and agility. He has a unique blend of size and athleticism to excel at the next level and despite only playing a small amount his senior season, he’s still scratching the surface when it comes to his potential.
Why Michigan?
“Not necessarily content but happy. More at ease, I would say,” Palepale told 247Sports. “It’s a lot closer to home than USC. That degree is a lateral step. The accounting and business school is top in the nation. I feel really comfortable being able to go to a top school that’s close to home and they’re really good at football.”
Bottom Line:
There aren’t many defensive tackles with Palepale’s size and athleticism every cycle, so identifying him, maintaining that bond and ultimately flipping him away from USC was a big recruiting win by Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston. It’s no secret one of the main reasons for the defensive success the last few years has been the play of the defensive tackles, who are tasked to do a lot in this system. Palepale has the size, ability and athleticism to be another talented prospect up front for the Wolverines and a key contributor when his career in Ann Arbor is all said and done. Michigan simply needed a player that could demand double-teams and be a space-eater in the middle of their defense and Palepale perfectly fits the bill.
