Michigan LB picks up his first offer

Brother Rice High School in Michigan has produced several linebackers who went on to success in college, including former Michigan All-Big Ten performer Steve Morrison and current Penn State junior Chris Colasanti. The Warriors appear to have another promising linebacker prospect in the 2011 class with 6-2, 225-pound Tim Hamilton.

As a junior, Hamilton tallied 155 tackles, five pass deflections and two fumble recoveries from his middle linebacker position. He also doubled as a fullback on offense. Hamilton's junior year performance has generated a lot of early interest from college, and this past weekend he picked up a scholarship offer from Central Michigan.

"Saturday I went up to Central Michigan for their Junior Day," Hamilton said. "When I first got in there I registered and Coach [Dan] Enos saw me and said, 'Hi.' He pulled me, my mom and my little brother and sister into his office and just said he liked my film, the whole staff liked my film and more importantly they liked my academics and liked me as a person. Then he said he wanted to extend me a scholarship offer."

The offer from Central Michigan was Hamilton's first of the recruiting process and generated a strong reaction from the Michigan linebacker.

"I was excited and a little surprised because they had just gotten my highlight film Tuesday and invited me to the Junior Day on Wednesday," Hamilton said.

Besides Central Michigan, Hamilton has also been receiving interest from Michigan State, Penn State, Ball State, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Connecticut and Syracuse. A few teams have caught his interest early in this recruiting process.

"I like what they are doing at State and I really like what they are doing at Central, but my dream school is probably Michigan. I grew up watching them all the time," Hamilton said. "I just recently sent my highlight film [to Michigan] and they sent a questionnaire back, but there's not a whole lot of contact there thus far. Hopefully they will pick up their interest soon."

Penn State coach Ron Vanderlinden, who coaches former Brother Rice linebacker Chris Colasanti has been in recent contact with Hamilton.

"I just talked to Coach Vanderlinden today at Penn State," Hamilton said. "He said he got my highlight film and he liked it. He said they were a little bit slower when it comes to offering and just to be patient."

Currently, Hamilton is projected to the middle linebacker position in college, but if he continues to grow and develop physically, a move to the defensive end position in college is not out of the question.

"I know Michigan State has been talking to me about linebacker and Central said if I stay at the same weight and can move, then I'll play linebacker, but if I keep working in the weight room and get to be 260 or 270 then I might play defensive end," Hamilton said.