Michigan had the No. 1 recruiting class nationally for a time before settling at No. 15.
Early National Signing Day passed earlier this week, but you might not have noticed because Michigan’s recruiting class was devoid of drama. The same cannot be true for Ohio State, but that’s another story.
Michigan’s class was ranked 15th in the USA by 247Sports. The Wolverines might still add four-star wide receiver Gatlin Bair in February, but for all intents and purposes, this class is set. Today’s topic is straightforward: how enthusiastic are you about this recruitment class?
The class consists of tons of intriguing prospects. Quarterback Jadyn Davis was nearly a five-star earlier on in the recruiting process, but settled around the top 100 nationally. He may not have the flashiest arm in America, but he consistently makes the right reads and decisions. Running back Jordan Marshall may be the crowned jewel of the class; the Ohio Mr. Football chose the Wolverines over his hometown Buckeyes.
Elsewhere, Michigan picked up their top two tight ends on the board in four-stars Hogan Hansen and Brady Prieskorn. At this point, Jim Harbaugh should have no trouble recruiting tight ends due to how he uses them at Michigan. The Wolverines also picked up a virtual starting five on the offensive line, highlighted by four-star tackle Andrew Sprague.
On the defensive side of the ball, Michigan brought in size, size, and more size on the defensive line. The newest commit, Lugard Edokpayi, measures in at a casual 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds as a defensive end. Similarly, at least four commits have the possibility of playing nose tackle depending on how strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert changes their bodies in three-stars Owen Wafle, Ted Hammond, Manuel Beigel, and Deyvid Palepale.
In the back seven, cornerback Jo’Ziah Edmond was barely a three-star when Michigan offered. He has since exploded into a high four-star and the 14th-rated corner in the country. Four-star linebacker Jeremiah Beasley out of Belleville, Michigan was a big recruiting win for the Wolverines as well.
On the bad side, the Wolverines did swing and miss a lot this cycle. They were very interested in Ryan Wingo (Texas), NiTareon Tuggle (Georgia), and Jordan Shipp (North Carolina) at wide receiver but were unable to land any of them.
Perhaps most painfully, Michigan attempted to recruit Ohio’s two top cornerbacks, four-stars Bryce West and Aaron Scott. Jim Harbaugh and his staff were obviously in the running, particularly for Scott, and believed they had a good chance of securing him. Unfortunately, both remained loyal to Ohio State.
Overall, Michigan’s class is extremely good but not extraordinary. When it comes to player evaluation, however, the Michigan coaching staff deserves the benefit of the doubt. You could argue that no coaching staff in America recognises and develops talent better than Michigan’s. This recruiting year, Michigan swung for the fences a few times and missed. The prospects they were able to land, on the other hand, have enticing intangibles and are brimming with potential.
Andrew Sprague, Blake Frazier, and Owen Wafle are three of my favourite newcomers. Who is yours? What are your thoughts on the class as a whole? Are you disappointed that the Big Ten’s back-to-back championships resulted in the 15th best recruiting class? Do you have complete faith in the staff at this point given their track record of evaluation and development?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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