UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[lineygoblue]

Well, currently Michigan is in 2nd place in the Big Ten, and about 12th or 13th in the country, depending on whom you choose to believe.

Its not going to get much better than that.

[iam416]

[hack]

I don't care.

[iam416]

HARBAUGH!!! also lost a TE they wanted to Penn State. He used to be like a TE whisperer or something. Can't imagine why TEs don't want to play for him.

Anyway, M is trucking toward a fringe top 15 class. With no CBs and no DTs of any note. Or just literally.

[WM Wolverine]

M had two true freshman tight ends who played this year, opportunity wasn't that great for him. They'll need a tight end in their next class.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I think it's pretty clear that recruiting and roster management is not one of JH's strengths and his assistants don't seem to be able to offer the same kind of connections that appeal to a particular recruit. Development and attrition seem to also be issues for M. It's also clear that 9-3 and 3rd place finishes in the BTE aren't going to cut it with HS recruits with the goods to have a shot at the NFL. They'll go elsewhere and I don't blame them.

So, this is M's reality. If you can't win championships, you can't recruit Top 100 dudes and if you can't do that you can't win championships. There's nothing in the short term that is going to change this current dynamic. Realignment driven by an expanded CFP and hi-level efforts to improve competitiveness across the entire FBS is years away and may never happen due to factors that have been laid out here. NIL will have zero impact unless that is accompanied by wider ranging steps on player compensation.

So, the rivalry between M and osu is dead or at best on life support. I've become somewhat immune to tiresome put-downs from our life-long rivals. If change were possible, it would be entertaining. Change isn't coming. osu has, by means we can all have fun debating about, has risen to an essentially unassailable position in the BT and CFB nationally along with the other CFB teams from the SEC that will continue to dominate their conferences for much the same reasons as osu dominates the BT.

We have no control over what's transpired in the last decade with both CFB and Michigan football in particular. As fans, we may have aspirations for Michigan football championships but the reality is that the field upon which those championships might be obtained is littered with obstacles to those aspirations - some of them self imposed, some not. Removal of them might happen but if there is movement, it will be painfully incremental.

[hack]

I think on a position-by-position basis things are different in terms of what recruits are looking for. As ridiculous as it seems given our offense over the last decade, if you're a starting WR at Michigan, the NFL wants you. Surely you can sell that to recruits, and Michigan probably does given the gap between how it's used WRs and the quality of the WRs that come through.

I also think that Harbaugh is far from averse to change, and we could see a grand shift in recruiting strategy, potentially. This time of year he's back at the drawing board, and we'll have an inkling in January what he's going to come up with.

[iam416]

osu has, by means we can all have fun debating about, has risen to an essentially unassailable position in the BT and CFB nationally along with the other CFB teams from the SEC that will continue to dominate their conferences for much the same reasons as osu dominates the BT.

You know, the 2019 class for Ohio State was really light on numbers. It'll probably only produce maybe 4 elite level players (Day 1/Day 2 picks) and maybe only another 2-3 quality starters. That's a really high hit rate, but with 17 it's still going be down. The 2020 class is a nice, workmanlike effort from CRD. Nice number of elite kids, but probably an average UFM class. So, when you start looking at 2021 -- when Fields is gone and lots of others are gone and OSU doesn't have the depth to just plug and play then you can see a drop. For sure.

Now, I think CRD is going to blow the 2021 class out of the water. I think he has a chance at the #1 class. So, the window is there but it may close sooner rather than later.

[*JD*]

4-star DE Jaylen Harrell commits to Michigan. He had offers from Bammy, Auburn, Tosu, Penn State, OU, and others.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Recruiting is admittedly not my area. Others know way more than I do. But I've read plenty about Brown's approach to DL recruiting. His approach is there aren't a lot of 320+ 17-18 yo HS kids that are both big, agile and ready to play DT at the CFB level. So, Brown targets HS DEs that have the frame to grow into a DT by nominally their 2nd year but more likely, their 3rd.

Harrell seems to fit the bill (thanks for the link JD). A bit of seemingly good news for a position of need on the DL (assuming he plays at DT at some point) that I'm sure our osu friend(s) will find a way to dump on him and M recruiting. Keep in mind, I have been immunized from that virus.

[WM Wolverine]

Crystal balls coming in for Darion Green-Warren CB (4*)

[Jeff Buchanan]

In case you haven't seen a list of singed NLIs received today at the early signing date elsewhere, here is the list up to now from TTB:

• DE Jaylen Harrell (LINK)
• WR A.J. Henning (LINK)
• OL Jeffrey Persi (LINK)
• LB Cornell Wheeler (LINK)
• LB Kalel Mullings (LINK)
• LB William Mohan (LINK)
• CB Andre Seldon (LINK)
• DL Aaron Lewis (LINK)
• S Makari Paige (LINK)
• LB Nikhai Hill-Green (LINK)
• S Jordan Morant (LINK)
• DL Kris Jenkins, Jr. (LINK)
• WR Eamonn Dennis (LINK)
• RB Blake Corum (LINK)
• S R.J. Moten (LINK)
• OL Zak Zinter (LINK)
• LB Osman Savage (LINK)
• TE Matt Hibner (LINK)
• DE Braiden McGregor (LINK)

Here's a list of expected early enrollees also from TTB:

[lineygoblue]

I think out of this class, Seldon, McGregor and Morant will be the guys who step up first, and Corum may be a sleeper at RB.

The rest is a typical class. Some good will likely find their way to the field, and others will not.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Dan Villari did sign his NLI. So another QB. Some think he'll become a TE like Gentry did. Others think his film suggests he's a white Milton.

Whatever. He's unlikely to become the next Joey Burrow or Justin Fields. M desparately needs difference makers at QB. Gattis appears to have the skill set to put a modern offense on the field. He also appears to be missing a QB to run it.

[Hannibal]

Dan Villari did sign his NLI.

Phew! What a relief!