Recruiting reset: Michigan looks to finish strong 2022 class after hot start

For the better part of the last three years, rumors swirled about head coach Jim Harbuagh‘s future at his alma mater, Michigan. After winning 10 games in both of Harbaugh’s first two seasons in 2015 and 2016, the Wolverines haven’t won more than nine games since. That includes three consecutive bowl losses and a 2-4 2020 campaign, in which speculation ran rampant that Harbaugh could be out of a job.

The two sides renegotiated his contract to a more school-friendly deal, and now Harbaugh has the Wolverines off to a 4-0 start, their best since 2017. Michigan has had no problem recruiting in recent years, pulling in top-15 classes each of the past three cycles. But as they always have and will be, the Maize and Blue will be compared to their arch rival, Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been a force on the recruiting trail and an on the field, and they’ve dominated the Big Ten in both areas.

Whether Michigan can start winning to that level on the field largely depends on what they can do off of it, and Harbaugh and Co. are looking to finish off another top-15 class in 2022.

Michigan 2022 commits

Five of Michigan’s 18 current commitments are ranked in the most recent 2022 On300. Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South cornerback Will Johnson tops that list, checking in as the No. 48 overall player in the class. EDGE Kevonte Henry (No. 82), wide receiver Tyler Morris (No. 260), EDGE Mario Eugenio (No. 265), and linebacker Aaron Alexander (282) make up the other four.

Michigan’s national ranking

Michigan holds the No. 14 class in the country and the No. 3 class in the Big Ten behind Penn State and Ohio State. The Wolverines currently have 18 players committed for 2022.

Strength of Michigan’s class

Harbaugh and Co. have added significantly to their defensive line in this class, most recently three-star defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. But the skill positions—especially wide receiver and defensive back—are the strength of this group. Both Will Johnson and Tyler Morris are potential impact players as freshmen, and one of the biggest gaps between the Wolverines and teams like Ohio State and Penn State has been skill position play.

Bulking up on the interior is key in the Big Ten, but having speedy, skilled athletes on the edge is what makes the difference between where Michigan has been the past few years and where it wants to go.

Michigan’s best recruiting win

Keeping Johnson, who held offers from USC, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, and a host of others, home in the state of Michigan is a huge win for Harbaugh. He ranks as the No. 1 player in state, in the 2022 cycle, and this marks the first time Michigan has landed the state’s top high school player since 2018. Adding California top-100 EDGE Kevonte Henry, On300 EDGE Mario Eugenio, and On300 linebacker Aaron Alexander should give an immediate boost to Michigan’s defense in 2022.

Michigan’s most underrated recruit

It’s hard to go unnoticed when you’re 6-foot-4 and 335 pounds, but that’s the case for recent Michigan defensive tackle commit Kenneth Grant. For his size, Grant is extremely athletic, and he moves very well on the interior of the defensive line. He’ll likely need some work with Michigan’s strength and conditioning program to become more a little more lean, but given what he can do currently, he has a chance to be a a big—literally and figuratively—piece of the Wolverines’ defensive front going forward.

Still on the board for Michigan

Michigan is still very much in the thick of things for a pair of five-stars: Powell (Tenn.) High DL Walter Nolen and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei DB Domani Jackson. The latter is still committed to USC, but he took an official visit to Michigan on Sept. 11. With the uncertainty around the Trojans’ program and their coaching search very much still ongoing, the Wolverines are and will continue to make a big effort to flip Jackson.

Nolen, meanwhile, remains uncommitted, but he also visited on Sept. 11 and has family that graduated from Michigan and lives in the area. Texas A&M, Georgia and Tennessee are also making major plays for the 6-foot-4, 325-pounder.

The Wolverines’ other major target is Seattle (Wa.) Rainier Beach offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Once thought to be a Washington lean, Conerly Jr. has trended toward Michigan and USC being his top two in recent months. He ranks as the No. 52 overall player in the On300, his commitment would give them the elite anchor offensive lineman they’ve been looking to build around.

Class geographic breakdown

Michigan — 3
California — 3
Florida — 2
Tennessee — 2
Alabama — 1
Colorado — 1
Connecticut — 1
Georgia — 1
Idaho — 1
Illinois — 1
Indiana — 1
South Carolina — 1

Class position breakdown

Quarterback – 1
Running back – 1
Receiver – 4
Offensive line – 2
Defensive line – 3
Linebacker – 2
Defensive back – 2
Athlete – 3