Why On3 has Michigan OL commit Evan Link ranked higher than other sites

The On3 Consensus recruiting rankings are the most accurate in the business, because they’re a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies — On3, ESPN, 247 Sports and Rivals. But on an individual basis, the average doesn’t necessarily tell the story for each recruit. Some sites are more optimistic than others about a particular player, including with at least one Michigan commit.

When it’s On3 higher on a prospect, director of scouting Charles Power calls that athlete an “On3 outlier.”

The latest outlier for Michigan is brand-new offensive tackle commit Evan Link. The 2023 Washington (D.C) Gonzaga four-star is rated as the No. 285 player in the country on the On3 Consensus. But he’s all the way up at No. 125 overall, the 11th-best tackle nationally and second-best player in D.C. per On3.

Power explained why in his latest article featuring On3 outliers, saying that his technique, level of competition he faces and frame are all pluses.

“Similar to [Texas] interior offensive lineman commit Jaydon Chatman, Evan Link is an offensive lineman that On3 has been higher than Consensus on for the majority of the cycle,” Power wrote of the Michigan pledge. “The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder is a technically sound tackle who put together some strong junior video while playing top competition at Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga.

“Link is a functional mover and with advanced hand placement. He also has more than adequate length to stick at offensive tackle long-term.”

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The Michigan commit’s next highest rating from a recruiting site is four-star status from ESPN, though they didn’t give him a national ranking. Both 247 Sports and Rivals have Link as a three-star.

Michigan fans were pleasantly surprised when Link made his pledge Monday, following a covert unofficial visit over the weekend for the Wolverines’ BBQ at The Big House. Link is the 13th commitment in Michigan’s 2023 class and the sixth-highest rated in the bunch on the On3 Consensus. According to On3’s rankings, though, he’s second behind EDGE Enow Etta (No. 112).

Michigan has one other pledge who could be considered an On3 outlier in Oswego (Ill.) High tight end Deakon Tonielli. He’s a three-star and the No. 486 overall player nationally on the On3 Consensus but a four-star (without a national rankings) according to Power and Co.

The Wolverines’ 2023 haul is ranked No. 25 in the country. With 13 members and a target of roughly 25 recruits, Michigan will likely add around 12 more players, and there’s a long way to go until December’s early signing period.