Michigan Football could still add a pass rusher in 2020 class

Michigan football may not be done yet when it comes to the 2020 recruiting class and could add a fast-rising defensive end out of Connecticut.

Like most programs, Michigan football has already done the vast majority of work on its 2020 recruiting class, even though the actual signing period, not the early signing period, hasn’t even taken place.

That’s why the world of college football recruiting works. The early signing period is king. But there are still some guys that are worth paying attention to and some that even slip through the cracks.

One of those guys could be Paris Shand, a 6-foot-5 defensive end from the state of Connecticut that is getting plenty of power-5 attention as signing day approaches.

Shand moved from Toronto and spent most of his high school days playing basketball. Yet, he played football last season and the three-star defensive end registered double-digit sacks and showed a knack for pressuring the quarterback.

Michigan football has made contact with Shand, according to Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider ($) but there hasn’t been an offered extended — yet.

“I’ve talked to Coach Nua,” Shand told The Michigan Insider. “He just told me he’s going to come by my school.”

Michigan won’t be able to make an offer until the dead period is over but it’s very possible that Shand could get one then, which could shake up his recruitment.

As of now, Shand has offers from Vanderbilt, Rutgers and is set to take a visit to Arizona. He has also been offered by Virginia and Tulane, in addition to getting some interest from Boston College.

When you watch his highlights, you can see why Shand is getting the interest. He has a natural ability rushing the passer and is explosive. You see him make a number of plays in the backfield and also show some instincts by patting down a pass.

Yet, you can also see that he is extremely raw. He doesn’t show a ton of pass-rush moves and against his competition, he doesn’t need a vast array. He wins simply on speed and power.

He’s the 13th-ranked player in Connecticut and is also ranked outside the top 1,000 by 247. But at 240 pounds, he has the potential to be a solid edge rusher and Michigan football has taken on other developmental projects, so this could make sense.

At the very least, it’s a recruitment to watch as the signing period approaches.