Michigan Football has golden opportunity with 4-star RB Donovan Edwards

Michigan football has been pushing hard for four-star running back Donovan Edwards and after some other developments, U-M could be in the driver’s seat.

There’s no doubt that if you got a look at Michigan football‘s recruiting board, four-star running back Donovan Edwards name would be near or at the top of the list.

The Wolverines need for Edwards really can’t be overstated. The running back isn’t just your normal four-star kid. He’s a superstar. The West Bloomfield product is the No. 38 prospect in the 2021 class according to the 247 sports composite rankings and the No. 3 running back.

In 247 sports own specific rankings, Edwards is listed even higher. He’s 22nd overall and the second-best running back. 247 sports also ranks him as the top player in Michigan, while in the composite, he’s No. 2.

For Michigan football, getting Edwards would be a huge deal, especially after Ohio State landed five-star TreVeyon Henderson Friday, which was the Buckeyes second commitment from a top-five back in 2021 this month.

The Wolverines were in on Henderson, who committed to Ohio State shortly after fifth-ranked back Evan Pryor did. While it’s not necessarily good news for Michigan fans that the Buckeyes nabbed two of the best backs in the country, in a way, it could help U-M follow suit.

Edwards seemed to be trending towards Ohio State when Pryor announced his commitment. Something happened there that rubbed Edwards the wrong way. Then, Henderson announced his pledge Friday and soon after, Allen Trieu of The Michigan Insider, changed his crystal ball prediction ($) from Ohio State to up in the air. Soon, the Wolverines led again with 40 percent of Edwards projections. Ohio State is down to 20 percent and Georgia has 10.

That’s the third crystal ball that has gone foggy since March 20. But, before Michigan football fans get too excited, the only new projection has gone to Georgia, a school Edwards visited recently. The Bulldogs have come on strong and they are probably neck-and-neck with the Wolverines.

Michigan State is also trying to get into the mix and who knows, maybe with Ohio State seemingly out of it now, Notre Dame might test the waters too.

At the end of the day, this feels like it’s coming down to Michigan and Georgia. On the Wolverines side of things, it’s a must-win recruiting battle. The top-ranked player in the state is likely headed elsewhere and losing Edwards would be a gut punch.

Not only is Edwards a great runner, he’s an exceptional receiver and it’s possible that Josh Gattis can sell him on the speed-in-space system he’s been using. Getting Blake Corum was a great start, but Edwards, along with five-star QB J.J. McCarthy would be a huge get for the Wolverines.

Edwards is a dynamic playmaker and he’s in Michigan football’s backyard. It’s a golden opportunity, especially with Ohio State pretty much out of the picture. Now, it’s time for Jim Harbaugh and company to seal the deal.