Michigan Football: Analyzing commitment of 2022 OL Connor Jones
It’s not quite Christmas, but Michigan football fans got some news to celebrate Thursday night as 2022 offensive lineman Connor Jones committed to U-M.
Even though the Michigan football program still doesn’t have a clear answer about who will be the head coach long term, the Wolverines continue to reel in commitments.
After landing in-state defensive tackle Davonte Miles last week in the class of 2022, Michigan football added another recruit in the trenches, this time on the offensive side of the ball as three-star offensive tackle Connor Jones announced his verbal commitment on Christmas Eve.
Like Miles, Jones isn’t a super highly-rated recruit but he’s a solid three-star prospect who is 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds. He’s also ranked as the sixth-best player in the state of Colorado and also as the No. 78 offensive tackle and No. 774 overall according to the 247 sports composite.
Colorado isn’t a state that is well-known for recruiting but that doesn’t mean there aren’t quality players there and even though Jones is ranked lower, he has all the tools you want in an offensive lineman.
Jones has got the measurables that remind you of Jalen Mayfield and Ryan Hayes and Ed Warinner was able to turn both of those guys into solid players and I’d expect that from Jones too.
Jones also reminds me a lot of Tristan Bounds, a kid from Connecticut who is also from an area that’s not as heavily recruited. Eventually, Bounds went from ranking outside the top 500 to being a four-star prospect according to Rivals and a high-ranking three-star prospect.
So the point is, don’t get caught up with the rankings. Warinner has proven himself as an offensive line coach and I would trust his judgement over rankings, especially in a year where lots of kids didn’t get the same chances to impress talent evaluators.
On the same note, it’s probably a good sign for Warinner’s future that offensive lineman are still coming to the program and I’d say he’s one of the assistants viewed as safe despite what turnover is going to come in the next few weeks.
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Jones is the fifth verbal pledge for Michigan football in 2022 and is the second player on the offensive side of the ball and the first offensive lineman.