Michigan Football: Top lists, 300-pounders and more on recruiting

Michigan football is ramping up its recruiting operation in the class of 2022 and made some top lists, plus the latest on a commit that is 300 pounds at defensive tackle.

There’s no doubt that Michigan football fans want to see more big bodies on the defensive side of the ball, specifically at defensive tackle where the size has been a little lacking in recent years.

Well, that’s starting to change. After closing the 2021 recruiting class with three defensive tackles being added, the focus is now on 2022 and in that regard, the defensive tackle recruiting is already going quite well.

Not only are the Wolverines expected to be a legitimate threat in the recruitment of the No. 1 defensive tackle prospect in the 2022 class but one of Michigan’s current commitments, Alex VanSumeren is already up to 300 pounds according to Brice Marich of the Michigan Insider.

Tons of others schools have gotten in the mix, even Alabama offered VanSumeren who is ranked as the No. 223 prospect in the 247 sports composite rankings, as well as the 16th-best defensive tackle and fourth-best player in the state of Michigan.

His brother plays for the Wolverines and his commitment seems pretty solid and if U-M can hold it, that will mean at least one 300-pound DT is coming to Ann Arbor in 2022, likely more with Davtone Miles also committed and others still being pursued.

Top lists

Michigan football made a couple of top lists on Monday, although they were pretty large but one of those was the top 15 of Jaden Mangham, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound wide receiver. Some of the top teams are Michigan State, Penn State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Florida and Miami.

Mangham has a crystal ball projection to Michigan State. He’s ranked No. 341 overall in the class of 2022 and is the 11th-best player in the state of Michigan.

The addition of Ron Bellamy to the staff could certainly help as the Wolverines seem to be making more headway with in-state recruits or soon will be.

The Wolverines also made the top-8 for offensive tackle Grant Bingham out of Kentucky. Michigan football was included along with Kentucky, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Miami, Nebraska, Northwestern and West Virginia.

Bingham is the No. 336 prospect overall in the class of 2022 and at this point, he has no crystal ball projections. Sherrone Moore is also the O-line coach now, so we’ll see if that impacts things.

Kentucky, as the in-state program will have an edge but after that, it seems pretty wide open and it could depend how much of a priority he is in the eyes of Moore.