Recruiting is about to pick up and with that in mind, here are 10 2022 recruits Michigan football needs to add to its recruiting class.
After a prolonged dead period thanks to Covid-19, recruiting is set to pick up in a big way. While recruits were allowed to take self-guided tours to campuses, they were unable to have face-to-face interaction with coaches or get the full experience of an official visit. That changes on June 1st when the NCAA will be lifting the dead period.
With prospects across the country making their official visit plans, many schools including Michigan will be looking to pick up momentum for their 2022 class.
Michigan football is off to a solid start thus far with seven commits and ranking 20th nationally according to 247sports. In-state five-star CB Will Johnson leads the way both in terms of star power and as a vocal recruiter getting other top prospects to join him.
Michigan football finds itself in a good position to add more elite talent to the fold and these are 10 recruits Michigan needs in its class.
DL Walter Nolen (Cordova, TN/St. Benedict at Auburndale HS)
If you have watched Michigan’s defensive line in recent seasons, then you know they need some help, particularly on the interior. That will be a big theme with this list. Walter Nolen is ranked as the No. 2 player in the country and top-ranked DL.
At 6’4 300 lbs, guys that move like Nolen usually go on to make a lot of money on Sundays. Nolen would fit as an end in Michigan’s base 3-4 defense and slide inside to 3-tech in pass-rushing situations.
Being from the South Nolen will not be an easy pull, particularly with Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU, and OSU among his top schools.
However, the Wolverines already have a few positives going for them in Nolen’s recruitment. Nolen has already been to Ann Arbor on his own dime with his family for a dead period visit.
Michigan will get Nolen back on campus for an official visit June 18-20. Nolen’s childhood friend 4-star ATH Kody Jones is already committed to the Wolverines and Will Johnson has been in Nolen’s ear as well.
Michigan safeties coach Ron Bellamy has a connection to Nolen’s HS coach. Additionally, he also has family in the Detroit area. Nolen’s father spoke about the family connection to Sam Webb of the Michigan Insider ($).
If Michigan football impresses on Nolen’s official visit and ultimately lands his signature, it will be a massive commitment. Nolen would be a year-one contributor for the Wolverines.
DL Anthony Lucas (Scottsdale, AZ/Chaparral HS)
The recruitment of Anthony Lucas has been quiet but he has been a top priority for Michigan’s staff for quite some time now. He took a trip to Ann Arbor last February and he has a relationship with Michigan DL Coach Shaun Nua that dates back to his time at Arizona State.
Like Nolen, Lucas is another big body (6’5 280 lbs) that has the quickness, athleticism, and versatility to play all over the defensive. He ranks as a four-star, 119th overall, and the No. 17 DL on 247’s composite ranking, however, 247’s own rankings have him 27th and the No. 3 DL in the country.
That is much closer to how I view him, as Lucas is definitely a top 50 player to me. Lucas recently included the Wolverines in his top 10 list along with Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and USC. While he hasn’t set an official visit to Michigan yet, Brandon Huffman of 247 Sports ($) believes the Wolverines will have a chance in this race.
DL Jordan Phillips (Ocoee, FL/Ocoee)
Jordan Phillips is ranked as a three star and has flown under the radar because he hasn’t hit the camp circuit. While he does not have the gaudy rankings that Nolen or Lucas do, if you watched his film, you would not be able to tell that he is much ranked lower than them. Phillips is just 16 years, but he stands 6’4 296 lbs that he carries like and moves someone 30 pounds lighter. Michigan football is also his leader with two crystal ball predictions in its favor.
What makes his’ potential commitment to Michigan of the utmost importance is his potential role in their defense.
If new defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald is going to successfully implement his 3-4 scheme, he is going to need a nose tackle in the middle.
Michigan recently picked up a grad transfer commitment from DT Jordan Whittley, however, 2021 will be his only remaining year of eligibility. Of the other defensive DTs on the roster, Mazi Smith is really the only other one that has the frame to play nose tackle. It is easy to see Phillips getting up to 330 lbs or so after some time in Michigan’s strength and conditioning program. Having a mammoth nose tackle to eat up double teams will life a lot easier for Michigan’s LBs and allow them to make plays.
Additionally, if Michigan football is able to land Nolen and Lucas as well, the Wolverines can trot out three athletic and disruptive 6’4 300+ pounders in their base defense. That can set the foundation for the kind of defensive line that Michigan needs to beat Ohio State.
DL Justice Finkley (Trussville, AL/Hewitt-Trussville HS)
Michigan has recruited the Yellowhammer state pretty hard in recent cycles and found some success like recent standout WR Nico Collins. They hope that Justice Finkley is next in line.
Finkley has a versatile game as he can set the edge, shoot gaps, and be a disruptive force in the run game. He also has an intriguing skill set as a pass rusher. Michigan football likes Finkley as a big edge rusher in their 3-4 scheme and new defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald compared him to Matt Judon from his time with the Ravens.
Finkley already has been to Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit. He will return to campus on June 18 for an official visit. Finkley is from Alabama and while the Crimson Tide are involved, Michigan is very much a factor in this race.
Finkley would be a massive commitment to Michigan’s class and would give the Wolverines another top 150 defender.
DB Myles Pollard (Brentwood, TN/Ravenwood HS)
Myles Pollard is currently ranked as a three-star prospect, but you would not know it by his offer list. He has tenders from Auburn, Oklahoma, Florida, Washington, Alabama, Penn State, Florida State, and Tennessee just to name a few among the 40 on his list. It is easy to see why he is so highly coveted. He has prototypical size at 6’2 185 lbs, ball skills, fluid hips to stick in man coverage, and he is physical in press.
Departed co-defensive coordinator and defensive coach Maurice Linguist got the Wolverines in the race with Pollard. However, it turns out that the Wolverines were helped out by the hiring of Steve Clinkscale in this recruitment.
Pollard has Michigan as his leader and he has already been to campus for a dead period visit. He will return for his official visit on June 11th. He has also forged a strong connection with Will Johnson.
Corner is the biggest need on the board for Michigan this cycle. Should the Wolverines add Pollard to pair with Will Johnson, corner will turn from a question mark to an area of strength very quickly.
QB Nate Johnson (Fresno, CA/ Clovis)
While the Wolverines still need a standout QB to emerge on the field, they find themselves in an enviable position from a recruiting perspective. Last cycle, the Wolverines struck gold and landed a commitment from 5-star JJ McCarthy.
In the 2023 class, they may have the best QB in the country right in their backyard in Detroit King’s Dante Moore. It was always going to be difficult to get another five-star level prospect to follow McCarthy. Johnson is the kind of high-upside developmental prospect that you take in between possibly two 5-star QB commitments.
The first thing that stands out about Nate Johnson is the 4.4 speed he brings to the QB position.
Michigan fans need no introduction to the electrifying ability that Denard Robinson brought to the field. While Lamar Jackson has gone on to win NFL MVP, keep in mind that he was a 3-star prospect coming out of HS just like Johnson.
The question about Johnson is whether he throws the ball well enough to stick at QB. Well in Ann Arbor, Johnson would have time to develop as a passer. If it doesn’t work out at QB, he has the athleticism to move to a skill position and be a productive college player. While Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy are both mobile, Johnson would give the Wolverines a level of athlete that they currently do not have at the QB position. Johnson takes his official visit to Michigan on June 11th.
WR Darrius Clemons (Portland, OR/Westview HS)
Michigan has brought in some talented WR prospects in recent cycles. However, the position still needs to be restocked particularly after Xavier Worthy departed from the 2021 class before arriving on campus.
Darius Clemons is the type of player that can be a QB’s best friend. He is advanced at this stage as a route runner and he knows how to create separation. He has the ability to adjust to passes in the air and he has the catch radius to bail out errant throws. At 6’3 205 lbs, Clemons can be an elite vertical threat because he can win with speed (4.37) and by making tough contested catches. He would complement what the Wolverines already have committed at WR with Tyler Morris and TayShawn Trent.
The Wolverines are receiving stiff competition from Oregon and Penn State, who each have crystal ball predictions for Clemons. He will take his official visit on June 18th where the Wolverines will have the chance to vault themselves to the pole position in this race.
EDGE Joshua Josephs (Kennesaw, GA/North Cobb HS)
If the Wolverines have Justice Finkley holding down one standup OLB spot, Josephs will complement well on the other side.
Finkley will likely play in the 265-270 lb range as a big power edge rusher. At 6’3 207 lbs, it is easy to see Josephs playing in the 240 lb while maintaining his athleticism.
Josephs is coveted by the Wolverines because of his ability to get after the QB, play the run, and drop in coverage. Specifically, as a pass rusher, his explosiveness, bend, ability to dip and turn the corner are reminiscent of former Wolverine Josh Uche. Uche was underutilized in Ann Arbor so you would hope that the new staff does not make the same mistake should Josephs commit.
As for his recruitment, Kentucky, Tennessee, Penn State, and Miami are among some of the other schools in consideration. He will be in Ann Arbor for his official visit on June 18th. He claims no leaders and he has not received any crystal ball predictions to this point. He is ranked as the No.16 weakside defensive end according to 247 sports.
DL/OT Deone Walker (Detroit, MI/Cass Tech HS)
Detroit Cass Tech has been very good to Michigan football in recent years, with players like Jourdan Lewis, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Michael Onwenu coming through the program in recent years. If Deone Walker is the next to continue his career in Ann Arbor, it would be a massive (literally) commitment for the Wolverines.
Walker has the ability to be a high-level defensive lineman or offensive tackle in college. Michigan has needs in both spots so they could take him and figure it out later when he gets to campus.
However, I like him better on the defensive side of the ball. His burst and agility are rare for a prospect 6’6 340 lbs. When I watch him, he reminds me of the interior duo that the Jaguars had in the 2000s in John Henderson and Marcus Stroud. In Michigan’s defense, he could anchor nose tackle or play at end in the 3-4.
Walker has the Wolverines in his top group and he will visit Ann Arbor twice in June. In recruiting, the saying goes “follow the visits” to gauge a prospect’s level of interest in a school. It would appear that Michigan is in a good spot for Walker. He would be the second in-state defensive lineman to commit to the Wolverines along with three-star Davonte Miles.
OT Lucas Heyer (Saint Paul, MN/Hill Murray School)
Lucas Heyer is not only a talented prospect, but he would also fill a big need for the Wolverines. The Wolverines have brought in some talented offensive line recruits in recent cycles, but only two pure tackles (Jeffrey Persi and Tristan Bounds) and one swing tackle (Giovanni El-Hadi).
Michigan is taking its swing at five-stars recruits like Josh Conerly out of Washington. However, Heyer looks like the offensive tackle they have the best chance at the moment as they hold the lead with his crystal ball projections.
Heyer is also considering Nebraska, in-state Minnesota, Northwestern, and Stanford. He has officials set to see Minnesota, Northwestern, and Stanford. He will take his official visit to Michigan on June 18th. Perhaps the Wolverines will wrap his commitment up that weekend.