Michigan Football: Another QB setback in 2022 recruiting class

Another top target at quarterback for Michigan football, Nate Johnson, decided to commit to Utah on Friday, leaving the Wolverines still without a quarterback in the 2022 class. 

Just when it felt like Michigan football might finally get a quarterback to commit in the 2022 recruiting class, the Wolverines were dealt another blow on Friday night.

That’s because three-star quarterback Nate Johnson, one of U-M’s top targets at the position chose to verbally commit to the Utah Utes over Michigan football, just days after visiting Ann Arbor.

While Johnson had really positive things to say about his visit to Ann Arbor, Utah has been recruiting him longer and that relationship must have paid off in the end, because just one day after UCLA jumped in with an offer, Johnson pledged to Utah.

It definitely caught me off guard. I knew that Utah was a real threat in Johnson’s recruitment but it seemed like his visit to Michigan was a difference-maker. But, I was wrong about that, and Johnson, who also visited Utah recently decided to stay out West.

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For Michigan, it’s sort of back to the drawing board. The Wolverines offered Justyn Martin, a four-star quarterback committed to Cal not long ago. He also was in Ann Arbor for a visit, but he’s still committed to the Bears and Ole Miss actually just picked up a crystal ball.

Conner Harrell, a three-star quarterback out of Alabama, is another signal-caller to keep an eye on but after Michigan football offered last month, there hasn’t been much movement.

We’ll see if that changes now that Johnson is off the board and Harrell is the top uncommitted prospect at this point. Harrell is ranked 674th overall in the 2022 class or about the same range as Johnson but his offer sheet has been growing.

North Carolina, which offered around the same time as Michigan, Northwestern, Arizona State, and Vanderbilt are the teams listed as “warm” on his 247sports profile, but after losing out on Johnson, the Wolverines may need to ramp up their recruitment.