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Breaking down Michigan Football’s latest commitments

By Alex Hinton

Nov 23, 2019; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks up at the video board during the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2019; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks up at the video board during the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports /
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RB CJ Stokes

Size: 5-foot-11 190 lbs

Ranking: Three stars- #704 nationally, #59 running back, #9 player in South Carolina via 247sports composite

Notable Offers: Tennessee, Missouri, Penn State, Florida State, Colorado, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Minnesota, and Louisville.

The Player: Stokes does not have one elite trait to his game, which is probably why he currently has a three-star rating. However, he has a well-rounded and versatile game. The first thing that stuck out to me when watching his film is he has good vision, the most important trait in a RB. He is decisive when he wants to cut upfield. That split-second decision can be the difference in turning in a five-yard run into a 65-yard touchdown.

Stokes has long runs littered over his highlights and he’s got 4.41 speed. He does have good lateral quickness and he can make defenders miss in the open field. He can also run through defenders, runs with toughness, and has good contact balance. Stokes is a good receiver out of the backfield, both with the ability to catch the ball underneath or on vertical routes. In some ways, he reminds me of 2021 running back signee Tavierre Dunlap.

The Fit: Thanks to a free year of eligibility in 2020, Hassan Haskins will have two years of eligibility remaining. However, with 2021 being his fourth year in the program, he may look to move on to the NFL after this season. If he does, Michigan will have Blake Corum in his third year with the program and Donovan Edwards and Tavierre Dunlap in their second years when Stokes arrives.

Assuming good health, Michigan football will have the ability to bring Stokes along slowly should it choose. As a freshman, Stokes will probably get carries in mop-up time and special teams duties in the 4 games or less to maintain his redshirt.

Ideally, Stokes would be a good back to have in a tandem as an upperclassman. Michigan wants two backs in 2022 anyway.

The top remaining target is top 100 running back George Pettaway, who is also taking his official visit this weekend. However, I think Stokes is good enough to start in the B1G. If you give him a good offensive line (which Michigan should have), I can see Stokes being a 1,000 yard back.

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