Michigan Football: Breaking down commitment of Micah Pollard

Michigan football landed its 16th verbal commitment in the 2022 recruiting class, getting three-star linebacker Micah Pollard.

Not long ago, it looked like three-star linebacker Micah Pollard was trending towards Auburn. But recently, Michigan football flipped the script and on Monday, Pollard pledged his commitment to the Wolverines.

Pollard is a three-star linebacker/pass rusher ranked 550th overall in 2022 according to the 247 sports composite rankings. The Jacksonville, Florida prospect is also ranked 78th in his home state. However, he was a productive edge rusher and has tremendous versatility.

The latest in a string of nine commitments over the past two months, Pollard chose the Wolverines over Auburn, South Carolina, Nebraska, Iowa State, Arizona, Penn State, and others.

Pollard finished his last high school season with 12 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss. He was recruited for Michigan’s Buck position, which is a pass-rushing spot according to what Pollard told EJ Holland of Rivals:

"“(Macdonald) said he sees me playing all over the field,” Pollard said. “He said he can see me being a pass rusher but also someone that can cover and play in the box. We went on a Zoom, and he showed me how he would utilize my abilities. I play a mix at Bartram.”"

Pollard is related to former Michigan football great Braylon Edwards and the Wolverines were the favorite following his official visit in June. He didn’t commit on that trip or soon after and Auburn picked up momentum, but a great job closing by the Wolverines got the job done.

How Pollard fits with Michigan football

Pollard is a solid addition to the 2022 class. He’s an athletic linebacker and he can help the Wolverines address more than one position. Michigan has been looking to add more pass-rush help, which is something Pollard can do. Yet, he can also play more of a traditional linebacker role if needed.

The commitment of Pollard is the second player from the state of Florida to pledge to the Wolverines this month and new assistant George Helow played a key role in this recruitment.

Pollard is a guy with solid upside and he’s another recruit that has the potential to move up in the final rankings. Despite his ranking, he’s a solid get and this was a nice recruiting win for Michigan football.