Joseph Mupoyi emerging as top priority for Michigan Football in 2023

One top target that you need to know for Michigan football’s 2023 recruiting class is Joseph Mupoyi. 

With Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo off to the NFL, Michigan football enters this season with a ton of production to replace at Edge.

While Michigan football has some young and talented pass rushers to replace them, they are largely unproven to this point. While 2023 recruits cannot contribute this season,  Michigan will look to restock at Edge to continue its run of success at the position.

One Edge prospect who is emerging in 2023 as a top target is Joseph Mupoyi out of Archbishop Carroll HS in Washington, DC. Mupoyi has great length at 6-foot-5 and at 210 pounds, he has the frame Michigan’s strength and conditioning staff can pack on more weight to build out his frame.

Mupoyi also has great speed off the edge. In a few years, Mupoyi will be 250+ pounds with a great burst off the edge. That may sound familiar to Michigan football fans.

David Ojabo (New Jersey) and Kwity Paye (Rhode Island) were a pair of East Coast pass rushers that flourished at Michigan. They both possess elite traits that helped them outplay their ranking.

Mupoyi is currently ranked as a three-star and the No. 809 overall player and No. 60 Edge in the 247Sports composite. While some Michigan fans may scoff at his ranking, remember that Paye was a mid-level three-star in the class of 2017. He and Mupoyi actually both have an 86 overall grade. Ojabo was a member of the Top247, but he was No. 314 on the composite. Either way, it is safe to say that he outplayed his ranking.

Paye ended up being the 21st overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Ojabo will find out his NFL home in a few weeks, but he is on track to be a first-round pick as well despite his torn Achilles. Mupoyi has a long way to go before he is a first-round pick, but he does have the athletic traits to become one in a few years.

However, his teammate Nyckoles Harbor, has many drooling about his potential.

A dynamic duo?

Harbor is ranked as the No. 12 overall player in the 2023 class for now, but it would not surprise me if he ended the cycle as the No. 1 player in the class or at least a top-5 prospect. That is what happens when you combine a 6-foot-5, 235 pound frame with world-class 10.32 100M speed.

Harbor plays tight end for his high school team and while he could play offense in college, his ceiling as an edge rusher is through the roof. Outside of Dante Moore, there is not a player that I would like to see in Michigan’s class more than Harbor.

Harbor was supposed to visit for Michigan’s spring game, but could not make the trip. However, Mupoyi made it to Ann Arbor.

If Michigan landed Mupoyi, it will improve its chances of landing Harbor. To be clear, Michigan should take Mupoyi because he is a talented prospect in his own right at a position of need. The fact that he could help Michigan land Harbor as well is an added bonus.