No, Mel Tucker isn’t a better recruiter than Jim Harbaugh

Michigan football hasn’t started as strong in the 2023 class but in no way is Mel Tucker out-recruiting Jim Harbaugh. 

There’s no doubt that Mel Tucker was a great hire by Michigan State. He’s 2-0 against Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh and is doing a great job on the recruiting trail.

Following an 11-win season and a win in the Peach Bowl, the Spartans do have momentum and Tucker has capitalized. He’s had a ton of talented official visitors in East Lansing this month and it has led to five four-star commitments just in June.

However, let’s slow the train that says Mel Tucker is a superior recruiter to Jim Harbaugh because as of right now, that is preposterous.

Tucker took the job in 2020 and his first recruiting class was in 2021. This is his third recruiting class and yet, Tucker and the Spartans still have not signed or gotten a commitment from a top-100 prospect.

Not one.

Michigan football, on the other hand, signed five back in 2021, including two five-star prospects J.J. McCarthy and Donovan Edwards, who was a five-star via 247’s own rankings, and three more in 2022 — the same year Tucker failed to sign a single recruit ranked in the top 200 (he still has only signed or gotten commitments from 3 total).

The Wolverines then signed the No. 1 player in the state in 2022 in Will Johnson and just like Donovan Edwards, he never seriously considered Michigan State.

Michigan football is better off in 2023 than people realize

Michigan State’s class in 2023 might rank higher for now, but the Spartans are already in jeopardy of losing a recent four-star pledge to Arkansas and the fact is, Michigan football is the only one of the two programs to have a top-100 commitment (Raylen Wilson).

Enow Etta just visited both programs and Michigan is trending as the leader and Stanford, not Michigan State seems to be the biggest threat.

And with five-star QB Dante Moore, Michigan State never had a prayer so it took a three-star QB months ago, while Michigan football is still squarely in the mix for him and with five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor.

The Spartans have done an exceptional job in 2023 and eight of their 11 commitments are of the four-star variety, which is impressive.

But Michigan football is gaining momentum too and looks poised to add a slew of commitments in the coming weeks. Plus, U-M has even more momentum in 2024, where it is already in a good spot and is projected by some to land five-star QB Jadyn Davis.

And if Michigan is able to get Moore or Harbor, it will be three straight classes with at least one five-star prospect. Mel doesn’t have one.

So talk to me when he signs his first top-100 recruit at Michigan State because we are still waiting.

Tucker is a great recruiter. But so is Jim Harbaugh and the proof is in the pudding, meaning it’s way too premature to say that Michigan State has surpassed Michigan on the recruiting trail.

The Spartans are no doubt catching up, but in terms of truly elite prospects, they still have a long, long way to go.