Michigan Football: Ranking assistant coaches as recruiters

#2.) Safeties coach Jay Harbaugh

There was a time when many had written off Jay Harbaugh as a “nepotism hire”, and boy was that a bad take.

Not only has Jay shown a high degree of competency coaching different positions like running back and tight end, but he’s also left both of those positions quite well stocked in recruiting.

And while Jay does not currently have a safety commit since switching over to the defensive side, much of that comes with Michigan’s pickiness at the spot after landing a star-studded safety trio last cycle.

However, that does not diminish Jay’s standing here, as he’s been a terrific recruiter for the Wolverines, as he’s still been a primary recruiter for several 2023 commits, such as four-star tight end Deakon Tonielli and three-star wide receiver Fredrick Moore.

And historically, Jay has been an excellent recruiter nonetheless, landing prominent players like Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, Sean McKeon, several other four-star targets, and some highly regarded specialists like Adam Samaha and Tommy Doman.

#3.) Defensive Backs coach Steve Clinkscale

A similar situation to Jay, where Clink currently does not have anyone committed at defensive back in the 2023 class but has a very strong track record as a recruiter.

Last season, Clink came aboard and helped keep five-star cornerback Will Johnson secure in his commitment, and played a role in landing four-star defensive backs Keon Sabb and Zeke Berry late in the cycle, capitalizing on Michigan football’s 2021 Big Ten Championship season.

And again, Clink is a good recruiter historically as well, even dating back to his days at Kentucky prior to last season, coming into Michigan to land top names like Justin Rogers and Marquan McCall.