Landing Jadyn Davis right now is a must for Michigan Football

National recruitments in the NIL era are going to be a bit more dangerous the more they are drawn out.

This one is fairly simple: Michigan football does have NIL opportunities available for their players, but the Wolverines do not aggressively promise NIL packages in order to secure commitments, while other teams are less by the books and will set up offers and agreements for prospects.

Look no further than 2023 quarterback Jaden Rashada, who reportedly agreed to a $9.5 million NIL deal with a prominent Hurricanes booster. His deal was reported almost immediately after his commitment, an oddly suspicious timing that clearly suggests it was pre-arranged and dangled as an incentive for his commitment.

Michigan, thus far, has opted not to play that way, and while it is honorable in many regards, it does leave them in a disadvantageous position in recruiting. Not every recruit will be making their decision solely on what a team can offer in NIL, but it is hard to ignore that it can become a prominent factor in recruitment.

For a national prospect like Davis, securing him now avoids a situation where another prominent team finds itself needing a QB and flush with booster cash to throw at Davis in the days leading up to his decision.

Sometimes Michigan football can win out in those situations, as it did in fending off Miami for four-star 2023 edge Collins Acheampong, but that won’t always be the case, and top-tier quarterbacks are drawing massive packages, such as the aforementioned deal for Rashada amongst others.

The longer this recruitment plays out, the longer Michigan is at risk of seeing some opposing team swooping in and “dropping the bag” for their top target.

Other contenders for Jadyn Davis’ services include Georgia and Clemson, two schools that have already gotten a bit firmer grasp on their NIL dealings than Michigan has.

Georgia, according to head coach Kirby Smart, had three players last season who was the “highest-paid…in the NIL market”, such as cornerback Keele Ringo. Clemson is not far behind either.

And while this is not to say Michigan football stands no shot with Davis if a team’s donors come forward with a more aggressive and upfront offer, it is simply a reflection of the changing landscape these days, where blatant offers can change things in a hurry for prospects, especially ones as highly regarded as Davis.