3 thoughts on Karmello English commitment to Michigan Football

Michigan football landed its eighth four-star recruit in the 2023 class in four-star wideout Karmello English and here are three thoughts on the commitment. 

The 2023 recruiting class didn’t quite go as expected for the Michigan football team but the Wolverines are closing strong and that strong finish continued on Early National Signing Day.

There was plenty of excitement for Michigan football in the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes on signing day and while it looked originally like it might be a slow day, we have already had some positive fireworks for the Wolverines.

While we are still waiting on the decision of four-star cornerback Jyaire Hill (2 PM EST) Michigan football did land a new commitment thanks to signing four-star receiver Karmello English.

English is 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, and is ranked 180th overall in the 2023 recruiting class according to the 247 sports composite rankings. He’s also ranked 20th in the state of Alabama and is the third-highest-rated signee.

English gives Michigan three top-200 recruits in the 2023 class and Hill would be No. 4. Regardless of what happens later, English was a huge get, and here are three thoughts.

Transformational can win out

This one came down to Michigan football and Kentucky. The Wolverines have been working on English for months. He was committed to Auburn at one point and has a bunch of SEC offers.

The Wildcats offered a strong NIL deal and according to EJ Holland, this was countered by Jim Harbaugh who did an in-home visit and really sold all that Michigan has to offer.

The bottom line is that this approach won out and got the Wolverines a big-time talent at the position. English is a guy that should have a shot to be a multi-year starter and shows Michigan can still get high-end talent despite its different NIL approach.

Finishing strong

Michigan keeps moving up the recruiting rankings and before the decision of Hill, the Wolverines are ranked 18th according to the 247 sports composite rankings. U-M continues to be active in the transfer portal as another way of adding talent, but the Wolverines are closing strong once again.

In each of the past two seasons, Michigan has really banked on its ability to win games to help win over recruits near the end of the process.

It worked last season and it has worked with a bunch of players committing from the state of Ohio in recent weeks. Michigan does need to get more out of its 2024 class and that will start with getting a commitment from Jadyn Davis, but Michigan showed it still knows how to close.

A talented receiver haul

There might not be a five-star prospect or a top-100 recruit like a year ago in Darrius Clemons, but this is a really good haul of wide receivers. I’ve always felt that Semaj Morgan was underrated and is going to be an impact player for the Wolverines in the slot.

It’s hard to say how early English will play, because of guys like Anthony, Tyler Morris, Clemons, and Amorion Walker, but the opportunity is there and Michigan football has shown it’s not afraid to play freshmen just look at Colston Loveland, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant.

Fredrick Moore is a four-star prospect to me. I’ve said that from day one and even though he’s not a burner and neither is English, I feel like Michigan football landed three really good receivers.

Moore is a perimeter guy. English can do both and Morgan is ideal in the slot, so while it wasn’t talked about as a strength going into signing day, Ron Bellamy did a helluva job.