While Early Signing Day has come and gone, Michigan football still has some big-time recruits on the board for 2023, and here are three names to know.
Signing day was a good day for Michigan football as the Wolverines signed 23 recruits in the 2023 recruiting class and added two new four-star commitments.
Jyaire Hill’s recruitment was back and forth, but his commitment is going to be worth it. He’s a big-time player and so is Karmello English. I feel the same about Enow Etta and Cole Cobana.
However, the 2023 recruiting class still lacks a little blue-chip talent. Nine of the 23 commitments (39 percent) are of the four or five-star variety. In fact, there aren’t any five-star commitments in the 2023 class, which breaks a two-year streak of them (2021 and 2022).
But the 2023 recruiting class isn’t finished yet. The late-signing period is in February and the Wolverines have three key targets to watch leading up to that.
Here’s a look at where things stand as Michigan football will try to add even more talent to its 2023 class.
5-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor
After Dante Moore went off the board, Harbor became the top target of the 2023 class. Ron Bellamy and Jim Harbaugh have done a great job recruiting him. He’s a track superstar who runs the 100-meter dash in the 10.2 range at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds.
There has been talk of Harbor being a wide receiver, an EDGE, or a tight end. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what position because he’s going to be a star.
The Wolverines just need to land his commitment, which would certainly improve the ranking of the 2023 class and the overall perception.
Jim Harbaugh called it “a great recruiting class” and while there is a lot of like about it, the Wolverines do lack some star power, and Harbor would rectify that.
Michigan football is the current leader according to the On3 prediction machine, but Maryland is trending up (in-state school). South Carolina and LSU are also in the mix.
3-star DT Jamel Howard
The Wolverines were able to flip one former Wisconsin commitment in Roderick Pierce, who was out of Illinois and signed with Michigan football on Early Signing Day.
Howard is 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, and also out of Illinois, where Michigan football has had a lot of success over the years. Not only is Pierce from Illinois but so are Hill and Jimmy Rolder a year ago.
Michigan added some quality defensive lineman in Pierce and Brooks Bahr but they didn’t add a true nose tackle type in this class and Howard would fill that need perfectly.
Leading up to signing day, Michigan football was trending with expert projections from On3 and crystal ball picks on 247 for Howard. The Wolverines still feel like the favorite but Illinois is pushing and Wisconsin is also trying to get back into the mix.
Those programs might not be the only ones either and teams will reset their boards, assess needs and try to close strong in the late-signing period.
Still, Michigan feels like the favorite here but is also looking at other defensive line options.
3-star DL Cameron Brandt
Another late-signing period target for Michigan football to keep an eye on is Stanford defensive line commitment Cameron Brandt.
Brandt was offered by Michigan football months ago but things have started to pick up even more following the resignation of former Cardinal head coach David Shaw.
Brandt is listed by 247 sports at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds. He’s a defensive lineman who has played multiple spots in the past and notched five sacks as a junior in 2021.
Michigan really likes these kind of defensive lineman and his profile reminds me a lot of Kris Jenkins, a guy that could play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme but can grow into a defensive tackle.
George Rooks was that kind of player and just left the program via the transfer portal. Brandt is committed to Stanford and visited before Signing Day but chose not to sign.
Brandt told Greg Biggins of 247 sports that he’s waiting until February and that he’s solid to Stanford but wants to visit Michigan football. If the Wolverines host him on that visit, things could change and he would be a strong, versatile addition late to the 2023 class at 438th overall.