The Wolverines are red hot on the recruiting trail, and recruits are taking notice
I wasn’t sure I’d ever say this, but Michigan football currently holds the number one recruiting class in the country, per 247 Sports. Now, I don’t expect the Wolverines to end the season at one, but holding that ranking at the midway point of the recruiting season is a great sign.
After a frustrating 2023 class, the staff is showing that it is more than capable of recruiting elite talent. The Wolverines already have 10 four stars and a five star — they had 11 four stars and zero five stars in 2023. And we’re only about halfway done with the class.
Another notable statistic is that Michigan football has 14 commits, which is the most in the nation. This is great for the Wolverines. With many of their top prospects already committed, the staff is able to devote more resources to other recruits – recruits that they may not have had a shot with had other guys not committed already.
We’re seeing the staff begin to devote significant resources to recruits who weren’t necessarily in the picture a short time ago, and they’re truly making positive impacts. Many have assumed that the Wolverines were done, or nearly done, snagging the top 100 kids. That does not appear to be the case, as the staff has inserted itself into a handful of recruitments.
Before we dive in, I’d just like to point out how tight-knit this class is. The 2024 commits have been very vocal and have helped a ton on the recruiting trail. It seems like just about everybody is very firmly committed, which is extremely helpful. The staff doesn’t really have to devote tons of resources to making sure these kids stay committed. You love to see that in an elite class like this one.
Now, let’s look at some elite recruits that Michigan football has been turning up the heat on.
Jaylen Heyward
Ranked as a top 50 player according to 247, the number three safety in the country has been committed to Georgia since January. Steve Clinkscale, however, is trying to change that. Clinkscale recently reached back out to Heyward, and the two have built a strong relationship.
The staff was previously recruiting Heyward, but cooled once he committed to the Bulldogs. Because of this, Heyward already knows about Michigan. He likes Jim Harbaugh and is intrigued by the Wolverines.
We know how good of a recruiter Steve Clinkscale is, so it’ll be fascinating to see how this one turns out.
Heyward is looking to make an official visit to Michigan football, so the staff will have the opportunity to move the needle in his recruitment. U-M has been knocking it out of the park on official visits, so we’ll see if the Wolverines can pull another rabbit out of their hat.
It’s never easy to steal any player, much less one of Heyward’s caliber, from Georgia, but the Wolverines are hot. This is definitely one to keep an eye on, as the Florida native could definitely become a Wolverine down the line.
Jordan Seaton
Ranked #53 overall, the IMG Academy offensive lineman has had a pretty quiet recruitment thus far. He’s visited Florida State and Virginia Tech per 247 Sports but has not seen much movement in his recruitment.
According to ON3, Ohio State is the perceived favorite for Seaton, but there hasn’t been much movement on that front either. Sherrone Moore recently picked up contact with Seaton, and the two are building a strong relationship.
Coming off of back-to-back Joe Moore awards for the best offensive line in the country, it’s easy for Moore to get kids intrigued. His energetic persona only adds to that.
With Michigan football already having four commits on the offensive line and an expected fifth coming on Friday from Jake Guarnera, the Wolverines can swing for the fences with offensive linemen. They’d be very content with a five-man group. This is a position of want, not necessity anymore.
This is why it is so important to get guys on board early. The Wolverines have a fantastic offensive lineman class already, so they can go after the big fish. While Seaton does have a lot of SEC interest, Sherrone Moore has proven that he’s an excellent recruiter. This is one to monitor.
Zaquan Patterson
Patterson, a top 100 safety out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Florida has been hearing from Michigan football all cycle long. He’s been high on the priority list for the Wolverines all cycle long. Recently, however, the Wolverines have really been making progress with Patterson.
Patterson is teammates with 2025 elite defensive back commit Chris Ewald Jr, and Ewald has been putting in work recruiting his teammate. The two visited together in April, and Michigan football has been steadily rising ever since.
Miami is considered the favorite in this recruitment, but I believe if Patterson does not choose Miami, he will choose Michigan. This is a kid that nobody thought Michigan would have a real shot at, yet they do.
Patterson does not appear to be in a hurry to make a decision, and that’s a positive for the Wolverines. The Wolverines have one big advantage that Miami does not have — a dominant defense. Michigan’s defense will be one of the best in the country this season. Miami’s will not. Seeing the excellent safety room that Michigan has in action should be a huge positive for Patterson.
While it’s tough to predict a kid picking against his hometown team, I really think that Patterson is a Michigan man. Especially with Ewald heavily recruiting him every day, it seems like a perfect storm for Michigan. If the Wolverines can overcome Miami, they’ll get one of the best safeties in the nation to commit.
Conclusion
The Wolverines are in an excellent spot right now. Probably the best spot (recruiting-wise) they’ve been in since landing #1 overall recruit Rashan Gary in 2016. Maybe even better.
With many of their top targets already committed, the staff has been able to pursue recruits nobody would’ve imagined Michigan football would have a chance with.
With three top 100 players already committed, and the possibility that some of Michigan’s current commits will move up to top 100 rankings, the Wolverines are doing exactly what they need to do to continue competing for national championships.
The Wolverines are not done adding top-100 players either. I expect them to land at least 1-2 more, possibly upwards of five as the season progresses. This is looking to be a very special class and a great time for Michigan football.
Go Blue!