Michigan football has gotten very aggressive on the recruiting trail over the past couple of months, especially when it comes to flipping committed recruits and that aggressiveness paid off on Friday as Benny Patterson flipped his commitment from Cincinnati to the Wolverines.
Patterson visited last weekend and basically said that Michigan football was in the top spot. Now, it's official as the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder from Indiana has joined U-M's 2025 class.
🚨BREAKING: 2025 Newburgh (Ind.) Castle four-star DL Benny Patterson (@BennyPattlll) has committed to Michigan🚨
— TheWolverine.com (@TheWolverineOn3) November 1, 2024
Patterson is the No. 223 overall player in the country, per On3. He flipped his commitment from Cincinnati.
Details HERE: https://t.co/LZmKf9LINt pic.twitter.com/Xl31oggQsL
USC and Penn State were in the mix as well as to flip his commitment but according to what his father told Steve Wiltfong of On3.com, the visit for the Michigan State game put Michigan football over the top.
“The visit has been amazing,” Patterson’s father said via On3. “The culture has been very impressive. You can tell why players commit here. The Big House exceeded expectations. It was the loudest arena we’ve ever been in. The fans are passionate and love their team. The program is something special and it’s definitely high on the list."
A nice recruiting win for Michigan football
Patterson is ranked a blue-chip prospect (223 overall) according to the On3 rankings. Plus, it wasn't like Michigan football was the only Big Ten team trying to flip the defensive lineman. He was also expected to visit USC this weekend. Penn State was working on him too with a recent offer so that's a nice feather in the cap of the coaching staff.
Last season, he had 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks. He was committed to the Bearcats since April but Lou Esposito has been working on this since the spring and the effort paid off.
Momentum is building
I know that Michigan football fans are hoping for bigger commitments soon. Bryce Underwood is being talked about constantly and the No. 1 player/QB in the 2025 class seems receptive to what the Wolverines are offering, even if there is still work to do.
But momentum is real on the recruiting trail. Patterson could just be the start of a huge month of November. The Wolverines have been projected to flip some other recruits including a wide receiver from North Carolina State, so it really feels like this is just the start of something.
A versatile piece for the D-line
Patterson is listed as 6-foot-4, 245 pounds according to 247 Sports but he plays more of five-technique and three-technique, at least from what I saw on his junior film.
He's got an impressive burst for an interior pass rusher. Even though he only notched four sacks -- he may have more this season -- he lived in the backfield. He also moved around. Patterson could easily be a traditional, four-man defensive end.
I think he's a perfect fit for Michigan football as one of the versatile interior lineman. A Kris Jenkins type, who can play the five-technique or even a three-technique in a pinch.
Patterson doesn't strike me as an EDGE. He's too big, but he's really good with his hands and I could see him playing at multiple spots on the defensive line. He'll need some development, but add about 30 pounds and this kid could be a starter or least a solid rotational piece down the road.
Patterson is the 17th commitment for Michigan in the 2025 class. The Wolverines are ranked 14th according to the 247 Sports team rankings.