There was some question about whether or not Dakota Guerrant was going to make it for his official visit in Ann Arbor this weekend.
Now we know for sure.
The five-star, in-state recruit from Harper Woods, committed to the Oregon Ducks on Tuesday, after recently taking an official visit to Eugene.
This doesn't come as a huge surprise. Michigan football was putting on the full-court press for the 6-foot-1, 200-pound wideout, who is ranked 36th overall via the 247 Sports composite rankings. The 247 Sports specific rankings have him at 23rd overall.
Oregon has been the favorite for a long time. Michigan football was clearly behind the 8-ball when Kyle Whittingham was hired, but the Wolverines did make some headway. They were expected to be one of two programs to get an official visit; however, Oregon's lead was too large to overcome.
Oregon had a big advantage that Kyle Whittingham, Michigan were never going to overcome
The Ducks had a big advantage in this recruitment, too, one that Whittingham was always going to struggle to overcome, at least before the season started. Recently, Guerrant talked about what an uphill battle it would be for the Wolverines based on the offense.
He told MLive that he wanted to see proof on the field that Michigan was going to throw the ball more, so that basically ruled out the Wolverines, if you were reading between the lines.
That doesn't mean the door is completely closed. Michigan didn't seem to have a shot at all of landing Bryce Underwood after he committed to LSU either. Things change. There is still time for things to change with Guerrant, too.
Michigan needs to have a really good season. It starts there. If Michigan is a top-10 team this season, that right there should give Guerrant something to think about. Then, if Jason Beck, Bryce Underwood, and Whittingham allow the offense to do its part, showcasing the passing game, that will also give the Wolverines a vision to sell the talented pass catcher, who is thinking about his NFL future.
This loss hurts for Michigan football fans, but it's not the end of the world. And in the world of college football recruiting, you never say never. I wouldn't expect the Wolverines to stop recruiting Guerrant, and if things go well this fall, we might not have heard the end of Michigan and the 5-star receiver.
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