Michigan Football Recruiting: Will Wolverines Sign a Top 5 Class?

Michigan football recruiting has been a hot topic since the commitment of Bryce Underwood last Thursday. The NIL cannons appear to be firing for the Wolverines, and it seems very likely that the Wolverines aren't done adding top-end prospects.

The Wolverines currently have the #9 class in the nation per 247 Sports. Only one team ahead of them has fewer commits than Michigan football, and that is Oregon at #8. So there's clearly a lot of opportunity to move up. But can Michigan jump into the top five? Yes, they can.

Michigan football is still recruiting a number of elite prospects

There are a lot of high-end recruits still on the board for Michigan. Guys like Ty Haywood, DJ Pickett, Jahkeem Stewart, Javion Hilson, Derek Meadows, Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Bradley Gompers, and many more are being recruited by the Wolverines. And with Michigan football being at the top of the NIL world at the moment, there is plenty of optimism in Ann Arbor.

Now, Michigan likely isn't going to land all of those recruits. It's possible, but unlikely. But they don't need to. Landing 2+ would put the Wolverines in a great position to finish in the top five. Michigan is likely going to target a class size of at least 25. If just a few of those additions are elite, Michigan will be primed for a top five finish.

Who is most likely to commit to Michigan?

There are definitely a few names that are more likely than others. Derek Meadows, Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, and Bradley Gompers all have predictions in favor of Michigan. Meadows, a current LSU commit, seems to be down to Michigan and Notre Dame. The commitment of Bryce Underwood may push the Wolverines over the top there.

Owusu-Boateng is down to Michigan and Colorado, and is set to commit on December 4th. This ones close, but I like the Wolverines. Michigan wowed Owusu-Boateng on all of his visits, and I'm not sure Colorado can overcome that.

Gompers is a bit more of a mystery, as he was supposed to visit Ann Arbor last weekend but didn't make it in. A Duke commit, Gompers has been a priority for Michigan for quite some time. I like where the Wolverines stand, but it'll be interesting to see if there are any new developments here.

Possibly the most likely five-star to commit is Alabama offensive line commit Ty Haywood. Michigan football has been making a strong NIL push for Haywood, and it seems likely that Michigan's offer will be better than Alabama's. The staff is also pushing for Haywood to visit Ann Arbor. If he does make it into town, I think a flip will be imminent.

Adding those four recruits alone would put Michigan into fringe top-five territory. Add in a few more commits and possibly an unexpected win, and the Wolverines have a great shot at finishing in the top five. Heck, there's a slim but nonzero chance the Wolverines could finish with the #1 class in the country if they won every battle they're in. There's a 99% chance that doesn't happen, but the fact that there's even a chance shows the huge progress that has been made recently.

Overall, things are looking up for Michigan football. It'll be a fascinating next couple of weeks as early signing day arrives. Go blue!