When Tariq Boney committed to the Michigan football program, he was a three-star recruit.
That eventually changed, at least, according to some recruiting services. By the time Boney put pen to paper, he was rated as a blue-chip prospect, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Some Michigan football fans wondered why, as in, why did it take so long? The 6-foot-1, 235-pound EDGE out of Washington, D.C., was ranked in a similar place to Mason Graham or Kenneth Grant when he committed.
At one point, his rating via the 247 Sports composite rankings was in the 86 range. He was an 87 before his senior season of high school. Boney won Gatorade Player of the Year, and was eventually upgraded to a blue-chip prospect.
Boney garnered more buzz last fall. That's when the ranking started to improve. With five-star Carter Meadows in his class, it was easy to overlook him. Michigan football fans aren't now, though. He seems like another gift from the football gods.
In a key spot last week against Oklahoma, it was Boney who drew a holding penalty. On Saturday night, against UTEP, he got more snaps than before and again took advantage, notching a sack, 0.5 tackles for loss, and two hurries.
Watching Boney, he doesn't look like a freshman. He doesn't even look like someone who used to be a three-star prospect. He looks like a five-star, at least a player with that sort of potenital. As things get into Big Ten play, he will have to come up with counters. He won't just win with speed,
A diamond in the rough for Michigan football
All offseason and during fall camp, Kyle Whittingham talked about how the defensive line was the strength of the team. After watching the Wolverines over the past few weeks, it seems like that is true.
Boney is a big part of that. And when you think about a freshman class that includes five-star EDGE Carter Meadows and Savion Hiter, as crazy as it sounds, the best freshman so far this season for Michigan football might be Tariq Boney.
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