Michigan Football: How Many Commitments will Wolverines End with in 2024?

Michigan Football's 2024 recruiting class currently sits at 26 commits. With early signing day approaching on Wednesday the 20th, it's fair to wonder how many more commits Michigan will receive. So let's dive into that, exploring some of the most likely targets, and the number I think the Wolverines will end with.

First off, it's important to address any sort of Jim Harbaugh saga. It's happened the past two seasons and has negatively impacted recruiting, and unless Michigan extends Harbaugh within the next week or two, it will likely continue to impact recruiting. Jim Harbaugh is a guy that is attracted to the NFL, and it's going to be hard to get him to stay away completely.

If Jim Harbaugh were to leave Michigan following this season, I don't think it would have too big of an impact on recruiting. Obviously a lot of that depends on the coaches that he takes with him, but Sherrone Moore would likely be promoted to head coach, and there would be lots of continuity within the program.

With how tight-knit the 2024 class seems, I think the vast majority of them would opt to stick with Michigan football. However, I will say that as of this moment, I believe that Jim Harbaugh will stay at Michigan, so let's not dive too deep into the hypotheticals.

How many commitments for Michigan football in 2024?

To me, the number of recruits I expect Michigan football to take in the 2024 class is 29-30. That means they'd add 3-4 kids to the class. With how huge the transfer portal is today, teams can afford to take larger classes, which definitely benefits Michigan. Now, who are those additions going to be? Let's look at two likely targets.

First is Gatlin Bair. Bair has been a huge target for Michigan all cycle long, and the Wolverines have lots of momentum with the borderline five star receiver. With Bair, it's important to note that he doesn't have a definitive timeline for a commitment. He want's to see what happens with Jim Harbaugh. If Harbaugh were to sign an extension within the next two days, I think Michigan could land Bair on early signing day. But that seems unlikely, so it's very possible that Bair takes his recruitment into February.

Bair would be the crown jewel of Michigan's 2024 class, although he wouldn't actually step onto campus until 2026 due to his two year mission trip. Still, Bair is a tremendous player and would be a huge addition to Michigan's class.

Next up is a kid who has shot up the rankings this season and is the true definition of a senior riser: Lugard Edokpayi. Edokpayi is a four star EDGE from Maryland who didn't even have a Power 5 offer until this season. Edokpayi recently visited Michigan, and canceled his visit to Florida State immediately afterwards. Michigan holds a crystal ball and is viewed as the leader in this recruitment.

At 6'6, 230lbs, Edokpayi is a kid with a ton of potential. Given Michigan's track record with developing kids, he's a guy that could turn into a superstar once he puts on more muscle. He seems like a perfect match for Michigan, and would be a great addition to the class.

That puts the Wolverines at 28. So who else could the Wolverines land? Well, that's still up in the air. However, the Wolverines seem to always land some kids at the last minute. Whether there is an unexpected head coaching departure or some other odd occurrence, there are always scenarios that bring kids back to the table. A national title would also be very appealing to some.

I would be very surprised if the Wolverines did not end up with at least 28 commits, assuming nothing crazy happens to the program. I think that even if the Wolverines miss on Bair or Edokpayi, they're going to find kids to bring in. Michigan's development is no joke, and that's very appealing to some of the lower rated recruits who don't get as much love from other big schools. Go Blue!