Over the years, Michigan football has signed plenty of blue-chip recruits. However, the 5-star prospects have been few and far between.
They were added with more frequency during the early years of the Jim Harbaugh era. He also added some critical five-star additons late such as Will Johnson, J.J. McCarthy, and Donovan Edwards.
We are counting all of the 5-star recruits, not just the composite 5-star prospects, and looking back at all of them over the past decade, here is our ranking, which includes the Wolverines' most recent five-star additions (ranked from worst to first).
9. Aubrey Solomon (2017)
A composite five-star recruit ranked 23rd overall in the 2017 class, landing Solomon was viewed as a significant win for Jim Harbaugh at the time. However, Solomon only played two seasons for Michigan football before he transferred to Tennessee.
Of all the 5-star signees under Harbaugh, he was the least impactful.
8. Donovan Peoples-Jones (2017)
The No. 1 wide receiver in his the 2017 class, Donovan Peoples-Jones never quite lived up to the hype. He did have the legendary touchdown catch in the 2018 Michigan State game, as well as the pose in the end zone.
The composite five-star prospect finished his Michigan football career with just 1,327 yards. He left after his junior season and ended up as a sixth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns.
All in all, Nico Collins, a four-star in the same class ended up being more impactful in college and the NFL.
7. Carter Meadows (2026)
The 6-foot-6, now 270-pound EDGE might be the most talented defensive line to sign with the Wolverines since Rashan Gary.
Obviously, no Michigan football player was able to get more out of his ability than Aidan Hutchinson. His motor is unmatched. Hopefully, Meadows will have that.
It feels like the sky is the limit for him. Yet, the Wolverines landed Solomon and Rashan Gary back in 2016 and 2017. One worked out, and one didn't. Michigan football fans have to pray that Meadows lives up to the hype.
6. Rashan Gary (2016)
The No. 1 overall prospect in the 2016 recruiting class, Gary was stellar for the Wolverines. He was also misused as a defensive lineman. He played more as a defensive tackle or an interior guy, taking on double teams, than as a pure pass rusher.
In the NFL, Gary has had six seasons with at least five sacks in the NFL, but never one with at least 10. The Michigan alum out of New Jersey was traded this offseason. He did earn a second contract, but it turned into a salary dump.
Gary was a two-time All-Big Ten selection with Michigan.
5. Daxton Hill (2019)
A five-star recruit via 247 Sports ended up being one of Harbaugh's best recruiting wins as the Michigan football head coach, flipping the defensive back away from Nick Saban on signing day.
Hill was up and down during his first two seasons, but found a home as a nickel cornerback as a junior. He earned All-Big Ten honors that season, thanks to four interceptions. That season was enough for the freakish athlete to be a first-round pick of the Bengals.
Hill was part of the 2021 Michigan squad that won the Big Ten title and beat Ohio State for the first time in a decade.
4. Savion Hiter (2026)
This is a projection, but it honestly feels like Hiter will be one of the most impactful five-star signees in Michigan football history.
Hiter might be the most talented offensive prospect in this class. He just doesn't play quarterback. Yet, he is in the perfect situation with Kyle Whittingham.
Hiter might be the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley. That's who he reminds me of when I watch him run. Hiter just has a blend of size, speed, and power you don't see often.
The five-star freshman won't take long to make an impact. By the end of the 2026 season, he might be recognized as one of the Wolverines' best players.
3. Donovan Edwards (2021)
It was frustrating that Michigan never seemed to unlock the talents of Edwards, especially as a receiver. The end of the 2021 season offered some real hope for the future, but after a 100-yard receiving game against Maryland, Michigan rarely went back to that well.
Edwards still made a major impact, with two legendary touchdown runs against Ohio State in the win in 2022. He also scored twice in the National Championship Game against Washington.
The in-state recruit wasn't always at his best, but in the biggest moments, "The Don" always found a way to deliver. He finished his career with 2,251 rushing yards, as well as 797 receiving.
Edwards' 216-yard game against Ohio State, with two touchdowns in the 2022 season, is something that Michigan fans will never forget.
2. Will Johnson (2022)
Two five-star recruits that put Michigan football over the top, in terms of winning the national championship, were J.J. McCarthy and Will Johnson.
Johnson, the 6-foot-3 corner, spurned Ohio State to sign with Michigan in the 2022 class. He committed before the 2021 season, before the turnaround.
Then, he was part of it. In 2022, Johnson helped slow down Marvin Harrison Jr. He did it again in 2023, beating him to the ball in the first quarter for an interception that essentially decided the game. It led to a Michigan TD. If Harrison had been tougher -- had wanted the ball more -- Ohio State would have won the game.
Johnson beat him to the ball, helped Michigan take an early lead in a game that it would never give up. Johnson also picked off a pass in the third quarter of the National Title Game, leading to a field goal that halted Washington's momentum.
The second-round pick of the Cardinals also had two pick sixes as a junior, before an injury robbed him of the rest of the 2024 season.
1. J.J. McCarthy (2021)
Michigan had 25 future draft picks on the 2023 team that won the national championship, and none were more important than McCarthy.
McCarthy had 22 touchdown passes in 2022 and 2023 for the Wolverines. He had 49 in his career compared to 11 interceptions. As a junior, he led the Big Ten by completing 72.9 percent of his throws.
The five-star from IMG averaged 9.0 yards per attempt in the 2023 season, as well as 8.7 for his career. McCarthy added 10 more touchdowns as a rusher, with a career-high 27 (total) in 2022.
McCarthy accounted for four touchdowns in the 2022 win against Ohio State, with three touchdown passes and a touchdown run. He also had a touchdown pass and zero interceptions in 2023. Stats didn't always do his impact justice, but Michigan would not have beaten Ohio State three straight times or won the national championship without having J.J.
McCarthy was elite, even if some want to deny him credit.
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