What a difference a few weeks makes, huh? Michigan fans expected success - on the field and on the recruiting trail - under Jim Harbaugh, but the early returns are defying all but the most optimistic expectations. Touching on a few topics here...
Rashan Gary
Nothing major to update here, but other serious contenders seem to be falling by the wayside one-by-one. Auburn's early-season struggles have seen them fade as a national contender (one of which Gary wants to play for), and LSU isn't as hot a name today as they have been in the recent past. Michigan is far from a shoo-in, but they're looking strong right now. The five-star would be an outstanding centerpiece to what is a strong defensive line class.
Kareem Walker
The five-star Ohio State commit suddenly finds himself in the middle of a hotly contested battle between historic rivals. While we've debunked talk of the Buckeyes giving the 6-0, 208-pound running back a 24-hour deadline on being in or out with OSU, it still seems like things are trending away form the Buckeyes right now. He wants to take another trip to Ann Arbor, and while it makes more sense for that to wait until after his team plays in Cincinnati next weekend, the desire to take that trip will eventually win out, in our opinion. That would likely end Ohio State's pursuit of him, and suddenly make Michigan a heavy favorite.
Caleb Kelly
Yet another five-star, and one who has seemed to favor Michigan and Oklahoma above his other suitors for some time. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney shared today that Kelly doesn't seem as high on the Sooners as he once did (something that follows from what we'd heard about a month ago), and Michigan could battle Oregon for him. U-M doesn't value him as highly as Rivals does, but you can bet they'd still be very excited to land him.
Khalid Kareem
The product of Farmington Hills Harrison surprised some when he picked Alabama over Michigan earlier this summer, but few were surprised when he decommitted from the Tide this afternoon. At this point, it seems like Michigan's pursuit of defensive linemen has trended elsewhere. You could see him take a visit to campus, sure, but Notre Dame's heavy pursuit seems more likely to pay off for the Irish. He visits South Bend this weekend.
Dylan McCaffrey
Harbaugh's quarterback recruiting could take off, and McCaffrey is one of my personal favorites in the 2017 class to be a great fit with what Harbaugh wants. He's undervalued as the No. 6 dual-threat and No. 100 overall junior in the country, and his skillset - and of course, NFL pedigree - fit with what the U-M offense wants to do. His dad, NFL vet Ed, is the radio play-by-play analyst for the Denver Broncos, and they play in Cleveland this Sunday, making for an easier family trip for an unofficial visit for the four-star and co. We don't expect a commitment this weekend (and Stanford, which hasn't offered but boasts the name at the top of Dad's diploma as well as a McCaffrey brother, sophomore running back/slot Christian, on the roster, will lurk), but U-M could establish itself as the favorite with a good visit.
Kurt Taylor
Taylor is probably the most likely player to keep an eye on if you're looking for Michigan to land a commitment this weekend. He has an 11am Friday one-on-one meeting with Jim Harbaugh, and the three-star product of Covington (Ga.) Newton has made it no secret that the Wolverines stand atop his list. The developing situation with Walker could see Michigan pump the brakes a touch on bringing in other running back commitments in the short term, but if Taylor's still a take for the staff despite Walker's interest, you could see a new Wolverine come Friday afternoon.
Rashan Gary
Nothing major to update here, but other serious contenders seem to be falling by the wayside one-by-one. Auburn's early-season struggles have seen them fade as a national contender (one of which Gary wants to play for), and LSU isn't as hot a name today as they have been in the recent past. Michigan is far from a shoo-in, but they're looking strong right now. The five-star would be an outstanding centerpiece to what is a strong defensive line class.
Kareem Walker
The five-star Ohio State commit suddenly finds himself in the middle of a hotly contested battle between historic rivals. While we've debunked talk of the Buckeyes giving the 6-0, 208-pound running back a 24-hour deadline on being in or out with OSU, it still seems like things are trending away form the Buckeyes right now. He wants to take another trip to Ann Arbor, and while it makes more sense for that to wait until after his team plays in Cincinnati next weekend, the desire to take that trip will eventually win out, in our opinion. That would likely end Ohio State's pursuit of him, and suddenly make Michigan a heavy favorite.
Caleb Kelly
Yet another five-star, and one who has seemed to favor Michigan and Oklahoma above his other suitors for some time. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney shared today that Kelly doesn't seem as high on the Sooners as he once did (something that follows from what we'd heard about a month ago), and Michigan could battle Oregon for him. U-M doesn't value him as highly as Rivals does, but you can bet they'd still be very excited to land him.
Khalid Kareem
The product of Farmington Hills Harrison surprised some when he picked Alabama over Michigan earlier this summer, but few were surprised when he decommitted from the Tide this afternoon. At this point, it seems like Michigan's pursuit of defensive linemen has trended elsewhere. You could see him take a visit to campus, sure, but Notre Dame's heavy pursuit seems more likely to pay off for the Irish. He visits South Bend this weekend.
Dylan McCaffrey
Harbaugh's quarterback recruiting could take off, and McCaffrey is one of my personal favorites in the 2017 class to be a great fit with what Harbaugh wants. He's undervalued as the No. 6 dual-threat and No. 100 overall junior in the country, and his skillset - and of course, NFL pedigree - fit with what the U-M offense wants to do. His dad, NFL vet Ed, is the radio play-by-play analyst for the Denver Broncos, and they play in Cleveland this Sunday, making for an easier family trip for an unofficial visit for the four-star and co. We don't expect a commitment this weekend (and Stanford, which hasn't offered but boasts the name at the top of Dad's diploma as well as a McCaffrey brother, sophomore running back/slot Christian, on the roster, will lurk), but U-M could establish itself as the favorite with a good visit.
Kurt Taylor
Taylor is probably the most likely player to keep an eye on if you're looking for Michigan to land a commitment this weekend. He has an 11am Friday one-on-one meeting with Jim Harbaugh, and the three-star product of Covington (Ga.) Newton has made it no secret that the Wolverines stand atop his list. The developing situation with Walker could see Michigan pump the brakes a touch on bringing in other running back commitments in the short term, but if Taylor's still a take for the staff despite Walker's interest, you could see a new Wolverine come Friday afternoon.
