The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan recruiting For Peppers' part, he plans to do whatever he can to convince the other members of the country's best trio to join him in Ann Arbor. "I always tell [Hand] that we can make each other better," Peppers wrote in a blog post for USAToday.com "We can really feed off of each other because we're both playing on defense. We'll put the clamps on the receivers, and he'll pressure the quarterback. It's the perfect complement with both of us on the field at the same time." "With Leonard I'm trying to stress to him the importance of us having Derrick Green," Peppers wrote. "Derrick is one of the best young running backs in the country, and with him taking reps along with Leonard they could be the best one-two punch in the country." Should Michigan manage to land all three, it would be the biggest collection of star power at the top of a class in Rivals.com history. Still, though, with only about 20 openings in the class, it will be tough for U-M to earn the top overall team ranking come National Signing Day. 2015 Starts Off With A Bang Any week with multiple commitments is a good one on the recruiting trail, and when two players who are more than a year and a half from National Signing Day pull the trigger on consecutive days, it's a an early start to what should end up being a strong class. On June 24, Massillon (Ohio) Washington placekicker Andrew David picked up an offer from Michigan. The 5-9, 165-pounder didn't wait long to accept and was a Wolverine by the end of the day. Thanks to David, for the third straight year Michigan's recruiting class earned its first commitment prior to its members even beginning their junior year. U-M wouldn't have to wait long for more good news. Philadelphia St. Joseph's Prep offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. followed David's lead the next morning, becoming commit No. 2 in the 2015 class. The 6-4, 250-pounder had picked up his offer from the Wolverines a week earlier at the Wolverine Technique School summer camp. With seven days to think things over — and have a chat with his father, a former All-American in Ann Arbor — Runyan knew he didn't want to wait on any other schools. While David's commitment continued a trend, Runyan's reversed another. Although Michigan's 2013 and 2014 recruiting classes picked up a summer commitment prior to those players' junior years, neither of those groups picked up the second pledge until the season was under way. Ohio safety Dymonte Thomas was Michigan's second pledge in the 2013 class, and he committed following U‑M's victory over Notre Dame in the second game of the 2011 season. Chicago Hales Franciscan offensive lineman Denzel Ward committed prior to the Michigan State game last fall. The 2014 prospect later decommitted. The second commit in Michigan's class arrived on National Signing Day 2013 in the form of quarterback Wilton Speight.