The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2022 BY EJ HOLLAND S ummer has come and gone, and Michigan holds 14 total commit- ments in its 2023 recruiting class, which sits at No. 26 in the On3 Consensus team rankings. While that's not ideal, the Wolver- ines are poised for another big season on the field and are known for their strong closes on the recruiting trail — just look at last year's finish. Here is a position-by-position look at where things stand on both sides of the ball as we reset the U-M recruiting board: Quarterback Commits: 0 Need: 0 Michigan missed on five-star signal- caller Dante Moore (Oregon) and will likely balk at the position this cycle. The Wolverines did not actively re- cruit any other quarterbacks during their pursuit of Moore and seem to have lim- ited interest in the available arms on the market. Instead, Michigan is going all in on elite 2024 quarterback Jadyn Davis, a 6-0, 190-pounder from Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day, who was set to make his third trip to Ann Arbor for the Hawai'i game. Davis is the No. 17 overall prospect and No. 3 quarterback nationally in the On3 Consensus. The Wolverines would love to close with Davis sooner rather than later. Running Back Commits: 2 Need: 2 Michigan picked up early commit- ments from four-star prospect Cole Cabana (5-11, 180) from Dexter, Mich., and three-star Benjamin Hall (5-10, 227) from Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb. Both ball carriers have remained completely solid to the Wolverines throughout the course of the process and appear to be locks to put pen to paper when early signing day comes around in December. Michigan has explored the possibility of a third back. However, U-M running backs coach Mike Hart seems comfortable with the duo of Cabana, the No. 11 running back and No. 219 prospect nationally accord- ing to the On3 Consensus, and Hall, the No. 64 player in Georgia. The two com- plement each other well; Cabana brings speed, while Hall features power. Cabana has gotten off to a fast start in his senior season, rushing for 555 yards and 10 TDs and catching 12 passes for 140 yards and 2 scores in his first four games. He also posted a 56-yard punt return for a touchdown. Hall has struggled at the beginning of his season, receiving limited carries. If a third back does become an option late in the cycle, Notre Dame commit Jayden Limar is worth keeping tabs on. He visited U-M twice before pledging to the Irish. Wide Receiver Commits: 2 Need: 3 Michigan holds commitments from a pair of three-star prospects in Semaj Morgan (5-9, 185) from West Bloomfield, Mich., and Fredrick Moore (6-0, 180) from St. Louis Cardinal Ritter. Morgan is a versatile slot receiver, while Moore is known for his tactical route running. Michigan would still like to add some size to the class after missing on Kenyon Sadiq, who sided with Oregon. At the top of the board is five-star Washington (D.C.) Archbishop Carroll athlete Nyckoles Harbor. The nation's No. 16 overall prospect was originally recruited as an edge rusher, but his pref- erence is to play on the offensive side of the ball in order to preserve his body for track. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Harbor is an athletic freak who runs a 10.28 100 meters. He could play tight end at the next level, but U-M wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy has taken over as his pri- mary recruiter. Harbor is set to come in for an official visit on Sept. 24. Michigan is in his top group along with LSU, South Carolina and Maryland. Another intriguing athlete that checks the size box is new offer Kendrick Bell, the younger brother of Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Bell plays quarterback at the high school level, but his skill set should allow him to make the move to wide re- ceiver in college. Bell is set to take an of- ficial visit to Michigan next month. And don't forget about LSU commit Jalen Brown. He's not in the size cate- gory, but he's one of the fastest wide outs in the country and was at the very top of the board before his pledge to the Tigers. Brown has visited Michigan on several occasions and has a great relationship with former Wolverine Desmond How- ard. If LSU continues to struggle, this is certainly a recruitment worth keeping an eye on. Another speedster Michigan likes is three-star prospect Jaren Hamilton, who is coming in for an official visit in Octo- ber. Alabama is the leader, but Michigan is high on his list. It should be noted that Michigan is still monitoring three-star wide out Mikey Matthews. However, he projects more as a slot, and it is unclear if Michigan still plans on bringing him in for an official visit this month. FOOTBALL RECRUITING Michigan Is Poised For A Strong Finish For The Class Of 2023 Nyckoles Harbor is rated as the No. 1 ath- lete and No. 10 overall prospect nationally by On3. His final four list includes Michigan, LSU, South Carolina and Maryland. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND