The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/213966
football recruiting Notable Near Misses Michigan has been in on several other top recruits over the years. While they've landed their share, there have also been some key players who opted elsewhere when it came time to make the pledge. Athlete Ted Ginn Jr. Cleveland Glenville • 2004 • Ohio State Ginn was very high on both Michigan and Ohio State early in the process, but the Buckeyes made a big push when they offered the high school cornerback an opportunity to play both sides of the ball in college. He selected OSU over Michigan and USC at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2004, giving Jim Tressel the No. 2 recruit in the nation. Ginn was a standout on offense and special teams for the Buckeyes, catching 135 passes for 1,943 yards (14.4 yards per reception) and 15 touchdowns, while also compiling 102 kick and punt returns for 1,912 yards (18.7 yards per attempt) and eight touchdowns. He declared early for the NFL and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. Cornerback Justin King Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway • 2005 • Penn State King narrowed his list to Michigan and Penn State during the course of his senior year, even though just about every program in the country was pursuing the No. 19 player in the nation. While the Nittany Lions were at the conclusion of a fiveyear stretch that included only 26 wins and one bowl game, he pledged to Joe Paterno's program over U-M in November. Along with fellow freshman Derrick Williams and a senior-dominated defense, King helped revive the PSU program in 2005. The Nittany Lions won 11 games and King started at nickel back while also seeing time on offense and special teams. He was selected all-conference twice as a Nittany Lion, and declared for the NFL Draft after his junior year. He is currently a free agent. Running back Chris Wells Akron (Ohio) Garfield • 2006 • Ohio State Another year, another five-star lost to a Big Ten rival for Michigan. Wells was the No. 3 player in the nation for his class, and made an early commitment to the Buckeyes. However, he still considered Michigan and took multiple visits to Ann Arbor. By the time fall rolled around, he shut down the recruiting process completely. Wells stayed at Ohio State for three years, rushing 585 times for 3,382 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 30 touchdowns. He declared early for the NFL and was a first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals. He is currently a free agent.