The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/678402
FOOTBALL RECRUITING National Letter of Intent to Schem- bechler Hall early in the morning, he wanted to make a splash. He video conferenced into Michigan's "Signing With The Stars" event, and became the second in-state player to pick the Maize and Blue on National Signing Day. The late run in the 2016 class also helped set up the Maize and Blue to continue rolling in the 2017 class. THE 2017 RESURGENCE Dunaway was Michigan's lone 2017 commit for a couple months. Three- star prospects from Canada (corner- back Benjamin St-Juste) and Georgia (running back Kurt Taylor) followed before Hall gave the Maize and Blue its second in-state commitment. It wouldn't take long for the num- ber of in-state prospects to double, however. Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's linebacker Joshua Ross joined the fold March 21. The younger brother of out- going senior James Ross III (who has signed with the Baltimore Ravens) was long considered a lock to the Wol- verines, but took his time to make a pledge. The 6-1, 219-pounder considered offers from Michigan State, Ohio State and Oklahoma, among others, but an unofficial visit to campus was enough to make the four-star realize he couldn't see himself playing any- where else. Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 4 player in the state, and the No. 9 outside linebacker and No. 189 overall prospect nationally. He visited for nearly every U-M home game dur- ing his older brother's career in the winged helmet. Just more than a week later, the Wol- verines added yet another in-state tal- ent (though players from Massachu- setts, Alabama and Florida pledged in between). Berrien Springs (Mich.) High two-way lineman Phillip Paea visited for the Wolverines' spring game — and junior day the follow- ing afternoon — and gave his word to Harbaugh before heading home. The 6-4, 277-pounder is rated as the No. 8 player in the Great Lakes State and the country's No. 13 offensive guard in the country by Rivals.com, though he expects to begin his Michi- gan career on the defensive line. The pair of spring commitments gave Michigan four in-state pledges, Joshua Ross of Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary 's — Rivals.com's No. 9 outside linebacker and No. 189 overall prospect nationally — picked the Wolverines over Michigan State, Ohio State and Oklahoma. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM