The Wolverine

March 2017 Recruiting Issue

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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14 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2017   INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS According to the recruiting rank- ings, Michigan signed its greatest in- state class of the Rivals era in 2017. The group tied last year for the best national finish ever in the history of Rivals (dating back to 2002) at No. 4. But in addition to scouring the na- tion (and Canada) for the best talent, Jim Harbaugh also kept the top na- tives home at an unprecedented rate. The addition of five-star wide re- ceiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, who is ranked as the No. 12 overall player nationally, marked the first time since 2009 that U-M signed the No. 1 recruit in the state (five-star defen- sive tackle William Campbell), and it is the sixth time in the 16 years of the Rivals era that the state's lone five- star prospect is staying home to suit up in maize and blue (the state has never boasted more than one five- star in a year). Not since 2007 (USC wide receiver signee Ronald Johnson, No. 8 pros- pect in the country) has the state's top player been ranked higher than Peoples-Jones, who is Michigan's top in-state signee ever in terms of Rivals ranking. In addition to having the high- est-ranked signee, Harb augh's Wolverines are adding three more four-star recruits from within the state's borders, including two in the Rivals250 (No. 146 Ambry Thomas and No. 222 Joshua Ross; Corey Malone-Hatcher is the other four- star, and he was listed as a top-300 recruit nationally by the other three recruiting services). U-M hasn't inked a quartet of four- and five-star Michigan natives since 2013. In school history, the Wolver- ines have secured at least four four- star recruits just four other times (2013 with five four-stars, 2012 with four four-stars, 2008 with four four- stars and 2003 with one five-star and a trio of four-stars). In addition to the four aforemen- tioned recruits, three-star safety Jay- len Kelly-Powell was considered a national top-300 prospect by every- body except Rivals, while three-star offensive tackle Ja'Raymond Hall was deemed a four-star talent by two of the three other major recruiting services. In terms of state rankings, the Maize and Blue are keeping a ma- jority of the top-tier Michigan prod- ucts home. Seven of the top 11 in the state heading to Ann Arbor marks the school's best performance in the Rivals ranks since, once again, that 2013 class (six of top 11). Other notable in-state hauls in- clude 2012 (eight of top 12) and 2008 (five of top 11). The top three from Michigan have ended up at U-M to- gether just twice before this year — in 2005 and 2004. U-M's in-state 2005 class included a trio of top-100 national prospects (although they didn't exactly pan out — none ever played in an NFL game), but lacked the immense depth of the 2017 cluster. Meanwhile the 2012 and 2013 in-state signees had impressive depth, but the top-end talent was absent. For the first time in school history, this year 's group has both. It's not just Rivals that is bullish on this year 's crop of Wolverines stay- ing home, either — according to the Detroit Free Press Fab 50, U-M signed the top six recruits in the state this cycle and eight of the top 12. Of course, no recruiting class can be fully analyzed until four or five years after its National Signing Day, but the 2017 unit may be starting in a better position than any other in- state group before. — Ryan Tice 2017 Represents Michigan's Best In-State Class Of The Rivals Era MICHIGAN'S IN-STATE SIGNEES, ACCORDING TO RIVALS.COM 5-stars/ 4-stars/ Rivals250 Year Top 11 available available (percent) signees by rank 2017 7 1/1 3/6 (50%) 12, 146, 222 2016 2 0/1 2/8 (25%) 147, 176 2015 2* 0/0 2/5 (40%) 101 2014 3 0/1 1/3 (33.3%) 115 2013 6 0/0 5/7 (71.4%) 81, 131, 165 2012 7* 0/0 4/7 (57.1%) 172, 184, 224, 236 2011 4 0/0 3/6 (50%) 85, 201 2010 2* 0/1 1/6 (16.7%) 132 2009 2* 1/1 1/10 (10%) 26, 233 2008 5 0/0 4/8 (50%) 44, 49, 193 2007 1* 0/1 2/12 (16.7%) 224 2006 3* 1/1 0/4 (0%) 15 2005 4* 1/1 2/2 (100%) 22, 49, 96 2004 5 0/0 3/5 (60%) 80 2003 5 1/1 3/6 (50%) 14, 89 2002 n/a 1/1 3/unknown 33 (Signed 1 of 3 in top 100)^ * Also signed No. 12 ^ The Rivals database includes only the top 100; the state rankings are not available U-M recruited well nationally, landing players such as Alabama wide receiver Nico Collins (left), but also secured its best-ever in-state group thanks to players like safety Jaylen Kelly Powell (right). PHOTO BY BRANDON JUSTICE

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