ESPN Grades Michigan's 2018 class at a B+
Grade: B+ | National rank: 20
Even without the notoriety of previous years, Michigan continues to stockpile talent and fill key needs. The signing of ESPN 300 signal-caller Joe Milton following the news that former Ole Miss starter Shea Patterson would transfer to Ann Arbor is huge. Michigan went into Texas and signed the best tight end in the state in ESPN 300 Mustapha Muhammad. In-state ESPN 300 defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and four-star offensive tackle Ryan Hayes have high ceilings. The Peach State continues to be great for Michigan, with safety Myles Sims and ESPN 300 running back Christian Turner. Signing ESPN 300 linebacker Cameron McGrone was also big. Lone Star State twins Gemon Green and German Green will bring 6-foot-2 frames to the cornerback position. Versatile athlete Michael Barrett out of the Peach State could end up on either side of the ball.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:06 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
Yes if our recruting class was better, we would think it was better.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
don't particularly need offensive lineman in bulk right now, what we need is impact players. I think both of our lineman in this class are going to be solid two-year starter-ish type guys who are adequate. But "adequate" is only going to go so far. We need that guy, and we just can't seem to land him. Of all the things I expected with JMFH, difficulty recruiting on the O-line was certainly not one of them.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
it has been too long with just adequate to bad offensive lines. In RR days when we had the horrible secondary, that was fixed quickly when Mattison/ Hoke came in. The o-line has been a sore spot for this team to become elite, that it is hard to not have that focus on it.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:53 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
What Justibro wrote is certainly true, but a more accurate assessemnt is that in today's world of instant analysis and hot takes there is no grey area. It is all black and white (figuratively), win or lose, hero or goat, genius or idiot. And when it comes to grading a recruiting class there is only Pass/Fail. Because we aspire to be one of the best teams, our Pass/Fail criteria is basically A's are Pass, all else is Fail. I for one would argue that in the real world there is grey area.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
Two of your sentences contradict each other:
"Offensive line is one of the hardest positions for scouts to gauge. So getting a few more high ranked guys is pretty irrelevant."
If it is true OL is hard to gauge, thus increasing the likelihood they will not work out, then getting a few more highly ranked guys on an annual basis is exremely relevant.
Getting any guy becomes extremely relevant. I think that is the greatest concern, not only are there very few highly ranked guys, there's only one true lineman in the whole class of any ranking.
February 9th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
And some of the highest ranked weren't our best. For example, Kalis is a great Wolverine but went from "the most college ready lineman we've got in years" to a guy that Brian consistently dinged in the UFRs. Let's hold judgement on Harbaugh's OL recruiting for a couple years until we see just how good Ruiz, Onwenu, Bredesen, Steuber, etc. etc. etc. become.
February 9th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
really shouldnt be that hard with all the camps these guys go to. i know some programs make it a policy before offering certain positions that they have to see them at their camps. all power 5 schools have a summer camps they use to evaluate prospects. OSU wont offer QB's or OL before seeing them perform, i'm sure there a few exceptions. Its probably because there are more busts or non contributors @ those 2 positions at higher rate than all the other positions.Players love it because they get 1 on1 time with big time coaches at the camps and dont forget the swag bags players get at camps.some camp swag bags rival those at bowl games.
February 9th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^
Nicely said.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:08 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:48 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
Way to use actual facts to combat the narrative.
Too bad you will be negged off the board if you don't get in line and talk how everything sucks and we should feel bad about the football program.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:45 PM ^
Five guys out of 27 that had good to very good Michigan careers:
Gardner
Black
Dileo
Ryan
Hagerup
A whole lotta outbound transfers or "quit football"s plus what I assume is a record number of guys who never played in a game for Michigan.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:43 PM ^
That was a painful scroll...
February 8th, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
Wrong. This is Michgan's lowest ranked non coaching transition recruiting class since 2000.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
What about it? Michigan finished with the #20 class in 2014 per the 247 composite. Yesterday Michigan finished with the #21 class. If if if. Stop. No ifs ands or buts, that's where they finished. Stop rationalizing it.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^
Jesus Christ why are you still here? Remove the zero and your points look like the number of pesos it takes to buy a mansion in Mexico.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
Classes with more recruits get ranked higher. Michigan is returning so many players (and starters), and lost so few players after last year, that they just don't need that many recruits to begin with.
Most of the beef here on MgoBlog is with the lack of closure on the real impact players in key positions that Michigan needs. However, if Shea becomes eligible and if Anderson arrives, the main impact needs might be met for 2018, and that to me for next year's result is more important than a 5 star OT who still might not be ready to start against ND, or a 5 star QB who just won't have the scheme grasped well enough by season start.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:43 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^
our biggest rival does sign top 10 classes year after year, and so do the teams who are legit contenders for national titles. It feels like a remote possibility that we will ever be that.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:48 AM ^
People might forget about it in the short term, but when these are the guys who are going to replace everyone starting now in the next or two people aren't going to forget. This was not a good class, it's ok to say it.
February 8th, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
We all knew it wasn't going to be a top 10 class based on size alone. The dick punch came when Reese flipped and we missed on a couple OL but we also need to look at this class as if Shae Patterson is part of it then it doesn't look as bad
February 8th, 2018 at 6:51 PM ^