DPJ is the highest ranked WR Michigan has ever gotten

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Assuming he signs and enrolls early like his plans are in a couple weeks of course......

he'll be the highest ranked receiver Michigan has ever signed in the recruiting service rankings era that began in 2002.

Going by the 247 Composite National Position & Overall rankings, here is every receiver Michigan has signed in the recruiting rankings era-

  • The highest ranked receiver we have ever signed was Mario Manningham in 2005 who was #6
  • The highest ranked receiver nationally overall we have ever signed was Darryl Stonum in 2008 at #48 overall

Donovan Peoples-Jones is the #1 ranked WR and the #11 ranked player nationally. When he does sign, he will far and away be #1.
 

Class Player Caliber WR Rank Overall Rank
2005 Mario Manningham 4 star #6 #51
2014 Drake Harris 4 star #7 #67
2005 Antonio Bass 4 star #8 #56
2009 Je'Ron Stokes 4 star #10 #90
2008 Darryl Stonum 4 star #10 #48
2004 Doug Dutch 4 star #10 #71
2007 Toney Clemons 4 star #12 #96
2002 Jason Avant 4 star #13 #116
2004 Adrian Arrington 4 star #14 #97
2007 Junior Hemingway 4 star #17 #120
2016 Dylan Crawford 4 star #19 #119
2005 LaTerryal Savoy 3 star #22 #202
2004 Morgan Trent 4 star #22 #143
2004 Carl Tabb 4 star #22 #249
2012 Amara Darboh 4 star #28 #221
2006 Greg Mathews 4 star #28 #215
2008 Terrence Robinson 4 star #30 #203
2007 Martell Webb  3 star #34 #241
2007 Zion Babb 3 star #40 #280
2014 Freddy Canteen 4 star #41 #298
2013 Jaron Dukes 3 star #43 #337
2010 Jerald Robinson 3 star #43 #312
2008 Martavious Odoms 3 star #44 #300
2004 Keston Cheathem 3 star #48 #409
2009 Cameron Gordon 3 star #52 #369
2016 Brad Hawkins 4 star #54 #290
2013 Da'Mario Jones 3 star #57 #772
2008 Roy Roundtree 3 star #59 #407
2016 Eddie McDoom 3 star #64 #403
2014 Maurice Ways 3 star #68 #497
2013 Csont'e York 3 star #74 #562
2012 Jehu Chesson 3 star #74 #639
2016 Nate Johnson 3 star #93 #585
2010 Jeremy Jackson 3 star #108 #827
2015 Grant Perry 3 star #109 #866
2010 D.J. Williamson 3 star #156 #1247
From the pages of the SuperGuide -- Recruiting History Book, Vol I: 247sports Composite 
MGoBoard
Football

Wolfman

December 16th, 2016 at 1:09 AM ^

inasmuch as we had signed what would have been five stars prior to today's ranking, i.e., A.C., David, Marquise, et. al., with Jim Smith, our truly first NFL prototypical reciever probably coming in at no lower than a 4* of today. Those two, A.C. and Smith, are pretty damn impressive in their own right when you consider we were OL U and a lot of RBs receiving some nice pay days due to their proficiency. 

We have, though, pocketed our share of great ones that have produced like 5*s and that was in an offense that does not even remotely resemble what this one will. I believe Harbaugh uses a lot of the W. Coast passing principles in his attack which, when you are stacked at the vital positions, right on down to the depth accruing at TE, our future offensives will be an outlier in this conference and will give opposing Ds as much trouble as the spread did at its zenith. Even though OSU had great success with it two years ago and considerably less this past contest, the pieces accruing on D will soon make that look like the h.s. offense it will soon be relegated to, at least by UM, Bama, Clemson and even the team that runs it best now. 

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 8259

stephenrjking

December 16th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^

We didn't exactly have Mgoblog back then and I wasn't crawling through the boards that existed at the time, but I don't recall Braylon getting a lot of hype prior to his emergence as the #1 threat. I believe I recall some camp chatter in 2002, but I don't think he was even expected to be "the guy" that year until he started getting thrown at all the time. 

And he was basically invisible in 2001 when we needed a second receiver and had nothing. Given what I recall reading and hearing when he was hear, I think his development and personal growth was uncommonly strong and a big part of his success. Speed, high-ball skills (he didn't have them early, sure did have them late), all that stuff came on in college.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143976

Wolfman

December 16th, 2016 at 3:04 AM ^

in reading some of Bo's works, he mentions that although he never coached a Heisman winner, he did recruit one. His thoughts as to Elvis and Desmond, although they ran the option and we were moving away from it was that Elvis did have potential as a prototypical NFL QB, especially given his size and arm strength and that Des's potential was in special teams, i.e., return specialist with a strong possibility of becoming a viable threat as a receiver. 

This may sound strange given the staff at that time, but I spoke with Mike Reinhold at a local Beer Tent after the naming of Mo to take over. His words to me were, "Mo is an offensive genius." I must admit I didn't completely buy into that but even when acting as head coach, almost causing Bo a recurrence of what he was being hospitalized when he decided to throw on that all important fourth down, I must say I knew we had a different mindset calling the shot at money time. 

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 8259

Wolfman

December 16th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^

I was mystified at why Lloyd was persistent on burning a RS on this 3* wr. Maybe a favor to his father to get him early PT? Man, did the gurus miss out on him. But then when I think about his many drops, he would have had to been lowered a star by that alone, so he was somethings of a project, but oh my, did they see the potential. If not for his problems with the fingers, his legacy would be even greater. 

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 8259

CraigB

December 16th, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^

Someone asked this question yesterday on 247. I found that he was #20 in the state of Michigan and around #70 in the Midwest. I'm not too familiar with how they did rankings before the Rivals and 247.

Edit: Ah, found it again.

"Rated as a three-star prospect and as the No. 49 receiver in the nation by Rivals.com... Listed as the No. 57 player in the midwest by SuperPrep Magazine... Rated as No. 79 player in the Midwest by Midwest Football Recruiting News... Ranked as the No. 20 player in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press"

Joined: 02/20/2015

MGoPoints: 5004

Wolfman

December 16th, 2016 at 12:05 AM ^

but I think it's worthwhile to note that when we signed Marquise Walker and David Terrell, that was the first time, officially, that one school had signed two of the nation's top 15 wrs. Now this season when you are discussing the rankings and consider the possibilities of the three big signees, should Nico opt to join the party, this could, indeed, be a professional like haul and with Jim fine tuning whomever will be throwing the darts, we could have a Patriots like precision from our offense. 

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 8259

stephenrjking

December 16th, 2016 at 12:33 AM ^

*I've seen the Rams play this year and while you hint at it you really should specify that you are talking about the Kurt Warner Rams era.

Which... well, it's not as ridiculous as it could be. Speed guys in the slot? Great guys outside? Even Chris Evans fits the Faulk role at RB, whether we land Harris or not.

If Speight can throw downfield like Warner next season (no small feat), sure, why not?

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143976

RobM_24

December 16th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^

Previous 247 #1's ... 2016 - Demetris Robertson  2015 - Deon Cain  2014 - Speedy Noil  2013 - Robert Foster  2012 - Dorial Green-Beckham  2011 - Sammy Watkins  2010 - Mike Davis The only name that jumped out on that list for me was Sammy Watkins. Also, a big lack of B1G in there ...

Joined: 01/27/2014

MGoPoints: 63779

ThereWillBeNoHugs

December 16th, 2016 at 12:22 AM ^

I was wondering about this tonight. Man, to have a talent like this in our backyard and to get him is just awesome, especially when you compare his ranking against the others on that list. This young man looks legit. It's hard to believe he won't be anything but great at Michigan. Harbaugh is building a monster.

Joined: 05/07/2015

MGoPoints: 840