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 11:45 AM ^
You must have missed Brian Cook annilihate this class and staff on wtka this morning. This was a terrible class by Michigan standards.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
I've been telling people since the fall this class was tracking towards disaster. People laughed it off or told me to wait until February. Well it's February, whose laughing now (besides PSU and OSU fans).
February 8th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^
You're not some kind of prophet. You are just constantly negative. And in a world where things go wrong more often than not for a vast majority of people, there is nothing special in that. You just show up when shit goes wrong and say, "AH HA! I told you shit was bad!" Why do you possibly follow something that makes you so unhappy? Really and truly, all kidding aside, wouldn't you be happier NOT following Michigan sports???
February 8th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
must be just an intolerable person to be around in real life
February 8th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
Michigan hasn't won a conference title in 14 years. They've lost 8 of 10 to MSU. They've lost 15 of 17 to OSU. But yeah, I'm "constantly negative." No, more like constantly realistic.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:55 PM ^
Hey look on the bright side! At least we beat OSU that one time and every now and then we beat MSU too. It's not all bad!
February 8th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
No one said the results on the field have been good enough the last 17. People are saying this recruting class isn't doom.
If there was so much stock in recruiting classes, OSU would have won the B1G every year (they won 7, which is a lot, but have consistently had the best coaches as well). MSU would have been middle of the road (they haven't been, and have won 3). Wisconsin would have just been above average (they've won 3). PSU wouldn't have won recently.
The performance the past 14 years isn't predominately because of recruiting. If you can't see that despite how Michigan has recruited compared to other places, I don't know what to tell you.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:53 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 1:47 PM ^
last part of his post. I'd love to know, as well.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
So as late as fall you incorrectly predicted this class? Because it damn sure isn't a disaster.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
Class move on his part calling a group of 18 year-olds who are going to work harder than I ever have and play through pain I've never experienced a "disaster" is ridiculous. If he wishes Petit Frere would've come and Reese would've stuck, fine. But let's support those who are here.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:58 PM ^
Old Fashioned. Instant is for lazy asses who can't get up early enough to make it right.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 6:44 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Oh it most definitely is, even the publisher of this site said as much this morning.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^
Well if he actually said that the entire class was a disaster (I doubt he did), then he's wrong too.
See how easy that was
February 8th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^
And your doubts would be wrong.
https://audioboom.com/posts/6655837-10-mgoblog-roundtable-seg1-020818
February 8th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
But I still doubt he said the whole class was a disaster.
But if he did say what you claim, he's wrong. If you think you were going to tell me "Well Brian said..." and I was going to retract my opinion, you're barking up the wrong tree. Brian can have his opinion, this class isn't a disaster.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
And I have no desire to hear you tell everyone how you are right and everyone else is wrong because you say so. Have a nice day and enjoy the #21 recruiting class while our biggest rival just signed their best class in the internet era. And when they kick our ass again, I look forward to you telling everyone how recruiting is going just fine.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:04 PM ^
If your argument is if I'd rather have OSU's recruiting class or Michigan's, ok, yeah, OSU has a great recruiting class, one that approx 97% of the programs in the country never have.
If your argument is that Michigan is destined to lose to OSU because of a recruiting class rank, then I can't help you. Recruiting gives you a good foundation to build off. Recruiting ranking usually reflects that foundation. It is not destiny. You conflate that. And if you think the primary reason for losing next year is because of the 2018 recruiting class, then I have no idea what to tell you.
In both basketball and football, you seem to be of the mind of "Well, because X did this, that means Michigan should also be able to, because... reasons." Welcome to reality. Michigan isn't Duke in basketball. They aren't at the same place as OSU in football. Very, very, very few programs get to that level. Michigan is trying to get there, this one class doesn't doom them indefinately. If that is the only way for Michigan to be successful for you, then 99.9% you are going to be let down. That's reality. But Michigan can win with this class, and the other classes they've brought in. If you need what team X does in order to be satisfied, I highly recommend rooting for team X, otherwise it is hopeless for you.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^
And this is where you are wrong skippy. OSU has signed a higher ranked class than UM 8 straight years. They are 7-1 vs Michigan in that timeframe. It's no coincidence that UM was reguarly out recruiting OSU in the 90's when they were winning that game.
Michigan has resources 99.9% of programs would kill for. But you're a UM apologist so you wuldn't understand this, but god forbid I expect our 9 million dollar coach to sign a class better than #21 in the country.
February 8th, 2018 at 3:03 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 3:05 PM ^
Code red everyone. You can't handle the truth. Shocker.
February 8th, 2018 at 3:30 PM ^
Did you just try to claim superiority in this thread by saying someone couldn't handle the truth of you calling another poster "Skippy"? Talk about delusions...
February 8th, 2018 at 5:35 PM ^
February 9th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
You are acting like OSU is 7-1 against Michigan in 8 years because they've had a higher recruiting ranking for 8 years. What is Michigan's record against MSU and what is their recruiting ranking record vs MSU? There is much more that goes into this record than just recruiting rankings.
As far as "recruiting rankings" existed in the 90s, Michigan was never consistently out-recruiting OSU. That's just flat out BS. Cooper, for all his flaws of playing Michigan, consistently brought in high level talent until his last few years. Again, there were many other factors to Michigan's success against OSU in that timeframe than "recruiting rankings".
There are 129 D-I programs. So 99.9% means Michigan has resources 128.9 would kill for. Michigan has high end resources, which is why they expect high end results. But resourses alone don't get you to be Alabama, or there would be 20 Alabama's out there. There is a lot more to coaching than "recruiting rankings". There is a lot more to program success than "recruiting rankings". There is a lot more to recruiting rankings than resources, and money. You can call me an apologist because I understand that because Michigan has "resources", doesn't automatically make them Alabama or Ohio State. That's where your simple mind is completely lost.
I expect Michigan to be good. Signing 21st ranked recuiting class doesn't change that. But you see that as destiny. Again, recruiting class ranking, for the worth of that, is a fraction of the program picture. So you can expect all you want, that doesn't make it reality.
February 8th, 2018 at 3:28 PM ^
Can you pull all of those early '90s Rivals recuriting profiles? I think I missed them.
February 9th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^
recruiting isn't the end all be all in competeing at an elite level. but i agree it certainly helps. osu was recruiting very well in the 90's with cooper as HC and so was michigan. michigan was just mentally and physically tougher back then and always had a stout dfense. although Harbaugh has had a good defense every year they just seem to be on the soft side when it comes to the 4th qtr and crunch time. which is probably because of depth, which brings us right back to recruiting. most of the teams that have had success developing lower rated recruits have a more severe drop off in talent from starters to the back ups. when you recruit like Alabama, Clemson and OSU they dont have quite as severe drop off in talent when the starter is injured. OSU lost their starting RG mid way through the season and after a couple games the OL was right back on the same level before losing the starter. the back up was a highly recruited 4* OT out of texas that had been passed on the depth chart several times by younger players. Once michigan gets better play from their QB's you wont see them losing games they shouldnt lose like the south carolina game. Its a process.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^
did not say the word "disaster." He did say:
"Bad"
"Really not good"
"Very disappointing"
"Really bad"
"Failure"
"Makes you question what is happening within the program."
So, in this case Maizen has properly captured the jist of Brian's take on the matter, I do believe. Of course I know that will not make you change your take, and I don't really know enough about the class to have one, but Brian's take is pretty much "disaster."
February 8th, 2018 at 3:31 PM ^
I believe that Space Coyote's argument is that Brian can be wrong. I'm sure that he is often wrong. Running or owning a website does not make one all knowing. Brian was pretty negative this morning...the other guys on the MGOBLOG roundtable were not.
February 8th, 2018 at 3:44 PM ^
understand his argument and I agree with him. All I was doing is summarizing for people that were not going to listen to the link. Sure, Brian can be wrong (and was wrong like all of last season) but I was just summarizing his position which was accurately described by Maizen as this class being a disaster.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:46 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^
Michigan just signed it's 2nd worst non coaching transition recruiting class in over 30 years but it's not a disaster. Ok bud.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^
Wrong. I said he needed to recruit better and he has. That still doesn't excuse the fact that he still misses just as much as he hits on recruits. Look no further than Simmons, Brooks, Watson, Davis, and Teske giving this team absolutely nothing. Or lets talk about the class that had Doyle, Chatman, and Dawkins in it. I could go further back but you get the point. But I've already explained my stance on JB a million times and you and other dickheads like you constantly keep throwing something I never said in my face when I was far from the only person unhappy with the guy at this time last year. Move the fuck on and stop being such a loser that you have bring up his name in threads that have nothing to do with him.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:09 PM ^
You obviously have enough time to do your own gig. You need to start a new blog called "Mgofuckyourself" where you can spin your doomsday prophecies to your like minded thinkers and minions. That way positive thinkers need not get in your way.
February 8th, 2018 at 3:37 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:13 PM ^
You don't realize how dumb you sound do you. "We don't need Brooks to be good because Zavier Simpson!" My god I almost feel sorry for you.
Consider this the last time I acknowledge your pathetic existence.
February 9th, 2018 at 2:26 PM ^
you "said he had to recruit better, and he has." thank god some internet rando was there to tell john beilein to recruit better. now, if you can just tell him to develop players better, we'll be all set.
and honestly - defending your dickheadedness by saying there were other people unhappy a year ago isn't exactly a ringing self-endorsement. great, some people were full of shit a year ago, and you were one of them. the difference, of course, is that you're STILL full of shit.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^
Fine, understood, the class is a disaster. Anyhow, it's pretty nice out and I just ate a great meal, so it's not all bad.
February 8th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:09 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:20 AM ^
If it's 20th out of 128 it seems like a B would be appropriate based solely on that percentage. Maybe they are grading on a curve or something. /s
February 8th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
Compared to all 130 or so FBS schools, this is probably a B+ class. If you're looking to win national titles and compare yourself to schools that are in that running, this wouldn't be called B+
February 8th, 2018 at 1:44 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:10 AM ^
They also have us ranked 20th 2018 class overall, which I think is fair (especially since that does not include Shea Patterson). It's a smaller class, and a good one.
Like others, I'd have liked to have seen more OL presence in the class, but it's still a good one.