Your most wanted recruits
Some of you may not like the topic and prefer the swim lanes (which I also enjoy) but it's slow and I wanted to hear some opinions on which recruits you want the most, and how confident you are we will land them. I will throw out mine, I tend to be a little more conservative just because of the nature of recruiting and how unpredictable it can be.
1. Solomon (35%) He has said we will be tough to beat but it seems Mama wants him closer to home. Huge position of need
1a. Harris (45%) There has been some recent rumbling that "we got him" but I will be cautious with my optimism until I hear something credible.
3. Filiaga (75%) Feels like we are in the driver seat unless Oklahoma swipes him.
4. Tufele- (20%) Moves to 1a if we miss on Solomon but it doesn't appear to be trending our way.
5. Collins (75%) We have led forever but visits to the south loom. Luxury pick up but would still love to have him.
6. Gay (30%) Another luxury pick up, I love his game and he appears to really like us, but almost all the crystal balls have him staying in the south.
7. Becton (50%) Staff apparently really likes him and he is massive
8. 5th DB. I think we want one, not sure who it will be. And I assume there is still a name or two not on our radar that will pop up late.
December 28th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
and Solomon # 1a. We need tackles, both defensive and offensive, in the worst way.
Najee Harris would be nice (OK, more than nice), but I really like Samuels and we have a good stable of Running Backs for the next couple of years.
December 28th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:35 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:37 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
Both would be great gets, but to me, Najee is a clear #1 over Solomon (or anyone else). Its been forever since Michigan has had a difference maker at running back. And while they have some decent backs on the roster, they don't have anyone (and haven't had someone since maybe Mike Hart) that you can consistently rely on when the offense bogs down and you need 3-4 yards and a first down.
A great defense is nice, but you still need to be able to score points. Najee has the potential to be way more of a difference maker than Solomon or anyone else on defense. A great DL and defense kept them in the game against Ohio State, but a difference maker on offense kept them from being able to grind out some first downs and close out that game.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:45 PM ^
A great defense is nice? I think great defense is and should continue to be the identity and number one priority of Michigan football followed closely by running the ball well. So make no mistake I believe we essentially agree and I would be happy if we get Najee. But I think maintaining a good clear identity for a consistent period of time helps to get some of the better recruits over time because they know what to expect coming in.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:33 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 4:08 PM ^
Look, I never said that having a great defense shouldn't be Michigan's identity. What I meant is that while its great to have an outstanding defense, if you want to win Big Ten championships and compete for and win national titles, you're going to need some playmakers on offense and a reliable run game as well.
Just look at the Ohio State game for evidence of that. Or the Iowa game. They lost those game because when Speight was off, they had no other options.
So if you want to go 10-2, then a great defense can do that for you. If you have higher aspirations, you're going to need someone like Najee to get it done.
December 28th, 2016 at 7:08 PM ^
It's been so long since we've had a line, we've forgotten that a good line can make any RB look great.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:27 PM ^
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December 28th, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
I understand the reasoning behind your statement and respect your opinion. However, saying that flipping the 247 Composite #1 OVR player in the country from Alabama would be "good not great" deserves a C'MON MAN!! Also, my boss is a big time Alabama fan, listens to Finebaum every single day, and believes Michigan has a 0% chance at Najee. I need this.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:26 PM ^
Thank you your Royal Badness - glad I read down as far as your post before jumping in with - ALL the players sound great, but ONLY ONE of them would be the #1 player in his class & a direct steal off Bama's commit list!
You don't really get more legit than that with recruits until you actually win the CFP. That type of swipe would really open eyes. Or conversely make Satan & Urbz work even harder on recruiting, which...HOW?
So, to sum up:
Yes, those are the recruits we are all hoping to get, nice list thanks!
December 28th, 2016 at 1:41 PM ^
Finebaum is a horse's ass. I just moved Harris ahead of Solomon just for that!
December 28th, 2016 at 12:45 PM ^
I'm not jaded by guys like Derrick Green but I mostly agree... Solomon and Filiaga are far bigger needs right now. Harris, while it would be awesome to land him, is just a luxury at this point.
December 28th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
Saying our 5* RB recruits haven't panned out is putting it nicely. They've all been spectacular busts.
Kelly Baraka (2001): Suspended first season, booted from the team in his second. Never saw the field.
Kevin Grady (2005): 783 yards, 10 TDs in four seasons
Derrick Green (2013): 898 yards, 7 TDs in three seasons
Those three guys are Michigan's #3, 11, and 12 overall recruits since 2000 (according to this cool little feature from 247.)
WOOF.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:24 PM ^
Based solely on my amateur HS tape analysis, Green and Harris do not belong in the same category.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
I still remember seeing Green up close in 2012 at The Opening and thinking "this guy is the #1 RB in the country?" Wasn't shifty, wasn't fast, didn't have the greatest hands -- just didn't pass the eye test at all outside of being huge. Have no idea why he stayed at #1.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott was consistently a guy you'd see doing something on the field and have to look down on your roster to see who it was. Alvin Kamara was a guy like that too.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:32 PM ^
Again...huge difference in being #1 in the country and the #1 player overall in the country.
Najee Harris is the #1 player overall people!!!
According to 247Sports...
Kareem Walker was #4 RB #101 overall
Derrick Green was #4 RB #27 overall
Ty Isaac was #3 RB #54 overall
Sam McGuffie was #16 RB #169 overall
Kevin Grady was #4 RB #21 overall
Kelly Baraka was #3 RB #12 overall (and who knows...he could've been an all-time great if he didn't get in trouble)
Baraka we never saw and it's WAAAY too early on Walker. But those other guys may not have lived up to the hype...no question, but not ONE of them was #1 or a top 5 player overall.
Those top 4, 5, 6...sometimes 7 players are guys who get their numbers retired. Peppers was #3. Fournette. Clowney. Those top of the top players, regardless of position are monsters. Those players trump any need. They're automatically at the top of your board I said below.
If we were talking about D'Andre Swift or J.K. Dobbins...both of which could be GREAT. Then I'd agree, go for need. But never when you're talking about a top 5 player in the country.
December 28th, 2016 at 5:36 PM ^
It makes me happy how many of the guys on this list are within the last couple classes. HARBAUGH'D
December 28th, 2016 at 1:19 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 1:51 PM ^
A beautiful young man!
December 28th, 2016 at 2:34 PM ^
"OH LEH DOOOO IT!!!"
December 28th, 2016 at 5:51 PM ^
an 8-Mile-era Mekhi Phifer
December 28th, 2016 at 2:00 PM ^
Our other 5* RBs were not the #1 player in the country.
Najee Harris is the #1 player in the country first and foremost. That's before anything about being a RB.
You ALWAYS take the #1 player in the country and make him a priority.
Being a #1 RB, but in the 50's overall is one thing. But when you're the #1 RB and #1 player in the country...IMO that player should be at the top of EVERYONE's board.
This isn't Derrick Green or Ty Issac or even Kareem Walker. Check the numbers.
If you can get Lenoard Fournette, or Jabrill Peppers, or Jadaveon Clowney, or Myles Garrett or any of that elite level top 5 talent in the country. They automatically trump ANYTHING else.
Those guys are team changers. Those guys are 1st round NFL talents from day 1.
1. Harris
2. Filiaga
3. Tufele/Solomon
IMO..
Go back and look at the names in the top 5, top 10. It's not 100% on being elite...but you'll find program, generational type players over and over.
So don't compare Harris to our other 5* RBs. He's elite and the #1 player in the country for a reason.
Same thing with basketball rankings. You have 5* players and then you have guys who are instant lottery picks from day 1. These guys should almost be 6* players because they're a notch above even the elite HS prospects.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:14 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 5:19 PM ^
Yep...all 5*'s are not the same...Harris is like a 5++* or 6* or whatever..but his category and that of the other 5* backs that signed with UM are not nearly the same.
December 28th, 2016 at 6:09 PM ^
Agree whole heartily, but I would put Solomon ahead of Filiaga. He's a higher rated recruit for a reason, but I believe Hudson is a future monster at left tackle Imo. The thing is with this post, this is not the nfl draft where we have to wait for our pick. This is Harbaughs U of M. Let's take them all. In order Harris, Solomon, Filiaga and Collins. Wilson was a bad miss as we are set in the interior as next year we should get two top five guards so I see your opinion on Filiaga. Harris reminds me of Jim Brown and is the number one get. Will make life much easier for Qb and Harbaugh knows it.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:45 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:49 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 1:53 PM ^
My Mother in Law just passed over Thanksgiving - no nasty MIL jokes here, she was a wonderful sweet lady.
But the yellow pages, encyclopedia references brought a nice chuckle. Add in not being able to understand - ever - how she could possibly look at her emails from our computer, turning her cell on to say she'd landed and then shutting it back off right away, and probably the most prevalent among the elderly - thinking you still had to watch your programs at the time listed in the TV Guide magazine, which she still subscribed to as far as I know unitl being moved into a care facility last year.
And my wife exhibits many of the same tendencies - just got her first smart phone for Christmas and it's a learning curve!
December 28th, 2016 at 2:16 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 2:20 PM ^
That is more advanced than the over 40s in my office.
December 29th, 2016 at 6:29 AM ^
Good for her and YOU.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:06 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 2:19 PM ^
Offensive linemen may be hard to project but we know we desparately need to come up with some in a hurry. We have just 4 dependable OL (Cole, Bredeson, Onwenu and Kugler). JBB may be able to step up; if not, we need to find a freshman who can start.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:39 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 4:46 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 6:19 PM ^
Filiaga is 6-6, 335 pounds, so he has the size to go right away. He's the composite #14 OT, so maybe he has the skill. There's no question in my mind that Cole, Bredeson, Onwenu and Kugler are our best 4. I think either JBB or Filiaga (fingers crossed) will be the 5th. I agree Cole is likely to stay at C.
December 28th, 2016 at 9:03 PM ^
He very well may; it's just such a rarity that guys are ready to be plus players with the step up in competition and complexity of scheme/line calls. Working in his favor Filiaga is playing top level Texas competition so that's a start.
If not, JBB seems better suited for right than left tackle and we have several other large humans on the roster or coming in. Honestly the depth next year scares me a lot more than the starting 5; lots of time for guys to step up and surprise us though.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:41 PM ^
into their bellies?
So happy we have Hurst for another year. Want him to mentor the freshman on portion control.
December 28th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 2:48 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 12:27 PM ^
Najee would be nice to have, but RB recruiting has been good enough that I'm confident we'll find someone good. I worry about the D-line in a few years if we whiff on Solomon & Tufele
December 28th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^
December 28th, 2016 at 1:01 PM ^