2022 recruiting

Previously: Last year's summary.

The profiles: S Damani Dent, S/Nk Zeke Berry, S/HSP Keon Sabb, CB Myles Pollard, CB/Nk Kody Jones, CB Will Johnson, LB Deuce Spurlock, LB Jimmy Rolder, DE/LB Micah Pollard, DE Derrick Moore, DT Mason Graham, DT Kenneth Grant, DT Cam Goode, T Andrew Gentry, T/G Connor Jones, G Alessandro Lorenzetti, C Olu Oluwatimi, TE Marlin Klein, TE Colston Loveland, WR Amorion Walker, WR Tyler Morris, WR Darrius Clemons, RB CJ Stokes, QB Jayden Denegal, QB/ATH Alex Orji.

We have made it through the annual summer project. It's my second time doing this, and this year it checked in at 82,596 words, including two transfers. I compared one guy to a cathedral, another guy to a Billie Eilish song, linked to double-digit articles referring to one guy as an extinct Ice Age mammal, and managed to say the words "Rabun Gap-Nacoochee" thirteen times without making things awkward. Let's wrap!

IT IS AN A-MINUS CLASS

Turns out beating Ohio State, winning the conference, and adding a handful of high 4-stars around Early Signing Day is a big deal. That was the difference between this class and the two that preceded it. Look at all the greeeeeeeen!

As is often the case, we're higher on this class than the industry.  A positional rundown:

• QB: C+. They're in the 5-star shadow. Both guys are long-term projects; barring a Tom Brady unicorn, only one has a very high ceiling.
• RB: C-. Hart banked on his scouting, how do you whiff on a thunderback after Haskins?
• WR: A. Two Nicos and a Ronnie Bell.
• TE: A-. Loveland is that star they barely missed in previous cycles, Klein is FAST.
• OL: C- or B- if you include Oluwatimi. Quickly dropped by top targets, Warinner guys. Lucky to get Lorenzetti & Gentry late.
• DT: B+. Graham and Grant would be big gets in any year. Goode should replace Jeter.
• DE: B. Moore is the blue chip we're not excited enough about. Didn't get a real edge-bender.
• LB: B+. Rolder falling in their laps salvaged the class, Spurlock has high upside.
• S: A+. Berry+Sabb+Dent would be a good class at any program.
• CB: A. Needed, got.
• SP: n/a

Late flips due to Harbaugh's program restabilizing itself ameliorated issues that plagued them over the course of the cycle. Getting McCarthy, Edwards, and a pile of promising OL in 2021 make up for (and likely contributed to) weaknesses in this class. But the pressure is on to address those positions in 2023, hence the freakout over Dante Moore (which was *NOT* just an NIL issue). They also need impact players immediately at linebacker and edge, which they failed to get in this class.

The defensive back class is special—I compared them to Marlin Jackson, Tripp Welborne, Rod Moore, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jeremy Clark, and that Rod Moore comp could have easily been Jabrill Peppers. The receiver crop is also incredible. Tyler Morris would have been a top-100 type if not for his injury, which shouldn't affect his career, Amorion Walker was a massive win over Notre Dame, and Clemons was a national prospect. Add the early returns on Andrel Anthony and Michigan is going to be set there for a while.

We've still got a couple more Hello posts to catch up on after the rush of National Signing Day, and today we'll go with one of the biggest commitments Michigan got on Wednesday in Derrick Moore. The defensive lineman from Baltimore had been committed to Oklahoma until Lincoln Riley's stunning departure, which re-opened his recruitment and allowed the Wolverines to slink in and lock him up. There were some questions about whether Moore would be eligible to sign with Michigan due to an NCAA rule regarding former HS coach (and current Michigan assistant) Biff Poggi, but the Wolverines felt good enough about the situation to add him to the class. In all likelihood, Moore is good to go, so it's time to meet him: 

GURU RATINGS

Last row is Seth's conversion to a five-star scale. Links are to profiles

All of the scouting services are big fans of Moore, with ESPN leading the way and assigning a near-5* score to him. The way we aggregate Seth's conversions came out to Moore receiving an average of 4.6, which placed him as the second-best recruit in this class behind Will Johnson. For a class that was a little light on high-end, top 300 recruits at the defensive line position, reeling in Moore was a coup. There's pretty broad agreement on his measurements here too, with all the services clocking him in at 6'4", and roughly 250 lbs. That size component is why it will be rather interesting to see what position Moore plays in college. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: Is he a DE or a DT?]

The Sponsors

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THE VIDEO

[After THE JUMP: the player and what we said]