2022 recruiting profiles

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.

Previously: Last year’s 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.

Sachse, Texas – 6'3"/233
[Patrick Barron]		247: 6'2/226               3.57*	3*, 86, NR overall #50 QB, #126 TX
		Rivals: 6'3/210               3.87*	3*, 5.7, NR overall #9 QB-Dual, #55 TX
		ESPN: 6'2/205               4.03*	4*, 81, #54 Mids, #251 Ovr #21 ATH, #39 TX
		On3: 6'2/226               4.06*	4*, 90, NR overall #9 ATH, #58 TX
		Composite:               3.85*	3*, 0.8648, #493 ovr #30 QB, #59 TX
		Other Suitors	VT (decommit), TCU
		YMRMFSPA	Tim Tebow or Chase Winovich
Previously On MGoBlog	Commits. Spring game.
Notes	Yes: "Orgy." Brothers played at Vandy.
Film:
Senior Highlights: Hudl. Training.

Though he hasn't managed it at Michigan, Harbaugh used to always have two QBs in his classes, one the best pure passer he could find, the other an athlete with great stats who could transition to another role if he didn't win the job. The dual-threat of this class was the last player to join it, flipping from Virginia Tech on Early Signing Day.

The highly productive, frighteningly inaccurate Texan camped his way around the Midlands. Mo Linguist introduced him to Michigan, then left for Buffalo. That instability helped convince Orji to commit to VT, making it clear he was sticking around as long as Justin Fuentes and his coaching staff did. They didn't, and Michigan pounced, getting Orji up for a late official visit, fending off TCU, and putting a feather in Matt Weiss's recruiting cap. Then they gave everyone a good long look at what they grabbed in the spring game.

What we saw was an obvious heir to Dan Villari's "Villaricat" limited role as a change-of-pace dual-threat quarterback. We also saw the pre-freshman go 1/7 passing, with some of those misses not remotely close. That performance and Orji's reputation solidified a general opinion that this was an Athlete take, someone the program intended to trot out like 2008 Justin Feagin until it was the right time to try him on defense. That may yet be his fate, but I don't believe it was the plan. Matt Weiss is the guy who taught the Ravens how to use Lamar Jackson and Michigan what to do with true freshman JJ McCarthy, and Orji was far higher on Weiss's board than people realize.

Denegal may be the 2022 class's most quarterback-y quarterback, and ranked slightly higher on the Composite. But in case you missed spring, it was very clear which one arrived ahead. And after reading all the scouting on Orji, it's also clear who's got the highest ceiling.

Previously: Last year’s 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

Apple Valley, California – 6'5"/215
[Patrick Barron]		247: 6'4/215               3.96*	3*, 89, NR overall #19 QB, #37 CA
		Rivals: 6'4/215               3.79*	3*, 5.7, NR overall #24 QB-Pro, #39 CA
		ESPN: 6'5/230               3.87*	4*, 79, #71 West #21 QB-Pro, #36 CA
		On3: 6'4/215               3.83*	3*, 88, NR overall #28 QB, #32 CA
		Composite:               3.83*	3*, 0.8870, #454 ovr #30 QB, #35 CA
		Other Suitors	MSU, OreSt, UCLA
		YMRMFSPA	Wilton Speight
Previously On MGoBlog	Hello by me.
Notes	AA Bowl (late add). Twitter. IG. Sweet lil bro.
Film:
Senior Highlights: Hudl. AA Bowl Practice. More. By Loy! X-Mas Eve workout. vs rival. same game.

Typically when Michigan gets a five-star quarterback commit there's a shadow of 1-2 years when they struggle to recruit another. How dark the shadow and how long it lasts varies by the degree to which recruits assume the superstar is going to dominate the depth chart.

The other thing you may notice about the 5-star shadow is Navarre, Threet, Speight, Milton, McNamara, and all those guys had enormous opportunities to start by the time they had sophomore eligibility. The thing Ohio State managed to convince CJ Stroud but Michigan has yet to successfully get through any top teenager's skull is the best path to starting is coming in on the heels of a can't-miss quarterback. The guy you get after The Dude is a guy you'd better plan to start in a few years.

Fresh off J.J. McCarthy's class, with just as much eligibility left on Cade McNamara and Michigan telling everybody in sight that Dante Moore was their only choice for 2023, finding a man or two for 2022 was uphill sledding. Maalik Murphy became a rich man's game. Favorite target Cade Klubnik chose Clemson, second choice Drew Allar blew up and committed to Penn State, Tayven Jackson (brother of Trayce Jackson-Davis) drifted to Tennessee, and dual threat favorite Nate Johnson chose Utah. Michigan half-heartedly tried to pry Justyn Martin loose from UCLA. They did flip a guy higher on their board late, and we'll get to him.

But they also had to get creative, which led them to Denegal, a onetime four-star familiar to the camp circuit who dropped way down the rankings over the course of a cycle that had fewer chances to reevaluate that usual.

The highest indignity was being left off the Elite-11 roster after spending the first half of his high school career atop a banner California crop at his position. Along the way Denegal dropped most of the weight that was dragging him down. He played two junior seasons, winning championships in both, then changed his throwing motion. He went to the All-American Bowl. He's been shopped around by his famous trainer, been to so many camps, and up and down the rankings and scales so much you might think the only part of his story not yet written is the recriminating blog post.

But get this, Jayden Denegal is the youngest player in his class. And if you let your eyes cross that QB history chart above, you might find more than one 3.75-star from the West who won.