Which 2017 recruit is most like Kelly Baraka? (image via Ace of Sports)
If you’re like me, you’re a huge nerd. And a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
But more importantly, you probably like recruiting and Michigan football. With the fancy tool that is the 247 Sports Composite Ranking, I was able to put together a list of Michigan’s all-time player recruiting rankings (LINK). Not only does it help put things in perspective, but it also gives us a chance to make some comparisons in the here and now.
So below is a list of all of Michigan’s 2017 recruits, along with where they rank among the “pantheon” of Michigan recruits since 2000, and then the overall rankings of the players near them.
Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
2017 ranking: #12 overall
Historical ranking: #5 all-time at Michigan
Flanked by: Prescott Burgess (#6 in 2003) and Kelly Baraka (#13 in 2001)
Aubrey Solomon – DT – Leesburg (GA) Lee County
2017 Ranking: #25
Historical ranking: #12
Flanked by: Ernest Shazor (#22 in 2001), Derrick Green (#27 in 2013), and Donovan Warren (#27 in 2007)
Cesar Ruiz – C – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
2017 ranking: #44
Historical ranking: #23
Flanked by: Pierre Woods (#43 in 2001) and Mario Manningham (#45 in 2005)
Luiji Vilain – DE – Alexandria (VA) Episcopal
2017 ranking: #56
Historical ranking: #31
Flanked by: Larry Stevens (#55 in 2000) and Pat Massey (#57 in 2001)
Drew Singleton – LB – Paramus (NJ) Catholic
2017 ranking: #80
Historical ranking: #49
Tied with: Alex Mitchell (2004)
Ambry Thomas – CB – Detroit (MI) King
2017 ranking: #94
Historical ranking: #61
Flanked by: Justin Turner (#90 in 2009) and William Campbell (#95 in 2009)
Jordan Anthony – LB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
2017 ranking: #107
Historical ranking: #73
Flanked by: Kareem Walker (#100 in 2016) and J.B. Fitzgerald (#110 in 2008)
Chuck Filiaga – OT – Aledo (TX) Aledo
2017 ranking: #113
Historical ranking: #77
Flanked by: Bryan Mone (#112 in 2014) and Tate Forcier (#115 in 2009)
Tarik Black – WR – Cheshire (CT) Academy
2017 ranking: #122
Historical ranking: #86
Flanked by: Henry Poggi (#121 in 2013) and Dylan McCaffrey (#123 in 2017)
Dylan McCaffrey – QB – Littleton (CO) Valor Christian
2017 ranking: #123
Historical ranking: #87
Flanked by: Tarik Black (#122 in 2017) and Steve Brown (#124 in 2008)
Nico Collins – WR – Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville
2017 ranking: #136
Historical ranking: #97
Flanked by: Blake Countess (#135 in 2011) and Royce Jenkins-Stone (#140 in 2012)
Oliver Martin – WR – Iowa City (IA) West
2017 ranking: #170
Historical ranking: #107
Flanked by: Logan Tuley-Tillman (#169 in 2013) and Jake Butt (#172 in 2013)
Joshua Ross – LB – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
2017 ranking: #214
Historical ranking: #123
Tied with: Ben Gedeon (2013) and Quinton Washington (2009)
James Hudson – DE – Toledo (OH) Central Catholic
2017 ranking: #220
Historical ranking: #127
Tied with: Brandon Minor (2006)
Deron Irving-Bey – DE – Flint (MI) Southwestern
2017 ranking: #261
Historical ranking: #140
Flanked by: Maurice Hurst, Jr. (#257 in 2013) and Devin Funchess (#262 in 2012)
Jaylen Kelly-Powell – S – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
2017 ranking: #266
Historical ranking: #142
Flanked by: Devin Funchess (#262 in 2012) and Elliott Mealer (#268 in 2008)
O’Maury Samuels – RB – Los Lunas (NM) Los Lunas
2017 ranking: #278
Historical ranking: #144
Tied with: David Molk (2007)
Donovan Jeter – DT – Beaver Falls (PA) Beaver Falls
2017 ranking: #290
Historical ranking: #150
Tied with: Brad Hawkins (2006) and Kellen Jones (2010)
Corey Malone-Hatcher – DE – Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs
2017 ranking: #292
Historical ranking: #153
Flanked by: Donovan Jeter (#290 in 2017), Brad Hawkins (#290 in 2016), Kellen Jones (#290 in 2016) and Alex Malzone (#295 in 2015)
Ja’Raymond Hall – OT – Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
2017 ranking: #318
Historical ranking: #163
Flanked by: Ian Bunting (#317 in 2014) and Devin Bush, Jr. (#319 in 2016)
Benjamin St-Juste – CB – Montreal (Quebec) Vieux
2017 ranking: #334
Historical ranking: #173
Flanked by: A.J. Williams (#333 in 2012) and Jaron Dukes (#337 in 2013)
Andrew Stueber – OT – Darien (CT) Darien
2017 ranking: #368
Historical ranking: #182
Flanked by: Shelton Johnson (#365 in 2015) and Ross Douglas (#372 in 2013)
J’Marick Woods – S – Florence (AL) Florence
2017 ranking: #386
Historical ranking: #188
Flanked by: Khaleke Hudson (#381 in 2016) and Fitzgerald Toussaint (#387 in 2009)
Brad Hawkins, Jr. – WR – Suffield (CT) Academy
2017 ranking: #420
Historical ranking: #195
Flanked by: Dan Samuelson (#414 in 2013) and Kaleb Ringer (#427 in 2012)
Joel Honigford – OT – Sugarcreek (OH) Garaway
2017 ranking: #448
Historical ranking: #202
Flanked by: Ken Wilkins (#447 in 2010) and Roy Roundtree (#449 in 2008)
Phillip Paea – DT – Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs
2017 ranking: #457
Historical ranking: #205
Flanked by: Wilton Speight (#453 in 2014) and Taylor Hill (#468 in 2008)
Kwity Paye – DE – Warwick (RI) Bishop Hendricken
2017 ranking: #485
Historical ranking: #210
Flanked by: Avery Horn (#479 in 2007) and Elysee Mbem-Bosse (#490 in 2016)
Ben Mason – LB – Sandy Hook (CT) Newtown
2017 ranking: #813
Historical ranking: #252
Flanked by: Reon Dawson (#811 in 2013) and Sean McKeon (#855 in 2016)
Kurt Taylor – RB – Loganville (GA) Grayson
2017 ranking: #913
Historical ranking: #265
Flanked by: Delonte Hollowell (#909 in 2011) and Austin White (#932 in 2010)
Brad Robbins – P – Westerville (OH) South
2017 ranking: Unranked 2-star
Historical ranking: N/A
Tied with: Andre Criswell (2005), Brandent Englemon (2003), Paul Sarantos (2002), Scott Sypniewski (2013), Marques Walton (2004), Adrian Witty (2009)
CONCLUSIONS
First of all, let me say that I’m not really trusting this as being a scientific study. There are too many outliers in recruiting rankings simply to look at the couple players ranked near them and expect similar results.
But this is more of a fun exercise, and it’s a chance to look back at names that might have faded into the background. So if we are indeed looking at this as a predictive exercise, here we go:
Destined for stardom: Deron Irving-Bey, O’Maury Samuels
Destined for a solid career: James Hudson, Joshua Ross, Cesar Ruiz
Destined to disappoint: Ambry Thomas
Destined to play fairly well and then leave early: Aubrey Solomon
Destined to become either an NFL backup or a mediocre MMA fighter: Donovan Peoples-Jones
Destined to get really, really fat: Drew Singleton
Destined for anonymity: Brad Hawkins, Jr., Brad Robbins, Andrew Stueber, Kurt Taylor
Anyway, this is a very good recruiting class. Michigan has the #5 player since 2000 (Peoples-Jones), four of the top 31 players, and eleven of the top 100. Spread across 18 recruiting classes, that’s a pretty solid group. It should be a good three to five years at the University of Michigan.
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I didn’t expect the direction you went with this piece. Interesting – and thanks for the work to look up the entire class like that.
What I took from it was that guys from 1-60 have a very good chance of being strong contributors, from about 60-150 should be solid with the occasional disappointment, and after that is just a roll of the dice. Which corresponds to star ranking data we’ve talked about before – but still nice to see names attached to it.
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“guys from 1-60 have a very good chance of being strong contributors”. Maybe but lets take out 1-20 and look 21-60. Of the 20 recruits Michigan landed in this range 40% were busts (due to talent level, off-field issues, or injury) and 60% were solid players to stars.
Even amongst the success were few like Shazor, Warren, Boren, and Manningham who left before their eligibility ran out and a couple who took a long time to get to being quality players.
If you want to quibble with guys like Massey, Kalis, Stonum being busts I could see that argument, but you’re still somewhere around 1/3 of guys being unproductive players.
My “data”:
Bust #22. Kevin Grady – RB – Grand Rapids (MI) East (2005)
Solid Player Left Too Soon #22. Ernest Shazor – S – Detroit (MI) King (2001)
Bust #27. Derrick Green – RB – Richmond (VA) Hermitage (2013)
Solid Player Left Too Soon #27. Donovan Warren – CB – Long Beach (CA) Poly (2007)
Solid Player #33. Gabriel Watson – DT – Southfield (MI) Southfield (2002)
Bust (off-field issues)#37. Marques Slocum – DT – Philadelphia (PA) West Catholic (2005)
Star Player #39. Shawn Crable – LB – Massillon (OH) Wahsington (2003)
Star Playe #40. Tim Jamison – DE – Harvey (IL) Thornton (2004)
Solid Player Left Too Soon #41. Justin Boren – OG – Pickerington (OH) Central (2006)
Star Player #42. Steve Schilling – OT – Bellevue (WA) Bellevue (2006)
Solid Player #43. Pierre Woods – DE – Cleveland (OH) Glenville (2001)
Star Player Left Too Soon #45. Mario Manningham – WR – Warren (OH) Harding (2005)
Solid Player #47. Tim Massaquoi – WR – Allentown (PA) Parkland (2001)
Bust (off-field) #48. Darryl Stonum – WR – Sugar Land (TX) Dulles (2008)
Bust (injury) #49. Antonio Bass – WR – Jackson (MI) Jackson (2005)
Bust #49. Kyle Kalis – OG – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward (2012)
Solid Player #53. Jonas Mouton – LB – Venice (CA) Venice (2006)
Star Player #55. Larry Stevens – LB – Tacoma (WA) Wilson (2000)
Bust #57. Pat Massey – DE – Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius (2001)
Bust #60. Ondre Pipkins – DT – Kansas City (MO) Park Hill (2012)
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This was a fun read. Thanks!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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