You can contribute to the blog by using Amazon links (LINK):
You can take a look back at the awards for the 2019 class if you want (LINK).
Best Overall Recruit: CB Will Johnson Johnson is a 5-star talent with size, physicality, good athleticism, and a solid bloodline. Any criticism of him is generally nit-picking, and he was supposedly the best cornerback at the Under Armour All-American Game.
Ny Carr – WR – Moultrie (GA) Colquitt: Carr is a 6’0″, 170 lb. prospect who’s a teammate of tight end Landen Thomas (see below). Carr is a speedy, decent sized athlete without much of a recruiting profile yet, but the offers are going to roll in based on his talent.
Adarius Hayes – LB – Largo (FL) Largo: Hayes is a 6’4″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #6 linebacker, and #73 overall. He probably projects to outside linebacker in Michigan’s defense.
Eddy Pierre-Louis – OG – Tampa (FL) Catholic: Pierre-Louis is a 6’3″, 320-pounder with offers from Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, and USC, among others. He released a top four of middle-tier schools, but I’m guessing a run of recent offers will make him rethink that list in the near future.
With spring practice starting next week, I think it’s time to look at what position changes might occur to benefit the team. With a lot of pieces remaining the same on offense and a similar scheme on defense, we generally know what type of systems we’ll see on each side. It’s more of a question about which players might slide around a little bit to fill some holes.
Mike Barrett (RS Sr.): OLB —> ILB Barrett is a former starting Viper in 2020 under former defensive coordinator Don Brown, but that spot was largely eliminated early in 2021 when Michigan played Daxton Hill at the slot corner position. Barrett didn’t play much early in 2021 until defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was forced to make some adjustments. He started just one game last year and made 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 pass breakup on the year. Now with middle linebacker Josh Ross headed to the NFL, Michigan loses a leader in the middle but returns a freshman All-American in Junior Colson at the other inside linebacker spot. While Nikhai Hill-Green also returns, I think Barrett and Colson are the two most productive linebackers; Hill-Green played okay but his youth showed with some missed reads and false steps. Plus if Barrett is going to have a minuscule role, I’m not sure he can be convinced to stick around for a fifth year. I think Barrett is enough of a well rounded athlete that he’s worth keeping around, and his speed and athleticism could be a plus if the defensive linemen and the scheme can keep him clean.
Peyton Bowen – S – Denton (TX) Guyer: Bowen is a 6’0″, 185 lb. prospect who’s committed to Notre Dame. He’s a 4-star, the #4 safety, and #61 overall. Guyer is a powerhouse program in Texas.
T.J. Metcalf – S – Pinson (AL) Valley: Metcalf is a 6’1″, 180-pounder with offers from Florida State, Miami, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star and the #41 safety.
Isaiah Neal – DT – Baltimore (MD) St. Frances: Neal is a 6’3″, 265 lb. prospect with offers from Maryland, Ohio State, Pitt, and West Virginia, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #60 defensive lineman, and #451 overall. St. Frances is the former stomping grounds of current Michigan staffer Biff Poggi.
Isaac Smith – S – Fulton (MS) Itawamba: Smith is a 6’0″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #19 safety, and #196 overall.
Robert Stafford – CB – Melbourne (FL) Eau Gallie: Stafford is a 5’11”, 171-pounder with offers from Florida, Ohio State, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #23 safety, and #272 overall. He has some really nice acceleration and explosiveness and looks like he could help in the return game, too.
OFF THE BOARD
Findlay (OH) Findlay offensive tackle Luke Montgomery committed to Ohio State. He had a high interest in Michigan and visited several times, but it was not to be. His younger brother Ryan Montgomery is a 2025 quarterback with a Michigan offer.
Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic tight end Preston Zinter committed to Notre Dame. Zinter is the younger brother of Michigan offensive guard Zak Zinter, but it sounds like Michigan was not strongly pushing for Preston with a tight end already committed in the 2023 class in the form of Andrew Rappleyea.
