2018 Michigan Recruiting Targets in the First ESPN Junior 300

Though ESPN may not be the best at rating high school football prospects, they are the most watched when everything matters on National Signing Day. That’s why it’s always good to take their early rankings with a grain of salt. That’s especially the case with their first Junior 300 rankings that they just released, even though they feature 4 commitments and at least 8-10 other recruits that I believe Michigan could reel in for the 2018 class.

Check out where 2018 Michigan’s commits and top targets landed in the first ESPN Junior 300:

Chances Key

  • Excellent – Top Team
  • Very Good – Top Three
  • Good – Top Five
  • Fair – Puncher’s Chance
  • Poor – Likely Not Happening

1. DE Xavier Thomas – Fair

4. WR Jalen Hall – Good

6. LB Teradja Mitchell – Fair

7. OT Jackson Carmen – Very Good

8. DE Micah ParsonsPenn State/Good

11. DT Matthew Jones – Fair

13. DT Taron Vincent – Good

14. CB Tyreke Johnson – Fair

16. ATH Xavier Williams – Fair

17. DE KJ Henry – Fair

18. OT Brey WalkerOklahoma/Fair

19. OT Richard Gouraige – Good

20. OG Jamaree Salyer – Fair

23. OT Nicholas Petit-Frere – Good

25. WR Brian Hightower – Fair

30. WR Jalen Preston – Fair

31. DE Stephon Wynn – Fair

32. CB Patrick Surtain – Fair

34. RB Jaelen Gill – Very Good

35. WR Jacob Copeland – Fair

38. DT Austin Fontaine – Fair

40. TE Mustapha Muhammad – Very Good

43. RB TJ Pledger – Good

45. ATH Leonard TaylorCOMMITTED

48. RB Fabian Franklin – Good

52. WR Justin Shorter – Very Good

56. S Isheem Young – Good

57. DT PJ Mustipher – Fair

61. ATH Brendan Radley-Hines – Fair

70. DE Dorian Hardy – Very Good

82. WR Marquis Spiker – Fair

83. OT Will Lawrence – Fair

85. DE Aidan Hutchinson – Excellent

87. WR Jahan Dotson – Good to Very Good

88. LB Jacquez Jones – Good

92. DT Tyler Friday – Very Good to Excellent

96. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson – Very Good

102. WR L’Christian Smith – Good

103. TE-H Will Mallory – Excellent

104. WR/TE Jeremy Ruckert – Good

107. QB Artur Sitkowski – Very Good

110. OG Barton Clement – Fair

111. TE-Y Malcolm EppsAlabama/Good

113. LB Palaie Gaoteote – Good

115. S Aashari Crosswell – Good

121. CB Olaijah Griffin – Fair

123. TE-Y Camren McDonald – Very Good

128. QB Cameron Rising – Fair

131. OG Emil Ekiyor – Good

132. OT Colten Blanton – Good

148. WR Jermaine Eskridge – Fair

153. LB Bumper Pool – Good

155. TE Zack Kuntz – Fair

157. OG Tank Jenkins – Fair

169. QB Allan Walters – Fair

173. LB Dallas Gant – Fair

184. S Otis Reese COMMITTED

191. OG Jalil IrvinCOMMITTED

192. CB Kalon Gervin – Very Good

194. OG Marquan McCall – Excellent

196. WR Austin Osborne – Good

200. LB Soloman Tuliaupupu – Good

202. TE-H Zach Sheffer – Fair

203. DT Michael Thompson – Very Good

204. LB Antwuan JohnsonCOMMITTED

214. DE Malik Vann – Fair

220. OT Antwan Reed – Very Good

222. OT Penei Sewell – Good

227. RB Iverson Clement – Fair

229. LB Billy Joseph – Fair

236. TE-Y Trenton Gillison – Good

246. OLB Kolin Demens – Excellent

256. OL Finn Dirstine – Fair

259. TE/DT Thomas Booker – Very Good

264. TE-Y Judge Culpepper – Good

265. LB Daniel Bolden – Fair

Photo Credit: Micah Parsons/4thdownmagazine

Garrett Fishaw