Photo Credit: Chase Calhoun/ValdostaToday.com

New Michigan Man: ATH Michael Barrett Commits to Michigan

Posted onAuthorGarrett Fishaw

Looking to add more versatility to the offense and another “Michigan Man” to the program, the coaching staff did just that with the latest addition to the 2018 recruiting class. As Lowndes (GA) ATH Michael Barrett has committed to Michigan just two weeks before National Signing Day.

Commitment

Scouting Report

The first player I think of when seeing Barrett’s highlights are former Penn State quarterback and Seattle Seahawks fullback, Michael Robinson. He’s a well built, athletic quarterback that has the ability to breakdown defenses with his arm or legs. He shows good strength and the willingness to run over defenders, if he can’t shake them with his first moves. Something that translates well to his collegiate career as, though he could definitely play quarterback in more of a spread offense, it looks as if he’ll be more of a Swiss Army Knife-type of weapon that lines up in the backfield, out wide, and behind center, to give defenses fits. Barrett was also a standout free safety in high school so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get a chance there as well.

Barrett could be a Jabrill Peppers-like weapon (more offensive than defensive) for the Wolverines. While he may never be in the Heisman conversation, I believe he’ll be an impact player for multiples years. At the very least, Barrett should be a standout on special teams as both a return man option and as a gunner during his collegiate career.

Recruitment

Barrett first received his offer from the Michigan coaching staff back in March of 2017 and was added to my Best Guess Recruiting Class by May after telling Rivals’ Chad Simmons that Michigan was one of (his) top schools. Add in the staff’s strong presence being built down in Georgia and the multiple reports of him being a high character kid that would fit in well in Ann Arbor, he remained on my 2018 class prediction for several months. That was until the staff added Hassan Haskins in late October, which looked to take the spot for Barrett (who was being targeted as a running back).

But Chris Partridge and the rest of the staff kept pushing for Barrett.

He officially visited Ann Arbor (his first trip to town) after his senior season wrapped up in early December. Thanks to the well-rounded experience on and off the field at Michigan, as well as his fit within the program and the offense. However, what once looked like a lock started looking like a missed opportunity.

With the dead period taking place right between his official visit and National Signing Day, things went quiet on the Barrett-Michigan front as Georgia Tech’s offer to play quarterback looked to be too enticing to pass up. But Michigan kept pushing and, according to TMI’s Sam Webb, Chris Partridge staying on staff and leading the charge swayed momentum back towards the Wolverines ($) right before the Mr. Do It All recruit made his decision just two weeks before National Signing Day.

  • Height: 6’0”
  • Weight: 220lbs
  • Hometown (School): Valdosta, GA (Lowndes)
  • Notable Offers: Georgia Tech, LSU, Tennessee, Michigan State, South Carolina
  • Rankings: Rivals (3* ATH) – 247Sports (3*, #69 ATH) – ESPN (3*, #50 ATH)
  • Composite Ranking: Three star, #732 overall, #62 ATH, #72 in Georgia

Highlights/Interviews

As for the Rest of the Class

Barrett is the 21st commitment (23rd overall with transfers) in the 2018 recruiting class, the first non-specific position athlete and the 4th commit out of Georgia. His addition will likely be the last non-offensive line addition to the class as OT Jarrett Patterson, OT Nicholas Petit-Frere and Rice transfer OT Calvin Anderson are the staff’s top options on the offensive line.

Photo Credit: Chase Calhoun/ValdostaToday.com

Garrett Fishaw
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