With their junior seasons about kick off in the next week or two, it’s obviously a bit early to do a Best Guess Recruiting Class for 2017 but in the words of Jon Bon Jovi, “It’s My Life”. All joking aside, Michigan has done a fantastic job building relationships in the class and really targeting the top players in the country and in the state.
The “Pipeline 9” are the in-state targets that everyone is watching and I believe the staff may get their wish in bringing most, if not all of them, in this class. In this BGRC, I have them landing all of them (thanks to the BBQ at the Big House and all of them being very close) as well as adding two more underrated in-state targets. Is that a reach? Yeah, but if Michigan shows out on the field in 2015, they should set themselves up for a fantastic recruiting run.
Oh yeah, I also have them bringing in the #1 offensive line class for the 2nd straight year.
So, fill up on the Kool-Aid and check out my latest 2017 Best Guess Recruiting Class:
1. QB: Dylan McCaffrey, 6’5″ 200lbs. Littleton, CO (Valor)
(via Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
– McCaffrey is the son of former NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey and was the first 2017 quarterback offered by Harbaugh. He has the size and arm that will draw offers from just about every program in the country but thanks to a fantastic visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan looks to be the favorites at the moment (most believe a Stanford offer could change things). However, even with an offer from the Cardinal, I believe the Wolverines still have a very good chance at landing the Valor star.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Jack Coan, Hunter Johnson, Tate Martell
2. ATH: Jairus Grissom, 6’2” 200lbs. Dearborn Heights, MI (Robichaud)
(via Scout.com)
– Grissom is a name to watch closely moving forward. He is one of the top quarterbacks in the state and is being heavily targeted by former Robichaud star and current Michigan running back coach Tyrone Wheatley. In an interview with The Wolverine’s Brandon Brown, he let him know that the Wolverines are targeting as an athlete and are looking for him to “do a lot on both sides of the ball” during his junior year ($). If they end up extending an offer, they should be in fantastic shape though MSU will be a tough contender throughout.
- Offer: No
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good, if offered
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
- Other Options: Jack Coan, Hunter Johnson, Tate Martell, Anthony MacFarland, Trey Sermon
3. RB: D’Andre Swift, 5’9” 195lbs. Philadelphia, PA (St Joseph’s)
(via Michael Bryant/PrepFootball.com)
– Swift is listed as the #1 running back in the class, according to 247Sports, and is one of the top guys on the staff’s running back board. While he will be a very tough pull, he happens to be good friends and teammates with 2015 Michigan signee Jon Runyan Jr and according to The Wolverine ITF, Michigan may already be the favorite ($). Add in the other east coast targets that Michigan is in on and he’s good friends with, and I believe he’ll end up in the Maize and Blue.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: April 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Eno Benjamin, Anthony MacFarland, Trey Sermon, Cordarrian Richardson
4. RB: Kurt Taylor, 5’9” 200lbs. Covington, GA (Newton)
(via Scout.com)
– Taylor is a new name to list but may be one of the most likely on it to be apart of this class. He visited Michigan for the BBQ at the Big House and landed when he got home the next day. After speaking with him, he was glowing about the Wolverines, saying “I love that place” when I asked him how his visit went. With another large class expected, he could very well be the first running back to commit.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good to Excellent
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
- Other Options: Eno Benjamin, Anthony MacFarland, Trey Sermon, Cordarrian Richardson
5. RB/ATH: Allen Stritzinger, 6’0″ 180lbs. Warren, MI (De La Salle)
(via Julian H. Gonzalez Detroit Free Press)
– Stritzinger has quickly become a top in-state target for the staff and looks to be one of the most likely members of the “Pipeline 9″ to commit. He’s visited multiple times already and is expected to be a normal visitor to campus throughout the fall. It just looks like a matter of time before he gets the itch and jumps on board.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Others Options: Eno Benjamin, Anthony MacFarland, Trey Sermon, Cordarrian Richardson
6. WR: Donovan Peoples-Jones, 6’2″ 175lbs. Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
(via Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press)
–DPS is the top player in the state and the top athlete in the country, after winning the Nike SPARQ championship at The Opening. He also happens to be from the top in-state pipeline, Cass Tech, and looks to be high on the Wolverines after landing his offer. He has family ties to Michigan and seems to be feeling the Maize and Blue more and more as the continue to make him a top target. It may not happen soon but I believe he ends up choosing Michigan at the end of the day.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Josh Palmer, Daquon Green, Jordan Merrell, Juwan Burgess, Joseph Lewis
7. WR: Tarik Black, 6’3” 203lbs. Cheshire, CT (Cheshire Academy)
(via Hudl.com)
– Black is one of the top players and wide receivers in the class and, according to multiple analysts including The Wolverine’s Brandon Brown, he’s a good candidate to be in the class ($). And I agree, as long as the staff is able to build a great relationship with him and get him on campus. Though his childhood favorite, Ohio State, is a big challenger, in the end, I think Michigan will win out.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: May 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Josh Palmer, Daquon Green, Jordan Merrell, Juwan Burgess, Joseph Lewis
8. WR: KJ Hamler, 5’9” 160lbs. Farmington, MI (St. Mary’s)
(via Kam Arnold/Twitter)
– Out of the “Pipeline 9”, Hamler has looked like the most likely to not end up at Michigan but that may have changed after his BBQ visit earlier this month. With the staff showing him how big of a target he is for them, things are looking great for the Wolverines. Add in him being very close with some of the other top in-state targets who look destined to be in the class and I believe Michigan could steal him away from MSU.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- OtherOptions: Josh Palmer, Daquon Green, Jordan Merrell, Juwan Burgess, Joseph Lewis
9. WR: Clevan Thomas, 6’0” 199lbs. Miami, FL (Flanagan)
(via 247sports.com)
– Thomas is another new name on the list and another to remember. Not only is he from Flanagan high school (same school as Devin Bush Jr, Devin Gil and Josh Metellus) but he also was one of the standout satellite camp performers that landed himself an offer from the staff. Thanks to the offer, teammates headed to Michigan and the coaching staff, it looks like it’s just a matter of time before he joins the class.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: July 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Josh Palmer, Daquon Green, Jordan Merrell, Juwan Burgess, Joseph Lewis
10. TE: Jimmy Jaggers, 6’3” 237lbs. Roseville, CA (Roseville)
(via recruitingnewsguru.com)
– Jaggers has been included on the 2017 BGRC since the start and now that he has his offer in hand, and has also visited Ann Arbor, things look even better for the Maize and Blue. He told me that while he wasn’t able to make it to a satellite camp, he is planning on seeing Michigan again for a game this fall. With another great visit and continued recruitment, I believe the Wolverines could be the team to beat.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Tre McKitty, Brock Wright, Keegan Cossou, Kedrick James, Grant Carrigan
11. TE: Carter Dunaway, 6’6” 225lbs. Bloomfield Hills, MI (Brother Rice)
– Dunaway is the son of former Michigan tight end Craig Dunaway and brother of 2015 preferred walk-on Jack Dunaway. So, when he landed his offer from Harbaugh himself, it didn’t take long for him to pull the trigger and become the first member of the 2017 class. After speaking with a coach at Brother Rice, look out for him this season as he’s expected to be a top offensive option.
- Commitment Date: April 18th, 2015
- Story
- First on List: April 2015
- Highlights
12. OT: JaRaymond Hall, 6’5″ 255lbs. Oak Park, MI (Oak Park)
(via Scout.com)
– The in-state star is starting to make a name for himself in the recruiting world after a bit of a breakout season for Oak Park. Though he’s very raw at the moment, he has the natural born athleticism and size that helped land him an offer from the Wolverines. And thanks to that offer and being made a priority, it looks like Michigan is the heavy favorite here and a commitment could come at any time.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Micah Clark, Kai-Leon Herbert, Walker Little, Austin Jackson, Robert Hainsey
13. OT: Isaiah Wilson, 6’7” 322lbs. Brooklyn, NY (Poly Prep)
(via 247sports.com)
– As one of the top players and offensive lineman in the class, it’s no surprise that Wilson is a top target for the Michigan staff. Add in him being in (now) B1G territory and Wilson himself showing the Wolverines a ton of love on Twitter, and things are looking very good here. If they make him a priority and get him on campus, I really like the staff’s chances at bringing in the monster tackle.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
- Other Options: Micah Clark, Kai-Leon Herbert, Walker Little, Austin Jackson, Robert Hainsey
14. OT: Tedarrell Slaton, 6’5” 341lbs. Ft Lauderdale, FL (American Heritage)
(via 247sports.com)
– If you don’t know who Tedarrell Slaton is, make sure to mark his name down. Like Isaiah Wilson, Slaton is one of the top players in the class (#32 overall via 247sports)and clearly a top target for the staff, especially after he named the Wolverines his leader in an interview with 247’s Ryan Bartow ($). The reason: Michigan’s NFL coaching staff. So, with that being the one thing that will not change any time soon, I really like their chance at pulling Slaton out of Florida.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
- Other Options: Micah Clark, Kai-Leon Herbert, Walker Little, Austin Jackson, Robert Hainsey
15. OL: Wyatt Davis, 6’5” 290lbs. Bellflower, CA (St. John Bosco)
(via Patrick T. Fallon / For the Times)
– Davis is one of the top lineman in the class thanks to his size and versatility. He has the strength to play on the inside and the athleticism to play tackle. And he happens to be very high on Michigan. Once Coach Drevno was hired by Harbaugh, Davis wanted an offer. He now has that offer, the Wolverines look to be a top team moving forward.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: June 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Micah Clark, Kai-Leon Herbert, Walker Little, Austin Jackson, Robert Hainsey
16. OC: Cesar Ruiz, 6’4” 290lbs. Camden, NJ (IMG Academy)
(via 247sports.com)
– Ruiz went from a shot in the dark to be on this list to one of the names that looks the most likely. After speaking with him, the nation’s #1 center landed his offer from Michigan while on his visit to campus and looks to be favoring the Wolverines early. Add in his former Camden teammates being committed and his multiple trips to Ann Arbor this summer, and I believe he ends up choosing the Wolverines (as long as he stays a top priority).
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: June 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Kayden Lyles, Micah Clark, Kai-Leon Herbert, Robert Hainsey
17. DT: Kedonis Haslem, 6’3” 290lbs. Ft. Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)
(via Sleeper Athletes/Twitter)
Haslem is the son of Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem and is another new name to the list that you may want to remember. While he’s not ranked as highly as other new additions just yet, he landed his offer from the Wolverines back in May and quickly started showing love to Michigan on social media, even changing his profile picture to a Michigan edit. Does that mean he’s a sure-fire get? No, it’s still very early and he looks likely to blow up on the recruiting scene during his junior year. However, I still like Michigan’s chances here as long as they make him a top priority moving forward.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
- Other Options: Marvin Wilson, Fred Hansard, Dayln Perry-Wade, Juan Harris
18. DL: Corey Bolds, 6’3” 260lbs. Paramus, NJ (Paramus Catholic)
(via Mike Farrell/Rivals/Twitter)
– Bolds is another top talent out of Paramus Catholic and, like his teammates, he is very interested in Michigan, especially after landing his offer on his spring visit. With his connections to the program (multiple former teammates on the team, current teammates highly interested and Chris Partridge on staff), Michigan looks like the team to beat.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Very Good
- First on List: April 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options:Marvin Wilson, Fred Hansard, Dayln Perry-Wade, Juan Harris
19. DE/OLB: Jarez Parks, 6’5” 255lbs. Sebastian, FL (Sebastian)
#20 (via XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TCPalm)
– After the staff saw Parks in person while in Florida for the satellite camp tour and saw everything they need to see from the five star talent. He has the elite size and athleticism to be a dominant Buck linebacker in Durkin’s defense and it looks like he knows that after adding Michigan into his top 5, per 247Sports’ Ryan Bartow. If the staff keeps him as a top target and they can get him on campus, I think there’s a good chance to pull him out of the Sunshine State.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: No
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: July 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Josh Kaindoh, Jordan Anthony, Bruce Jordan-Swilling, Leonard Warner
20. OLB: Corey Malone-Hatcher, 6’4” 240lbs. Saint Joseph, MI (St. Joseph’s)
(via Rivals.com)
– CMH has been one of the top recruits in the state since his freshmen year and has been high on every fan’s list for awhile now. He has the size, athleticism and versatility to be a star as a pass rusher at the next level, and with an offer from the Wolverines, he looks to be leaning towards joining the Maize and Blue. While he’ll likely draw things out to make sure he’s 100% ready, from everything I’ve gathered, he’s Michigan’s to lose (though Alabama is a real contender).
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Josh Kaindoh, Jordan Anthony, Bruce Jordan-Swilling, Leonard Warner
21. LB: Drew Singleton, 6’2″ 215lbs. Paramus, NJ (Paramus Catholic)
(via Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media)
– Singleton has been seen as the next big star at Paramus Catholic for awhile now and his offer list now shows it. He landed offers from top programs like Alabama, Penn State and Georgia recently but it’s the offer he received from his former head coach and current Michigan recruiting director Chris Partridge that caught his attention the most. Telling 247’s Lorenz that “Michigan definitely has the edge” ($). I wouldn’t be shocked to see him pull the trigger on a commitment the next time he’s on campus.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Jordan Anthony, Kyle Bolden, Nate McBride, David Adams
22. LB: Josh Ross, 6’1″ 220lbs. West Bloomfield, MI (OLSM)
(via @Joshua_Ross05/Twitter)
– The younger brother of current Wolverine linebacker James Ross III, Josh may be even better than his older sibling. He is one of the most coveted recruits in the state and is extremely high on Michigan. He’s recently received several big time offers but I still believe he’ll be one of the first couple members of the class. If Michigan and their defense get off to a hot start, that could be the tipping point.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Jordan Anthony, Kyle Bolden, Nate McBride, David Adams
23. CB: Benjamin St-Juste, 6’3” 170lbs. Montreal, Quebec (Cegep du Vieux)
– Benj Juste, as he’s called, is a long, raw, athletic cornerback that uses his length and strength to bully receivers and blockers in the Great White North. And he put that skill on display at the ExposureU camp in Ann Arbor, which caught the staff’s eye. Quickly after landing his offer, he committed but to which class? After speaking with him, he didn’t know when he’d be joining the Wolverines but all signs point to him reclassifying here to the 2017 class.
- Commitment Date: 6/23/2015
- Story
- First on List: Now
- Highlights
24. S: Jaylen Kelly-Powell, 6’0” 183lbs. Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
(via @LemmingReport/Twitter)
– JKP is another in-state target that most believe will end up in the Maize and Blue once he received his offer. His entire family is full of Wolverine fans, he was actually named after Fab 5 star Jalen Rose, and he also happens to be a 4.0 student. According to 247Sports, he’s planning on announcing after his junior season ($) and all signs point towards Michigan.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent
- First on List: May 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Jeffrey Okudah, Devon Hunter, J’Marick Woods, Paris Ford, Markquese Bell
25. ATH: Ambry Thomas, 5’10” 160lbs. Detroit, MI (King)
(via Irish Sports Daily)
– Thomas is a member of the “Pipeline Nine” aka the staff’s top in-state targets in the 2017 class, and because of that, I think Michigan has an even better chance than some believe. The staff is mending the issues with the King coaches and with them on board, I think the Wolverines have a fantastic shot especially since Michigan is the team he’s always hoped to play for since he was a child ($). The only question is whether the staff likes him more at corner or receiver. Either way, he has the talent to be a star.
- Offer: Yes
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Good
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Other Options: Stanford Samuels III, Donovan Johnson, Lamont Wade, Jaylon Redd
26. ATH: Antjuan Simmons, 6’1″ 205lbs. Ann Arbor, MI (Pioneer)
– Simmons is a bit of a shot in the dark at the moment as he’s not apart of the in-state “Pipeline 9” that the staff is heavily targeting. He’s an athletic, hard nosed, two-way player that would be a great fit on a Harbaugh coached team and is being targeted by Coach Wheatley. If an offer is extended, it looks like they’ll be the heavy favorite for the Ann Arbor native. And I could see that offer coming later this fall if he has another big year across the street at Pioneer.
- Offer: No
- Visit: Yes
- Michigan’s Chances: Excellent, if offered
- First on List: March 2015
- Highlights
- Others: Anthony MacFarland, RJ Potts, Kyle Bolden, David Adams
Projected Class Ranking: 299.91 (per 247Sports)
– While this is obviously way to early, if Michigan puts this class together, it should be one of the top five in the country and the 2nd best in the B1G (Ohio State’s is just ridiculous so far). The offensive recruits alone scored 263.41 points so it will be interesting to see how the staff does with a real full cycle in 2017.
Next on the list:
- QB Jack Coan
- WR Joseph Lewis
- RB Greg Johnson
- WR Eddie Lewis
- WR/TE Taariq Johnson
- WR Josh Palmer
- DT Marvin Wilson
- DT Dalyn Perry-Wade
- LB Kyle Bolden
- CB Donovan Johnson
- CB Lamont Wade
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