Upcoming Football Recruiting Announcements to Watch
With the holiday weekend approaching there's some potential commits for Football worth paying attention to over the next week or so which, if they break UM's way, could begin to build the 2023 class out a bit.
June 30:
Charles Jagusah - 4 Star - Offensive Tackle from Illinois. All the CB are headed to ND, but this one came down to a UM vs ND battle. Expect him to land with the Fig Things but stranger things have happened.
July 1:
Collins Acheampong - 4 Star - Athlete from California. All the CB are headed to UM.
Jaxon Howard - 4 Star - Edge from Minnesota. The experts don't seem to have a clear pick here. 2 CB to LSU, but this one seems less clear. Rumors were that Miami (YTM) had been the leader. Michigan was very much in it for him, but not sure where he ends up.
Enow Etta - 4 Star - Defensive Lineman from Texas. UM has the crystal balls here, albeit not with the highest confidence levels. LSU, Miami (YTM) and UCLA were the finalists here.
Frederick Moore - 3 Star - Wide Receiver from Missouri. UM has the crystal balls heere. Moore seems better than his rating so far, for the star watchers.
July 7:
Amir Herring - 4 Star - Interior Offensive Lineman from Michigan. UM has the crystal balls here.
Others to watch in the coming weeks that haven't announced an official date but have indicated a decision is coming soon include:
Logan Howland - 3 Star - Offensive Lineman from New Jersey. Michigan is in his top 4 with MIami (YTM), Oklahoma, and Iowa. He's indicated a timeline of the next two weeks in recent interviews.
Semaj Bridgeman - 4 Star Linebacker from Pennsylvania. Michigan has the CB here and he's said he'll announce his commit date just after the 4th of July. Indications seems to have it that he's close to a decision.
There's still a lot of ways these could go against UM, so I'm not making the case for optimism or telling you not to feel your feelings about NIL and UNACCEPTABLE and all that. The program clearly needs some momentum, so getting some wins from this group could certainly help. They at least have some shot coming up to add some quality players into the mix. Time will tell.
Prediction: pain
Without love…
Excellent 3 Days Grace reference.
Howard already committed to LSU. So Pete is 1 for 1 here.
Rumor on Reddit is that Miami dropped a bag for Acheampong and we may no longer lead there
Shocked, shocked I tell you!
The money quote was “my visit to Miami gave me a lot of thing$ to think about”.
Its kind of sad. The kid loves Michigan but it’s hard to walk away from a payday.
Lets hope he isn't short sighted, and sees the contract Hutchinson just signed.
And 247 shows two top five Edges to Miami. So why go there..
Lets hope he isn't short sighted, and sees the contract Hutchinson just signed.
Lets hope he isn't short sighted, and sees the contract Hutchinson just signed.
This seems to be case with a lot of recruits right now. These kids like Michigan enough to put them in their top 3 or even give analysts confidence enough to put in crystal balls, but then they end up going to the school that's clearly giving the most money
I mean, just imagine if you were job hunting.
Two equitable companies in the same field like your resume and offer you a job for the same role and responsibilities.
Company A:
- Promises that if you stay, work really hard, and put in your dues then you might get the opportunity for raises, bonuses, and possible promotions
- Offers below market salary & benefits
- Offers a great opportunity for valuble "experience"
Company B:
- Lays out clear paths for advancement, and promotions right from the start, and annual bonuses are a given
- Offers at or slightly above market salary and benefits
- Offers a large 5 figure signing bonus
- Offers full relocation expenses
- Offers full living expenses for the first 6 months
- Offers complimentary company car
Now, all other things being more or less equal, you tell me...which company's job offer would you accept?
This isn't really an accurate assessment though.
I'd compare it more to commission vs. salary. You can earn more (even a lot more) at Company A but those higher amounts are on commission - you have to earn it in the future. It's not so much about paying dues and getting opportunities later. Company B pays you in a higher guaranteed base salary, and with a signing bonus. I'm also not sure on what you're basing a difference in laying out a clear plan for advancement, I don't see any evidence of that.
Also, the other things you allude to aren't equal, though we certainly shouldn't rest on those laurels because overall, that prospective vs. guaranteed element is killing us right now.
What have you heard or seen that leads you to believe someone could earn a lot more with Company A?
'Company A' is sending edge prospects to the NFL in the first round at a much higher rate than most other 'companies', especially for prospects ranked in Collins' range. Not sure what Miami is offering him, but I would bet it's not first round NFL money.
According to Google, this article says we're #10 in the most draft picks since the year 2000, however this article does not have us in the top 10 for number of draft picks since the year 2010...so it would seem that our draft numbers have slipped a little if we are only looking at "recent" history, though we're most likely still in the top 25 schools.
Try looking at # of draft picks since Harbaugh has been coach and then we're talking.
According to https://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/colleges/m, the totals between us and Miami (since that seems to be the popular "other" school at the moment) are as follows:
Michigan Draft Picks
- 2022 - 5 picks
- 2021 - 8 picks
- 2020 - 10 picks
- 2019 - 5 picks
- 2018 - 2 picks
- 2017 - 11 picks
- 2016 - 3 picks
- 2015 - 3 picks
- Total = 47
Miami Draft Picks
- 2022 - 1 pick
- 2021 - 4 picks
- 2020 - 4 picks
- 2019 - 5 picks
- 2018 - 6 picks
- 2017 - 8 picks
- 2016 - 2 picks
- 2015 - 7 picks
- Total = 37
So we have 10 total more draft picks than they do, which averages out to 1.25 more picks per year than Miami (if my math is correct). Definitely "more", but when you add in millions of dollars in up front money, I'm not sure that 1.25 more draft picks per year really makes that much of a difference.
Since we are talking compensation, it also very much matters when they were drafted. Miami and Michigan may be close there as well, but I am more talking about Collins A. specifically.
I don't have the hard data to back it up, but would guess Michigan is developing edge talent(especially the high 3 star/low 4 star prospects like Collins)for the low rounds of the NFL draft at a higher clip than Miami is.
Harbaugh now puts 70% of his recruits into the NFL... far higher than the data from 2000, which included RR and Hoke, and Lloyd. I'd place him top 5.
Not everyone makes the NFL.
Our guys are making a lot of money in NIL right now, we just don't publicize numbers. And a lot more is on the way. Staggering numbers. I know that's easy to be skeptical of right now so I'm not asking you to believe me.
I genuinely hope you are right and I am inclined to believe this to be true. Do you have a source, even if it is word of mouth?
Trusted insider types
Well I wasn't trying to offer a 1:1 comparison EXACTLY of NIL. It was just an example of company A offers XYZ and company B offers ABCDEFGHIJK. Ie. the obvious choice is always who's presenting you with a better total package.
If we actually want to compare real world "NIL" offers, I would ask this: You said "You can earn more (even a lot more) at Company A but those higher amounts are on commission - you have to earn it in the future", the implication here being that the NIL opportunities available to players at Michigan are higher than those of other schools, or Miami in this particular case, they just have to be on campus first before they can access them. My question is, what evidence do we have that NIL opportunities here at Michigan are actually higher than those of other schools? So far, the only news that ever seems to come out about Michigan's NIL program is that we're lagging behind what other schools are offering, our NIL co-ops are unorganized, and on top of that we won't offer money up-front. So I'm struggling to understand the implication that we offer higher earning opportunities but it's "commission" based instead of "salary" based.
As far as other things being "equal", I would ask this: From the perspective of a talented football player who's primary goal is to get to the NFL (the objective of most of these highly rated players), what "other" things does UM truly offer that are cut and dry "better" than these other major univiersities against whom we are competing for recruits? Workout areas? Locker Rooms? Stadiums? Campus? Student Housing? Weather? etc. I mean, outside of our "academic" reputation, which most (obviously not all) highly rated players could care less about as they aren't trying to "play school", I'm failing to see how we're so much better at the intangibles than everyone else if I take off my maize & blue tinted, alumni glasses. Our UM Alumni connected international network? Maybe? I would say our head coach's NFL experience and reputation, but after his failed attempt to abandon ship to the NFL this year I'm not so sure I'd list him as a recruiting "asset" at the moment.
I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm honestly asking the question.
The evidence is not publicized and/or it's not here yet but I trust it's on the way. We are getting creamed in the PR war for sure and that's an issue.
And on the other things not equal..... an NFL system, coaching proven to put guys in the NFL, weight room, stadium, opportunities in sports avail to alumni (think Desmond Howard or Jalen Rose), etc. That's just football stuff. Plus other intangibles that matter to some and not others.
Do you actually KNOW that the evidence proves out that we're anihilating other schools in NIL money? Or are you just being hopeful that once numbers actually do get published (if at all) that we'll come out on top because of the infamous Michigan "money cannon"?
Definitely more specific than the concept of the general Michigan money cannon.
The problem that will remain, though, is we're still not going to guarantee it, so we're going to be at a disadvantage.
We don’t need a PR process. If what you say is true then Harbaugh and the coaches should have the ability to sell it to recruits. They are the ones that need to get it.
"The evidence is not publicized and/or it's not here yet but I trust it's on the way."
Evidence that isn't publicized is useless.
If it's "not here yet" then it's not "evidence"—it doesn't exist.
Don't trust—verify.
IF IF IF there is actual evidence that our NIL program is top-notch, then it's gigantic communications malpractice verging on criminal incompetence to not publicize the shit out of it starting yesterday.
TBH I doubt there's any such "evidence" in the first place.
I will review company B closely to see how my future might look like. Short term gain is great but would I have a long career? Would the expectation be that I work 60 hours a week? Would the company fold? What do the employees tell about the company?
I am old. I am not a good example. But, I am not a fan of comparing high school kids' opportunities to a college to a job. Teenagers tend to think they are invincible and planning is for losers. I was a teenager once. Thank God for my mother. Otherwise, who knows what I would have done.
But I mean, if we're taking the view point that we need to plan for the future since we aren't "invincible", then large sums of money TODAY are the obvious answer. Take the up-front money (literally MILLIONS) these kids are getting offered and with a half-decent financial advisor you're set for life even if you do end up tearing your ACL and ending your football career pre-maturely.
Obviously you could take the money and still be an idiot and be utterly broke within 6 months, but the point still stands. And bad things can happen to destroy the illusion of "invincibility" at any school and at any time, so wisdom would dictate that you "get" while the gettin's good because you have absolutely no idea what tomorrow will bring.
I'm not blaming them by any means, but seems like if we just got our NIL up to snuff a lot of these recruitments would all the sudden not be so contested
OP was correct, then, in writing "All the CB are headed to UM."
Prediction: Delusion and anger.
....and rationalization why all is just swell.
Pain is Love
Unlike in past years, this isn't going to be a good run.
Not sure why this was downvoted.
Many things trending making this a plausible outcome.
Even the description above is depressing for nearly every guy. And these aren't a bunch of 5 star and high 4 star guys. These, for the most part, are the types that we normally close on pretty easily. Big shift...
I feel like the LOI day is no longer the true commitment - its now the NIL signing that is more important - the real driver of where someone intends to go.
When was the last time that Michigan’s football recruiting class was ranked this low or worse (13th among Big Ten teams, 55th on 24/7 Sports team rankings list with an average of 87.28 for six commitments) at this point in the recruiting cycle? LINK
After the dual shocks of 2016 – Leicester winning the Premier League and the outcome of the United States presidential election, I’ve come to believe that predictions and polls are somewhat meaningless. I didn’t have both Aidan and Cassidy Hutchinson on my list of predicted newsmakers of 2022.
Two days after Mel Brooks turned 96, I’m reminded of his song from The Twelve Chairs.
Maybe a little... Always look on the briiiiiiiiight side of life...
Should I hope that Michigan's football staff won't be crucified for the status of their 2023 recruiting class?
Such a classic scene. No one shows the absurd better than those guys. Thanks for this.
Harbaugh - are you the messiah?
NO im not.
ONLY THE TRUE MICHIGAN MESSIAH WOULD DENY IT!!!!
Well, what sort of choice does that leave me? Fine, I am the messiah!!!!
He is.. he is!!!!
SPLINTER!
Its not great, Bob, and I don't know what the hell is going on exactly, but at the same time I there are some other factors to consider in those rankings
Volume Influence: No school in the Top 20 rankings at this point has less than 11 commits save for Alabama, who sits at 18th in the country, so schools with big volume are doing better in the rankings like Northwestern, Cincinnati, Texas Tech and Baylor who all have 20+ commits already. We have 6.
Bag Influence: Some schools that bag and NIL hard are right there with us. LSU has 6 commits and is only 8 spots higher than us. Texas A&M has 5 commits and is one spot ahead of us at 54. Oklahoma has just 8 commits and is 42nd in the country. Coaching turnover may play a role for LSU & OU. Kentucky who has also recruited well for themselves lately is 53rd with 7 commits.
So the situation is most definitely worrying AND there's still some noise in the system there. Is it possible for something to be simultaneously not as bad as it seems and still really pretty bad?
To that point, Texas Tech, Baylor, Cincinnati and Northwestern will not finish in the top 20. Most of those teams in that 10-20 region will most likely finish in the 30-45 region. Remember last year (I believe it was last year) when Rutgers was at the top? The year before that it was Kansas that was at the top.
That being said, it is worrying, however, a verbal commitment means absolutely nothing.