Football; Recruiting; Class Size

For my own edification, I decided to review the current roster to assess the potential  number of openings available for this class.

Here's our current roster of scholarship players or contributing walk ons:

The team is allowed a total of 85 scholarship players.

From what I can tell, there are currently 71 players that are either on scholarship or are contributing walk ons.  

There are seven contributing walk ons (highlighted in yellow) and nine potential 5th year players (highlighted in orange).  If none of the 5th years or walk ons were given scholarships next year, then Michigan would have room for 30 new players in this class.

If we land Barnett, Rawls, Fisher, Willingham, Clark & Cooper, then we would need 23 scholarships for the incoming class leaving seven for the 5th years and walk ons.

Which of the 5th Years and walk ons should get the remaining seven scholarships next year?  Here's my list:

1. Molk
2. Van Bergen
3. Woolfolk
4. Herron
5. Hemingway
6. Kovacs
7. Huyge

If we only end up with 22 or 21 in the class or there's attrition in the spring, then Grady and Leach would be considered for the freed up scholarships.

Does anyone see any errors in my analysis?

EDIT - Removed Lalota and adjusted the numbers to reflect his departure per comments below.

I've never been a huge recruitnik, but at this point, I really want to see some better players come in with the 2010 recruiting class. However, I honestly don't know how they'll make things work, given our current commitment list, and our needs.

I looked at the current commitment list, and I see 19 commitments currently:

2 QB
3 RB
5 WR
1 OL
1 DT
2 DE
1 LB
2 CB
1 S
1 P

I see the remaining needs:

2 - 3 OL
1 DT
1 DE
2 LB
2 CB
1 S

This is 9 more needed, for a total of 28.

In addition, there are great prospects out there in areas supposedly "filled" who I have been given to understand we would "make room" for. Examples would be Brennan Clay & Eduardo Clements at RB.

What happens now? Do some of our current commits mutually "bow out?" and go to MAC or other other Big Ten schools? Are they actually shifted from current position to a position of greater need (e.g., some of the WR recruits go to the secondary.) What is the maximum number of players we can accept and suit up? And does Witty count against this year, even though starting next year?

Do we recruit first to need, and then to talent/star level, or first to talent/star level, and only secondly to need?

I assume that you recruit to need, and pull offers once you are full at a position. However, you would make exceptions to make room for solid four star, or even five start recruits.