Michigan Football Recruiting: Brady Hoke's First Class Is Loaded with Talent

Urban Meyer and Ohio State are hogging all of the attention, but Brady Hoke's first recruiting class at Michigan is stacked.

The Wolverines will be bringing in the seventh-ranked recruiting class in the nation (according to ESPN) and best in the Big Ten. That's great news for Hoke and his job security.

Hoke is a popular man in Ann Arbor after leading the Wolverines to an 11-2 record and a win over Virginia Tech in the All State Sugar Bowl. However, fans turn quickly if their coach is slacking on the recruiting trail.

Luckily for Hoke, he's making one hell of a first impression. He's already reeled in 11 four-star recruits and 10 three-star prospects.

Three-star offensive lineman Caleb Stacey decommitted yesterday, but that pain will be eased if they can bring in Josh Garnett, the No. 26 prospect in the country. The Wolverines also have a shot of bringing in receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, the most sought-after player in the nation.

Even if Hoke whiffs on both players, he'll still be bringing plenty of young talent to the Big House.

Cornerback Terry Richardson was an Under Armour All-American and is the fifth-ranked cornerback in the nation. He's small (5'9", 160 pounds) but he has big-play ability and the potential to be a shutdown corner.

The Wolverines also got commitments from elite linebackers Royce Jenkins-Stone, James Ross and Joe Bolden. All three are big, physical and violent tacklers. Michigan only allowed 17.4 points per game last season, and with these three on board, their defense can only improve.

Michigan's other four-star recruits are defensive linemen Ondre Pipkins, Mario Ojemudia and Chris Wormley, offensive linemen Kyle Kalis and Erik Magnuson, tight end Devin Funchess and safety Jarrod Wilson.

It will take a few years before we can judge how good this class really is, but as of right now, it looks like Hoke scored big.