Michigan Football: Position-by-Position Grades for 2015 Recruiting Class

Jim Harbaugh only had a few short weeks to assemble his first Michigan recruiting class, and he approached the task with "an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."

His efforts resulted in the No. 38 recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports.

The 14-member class is small, which had a major impact on its overall ranking but addresses important needs for the upcoming season.

This is a position-by-position breakdown of the Wolverines' 2015 recruiting class. Grades are determined by how the players are projected to help the team over the next few seasons.

Running Back

Credit: 247Sports

Karan Higdon

Karan Higdon was a last-minute addition to the recruiting class.

A 4-star recruit, Higdon is the rare southern recruit who wasn’t deterred by the prospect of northern winters.

"Once I got to the airport I was excited, I'd never been to Michigan, I'd never even seen snow," Higdon told MLive. "And it snowed a lot. That was pretty awesome."

Michigan is deep at running back, but Higdon has the talent to compete immediately. His commitment also was a factor in another potential recruit, Mike Weber, not coming to Michigan.

Grade: A

Offensive Line

Credit: 247Sports

Grant Newsome

Offensive line has been a weakness for Michigan the last two seasons. The current class includes three players who have the potential to contribute soon.

Four-star Grant Newsome, 3-star Jon Runyan Jr. and 3-star Nolan Ulizio will probably need a year to bulk up and prepare for the collegiate game, but they have the talent to fit into Harbaugh’s new pro-style offense.

Don’t be surprised if one or more of these players shifts to tight end, a critical position under Harbaugh’s offense.

Grade: B

Quarterback

Credit: 247Sports

Alex Malzone

The recruiting class filled the most important gap in Michigan’s offense by signing two quarterbacks. The graduation of Devin Gardner means the quarterback battle will be wide open, and 3-star recruits Alex Malzone and Zack Gentry both should be in the mix for playing time next season.

Malzone is already enrolled and will have the early edge over Gentry. This is the most important position battle on the team.

Grade: A

Wide Receiver

Credit: 247Sports

Brian Cole

The early departure of receiver Devin Funchess leaves a huge opportunity for reps next season. Both 4-star early enrollee Brian Cole and 3-star Grant Perry have a chance to be integral parts of Harbaugh’s offense.

With the entire team starting fresh with the new coaching staff, both recruits have a chance to jump ahead of players with more experience if they work hard enough.

Perry’s scholarship offer came late in the process, but he flipped from Northwestern shortly after receiving his Michigan offer.

Grade: A

Tight End

Credit: 247Sports

Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

Harbaugh puts a premium on utilizing tight ends—so much so that he hired his son Jay to make sure the position is coached to his standards.

Jay proclaims Michigan to be "the new TE university" in his Twitter bio, and he has an elite prospect to work with in this recruiting class.

His first tight end recruit, 4-star Tyrone Wheatley Jr., shares the distinction of also having a famous Michigan legend for a father. Some may question Jay Harbaugh’s credentials, but Wheatley is an elite-level talent whose father is also part of Jim Harbaugh’s staff.

If there was any question about Jay’s qualifications, it’s doubtful Michigan would have landed this recruit.

Grade: A

Defensive Backfield

Credit: 247Sports

Tyree Kinnel

Last season, Michigan’s defense was worn down by injuries. Four-star Tyree Kinnel and 3-star Keith Washington should add some much-needed depth to a defense that will need to play tough while Michigan breaks in a new quarterback and offense.

Grade: B

Defensive End

Credit: 247Sports

Shelton Johnson

Both 4-star Shelton Johnson and 3-star Reuben Jones should benefit from the coaching of Greg Mattison. Mattison, who served as defensive coordinator under Brady Hoke, has been retained by Harbaugh to coach the defensive line.

Mattison’s defense struggled as last year progressed, but his coaching credentials remain solid.

Grade: B

Kicker

Credit: 247Sports

Andrew David

The kicker position is also wide open heading into next season. Andrew David was the first commitment of Michigan’s 2015 class, and he stayed loyal to Michigan throughout the drama of Hoke’s dismissal and Harbaugh’s hiring.

He holds the record for the longest field goal (58 yards) in Massillon High School football history.

Grade: B

Phil Callihan is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations obtained firsthand.

Follow @PCallihan.