Michigan Moving Toward Top Recruiting Class After No. 1 RB Kareem Walker Commits

The Michigan Wolverines are surging up 2016 recruiting class rankings seven weeks shy of national signing day, spurred by a pair of pivotal commitments in the past 24 hours.

Top-ranked running back Kareem Walker, who earlier spent 10 months pledged to Ohio State, announced intentions to play in Ann Arbor on Thursday afternoon:

Just a day earlier, 4-star linebacker Devin Bush Jr., the son of former Florida State safety Devin Bush Sr., pledged to Michigan:

Walker is the fourth prospect plucked from New Jersey by a Wolverines staff featuring Chris Partridge, who previously coached at Garden State powerhouse Paramus Catholic High School. Bush is the third senior from Flanagan High School (Hollywood, Florida) headed to Michigan, alongside defensive backs Devin Gil and Josh Metellus.

Both recruitments were ultimately considered showdowns between the Wolverines and Florida State, though Auburn, Arizona State and Alabama each played a role in Walker's search for a collegiate fit.

Walker, a 6'1", 210-pound playmaker from DePaul Catholic High School (Wayne, New Jersey), is rated No. 1 nationally among running backs and No. 38 overall in composite rankings. He initially pledged to Ohio State at halftime of the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Oregon. 

However, he opted to spend an official visit at Michigan midway through the season. After publicly maintaining his Ohio State commitment while planning multiple trips elsewhere, Walker backed off the verbal pledge in early November.

Despite legitimate interest in other powerhouse programs, momentum always seemed to be moving toward Ann Arbor for the dynamic rusher. Wolverines coaches, fans and commits never wavered in their consistent pursuit of Walker.

Fellow New Jersey standout Ahmir Mitchell, who announced his Michigan commitment via B/R video, helped lead the charge:

Defensive end Ron Johnson, another 4-star pickup from New Jersey, also stressed his potential importance for the class. He attended the same Michigan game as Walker this fall.

"The fans knew who he was. The players knew who he was. Everyone was showing him love," Johnson told Bleacher Report in October. "I've been hearing things about him since sophomore year. He's a rare player. I need him with us at Michigan."

While Bush's decision may come as an upset to many, it certainly wasn't a shock. Michigan hosted Bush on campus multiple times during this process and had already claimed commitments from two of his high school teammates.

Credit: 247Sports

Despite natural allegiances to the university where his father won a national championship, a path to Tallahassee never appeared predestined. Even months ago, Bush Sr. made it clear how they felt about the new Wolverines regime.

“I think they’re real people,” he told Sam Webb of Scout.com in October. “Every time we come to visit it has been the same. [head coach Jim] Harbaugh seems like a real player’s coach. ... If you’re going to play for him and do your job, he is going to be for you."

Harbaugh has been the catalyst for a seismic shift in how people, including premier high school prospects, perceive the program. That's been apparent since last December, when he returned to his alma mater like a superhero ready to rebuild a damaged city.

Harbaugh, the former star Wolverines quarterback who seemingly chose Michigan over an opportunity to revisit the Super Bowl, went to work on the recruiting trail right away. When you're attempting to rescue a program from its downward spiral, that's the only place to start.

The Wolverines went just 12-13 in two seasons preceding Harbaugh's arrival. Michigan slumped to a 6-10 mark against Big Ten Conference opponents during that span.

A new staff closed strong toward signing day last February. Harbaugh and company, allotted less than six full weeks to target 2015 recruits, salvaged a lost class and finished with a top-40 talent haul in composite rankings.

Michigan truly began to find its recruiting groove in April, when prized Indiana passer Brandon Peters pledged to the program. He became the first high school junior to pledge to Harbaugh, joining a pair of holdovers from former head coach Brady Hoke's earlier efforts. 

“Why would you not want to play for Harbaugh?" Peters told Bleacher Report. "You’re learning from the best with that entire staff."

Credit: 247Sports

Momentum rapidly built throughout spring, seeping into a busy summer for Michigan's staff. By the time Harbaugh stepped onto the field for his first game as Wolverines coach, he'd assembled one of America's most impressive 2016 recruiting classes.

The group continued to gain playmakers throughout Harbaugh's inaugural season in Ann Arbor, which continues Jan. 1 when the 9-3 Wolverines face Florida in a Citrus Bowl showdown.

“They definitely exceeded expectations. They surprised me," Peters said. "I didn’t really know how much talent Michigan had, but it just shows how good of a coach Harbaugh is. He can develop players, he can change their mindset and the way guys think about the game.”

Walker became commitment No. 23 for Michigan on Thursday, pushing the Wolverines' class to No. 2 overall in national composite rankings. No program in America carries more commitments rated 4 stars or better (13 players), and only Ohio State matches that total.

Ranking	Team	Total Commitments	5-Stars	4-Stars
1	Ohio State	17	2	11
2	Michigan	23	0	13
3	Ole Miss	20	2	9
4	Alabama	17	1	10
5	Florida State	17	1	10
6	LSU	16	1	10
7	Stanford	20	0	9
8	Florida	20	0	8
9	Penn State	18	0	10
10	Auburn	17	1	7

With Walker on board, Harbaugh's 2016 class includes seven prospects considered top-10 players at their respective positions. The running back joins Peters (No. 6 pro-style passer), Mitchell (No. 9 athlete), Ben Bredeson (No. 5 offensive tackle) Michael Onwenu (No. 3 offensive guard), Chris Evans (No. 8 all-purpose back) and Kingston Davis (No. 1 fullback). 

Michigan is now firmly in the mix for college football's top overall recruiting haul in Harbaugh's first full cycle at the helm. It's a remarkable accomplishment considering the program is just one year removed from essentially imploding during Hoke's final weeks in Ann Arbor.

The Wolverines' nine-win (and potentially 10-win) season certainly signified a substantial rebound at Michigan. Now a motivated staff is seeking and securing coveted recruits, cruising toward national signing day with plenty of potential.

Elite uncommitted talents such as top-ranked tight end Isaac Nauta, dominant Texas offensive tackle Jean Delance, 4-star Detroit cornerback Lavert Hill and No. 1 overall prospect Rashan Gary are among those who've expressed serious interest.

Gary, a 6'5", 293-pound defensive tackle, played for Partridge at Paramus Catholic last season. The nation's consensus top recruit is expected to sign with Michigan by 68 percent of experts' predictions in 247Sports' Crystal Ball.

If Harbaugh and company are able to finish what they've started in New Jersey and land the Garden State gargantuan, Michigan may be a strong bet to stand above the rest on national signing day.

“If the No. 1 player wants to come to Michigan, then we’re going to be on top soon," Peters said. "Something big is coming."

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.