Corey Malone-Hatcher to Michigan: Wolverines Land 4-Star DE Prospect

Corey Malone-Hatcher announced Thursday that he's planning to play college football at Michigan, providing a boost to the Wolverines' 2017 recruiting class.

Tyler James of NDInsider.com provided video of Malone-Hatcher's announcement:

Malone-Hatcher spoke about the decision on Twitter:

Malone-Hatcher also provided his thoughts on joining the Wolverines, per Steve Wiltfong of 247 Sports:

"

I take a tremendous amount of pride. The message Coach (Jim) Harbaugh gave me the last time I talked to him sums it up. He said when you wake up the next morning and you realize you’re going to be a Wolverine, that Go Blue takes on a different meaning. You start to say it differently. It becomes a symbol for you. You’re part of something bigger. You’re part of something that represents academic excellent success and tradition on the football field.

It’s an honor to carry on that tradition.

"

Malone-Hatcher is a 4-star prospect and the No. 247 overall recruit in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He also rates as the No. 16 weak-side defensive end and the sixth-best incoming player from the state of Michigan.

The St. Joseph High School star features a frame that should allow him to play defensive end or linebacker. He combines intriguing power with a growing understanding of how to attack the passer on a consistent basis.

His junior campaign did come to an early end because of a leg injury. Josh Helmholdt of Rivals noted the lineman could have just tried to let it heal, but he opted to fix the problem with the hope of putting it in his rearview mirror for good.

"I had two options: either put it in a boot and let it heal, or just go get it fixed and make sure it is not a reoccurring issue," Malone-Hatcher said. "We opted to just get it taken care of right now and not have to worry about it anymore."

Before that, Eric Rutter of Today's U Sports liked the progress he witnessed:

Malone-Hatcher's improved play also led to increased interest from around the nation as he prepared for his senior campaign, as he illustrated on social media:

Of course, it didn't come as much surprise that several top programs made contact with him, given his long-term upside. It's still going to take some development time before he becomes an every-down contributor on defense, though.

Keeping Malone-Hatcher in Michigan is a major recruiting victory for Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff. He generated interest from other high-profile programs such as Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame, so it's a strong get for the Wolverines.

While it's always tricky to gauge how quickly a prospect might make an impact this far out, Michigan has several upperclassmen among its defensive line. So by the time he arrives on campus, there should be an opportunity to earn at least a place in the rotation.

Malone-Hatcher is probably going to take a full season or two before he really starts to make his presence felt for the Wolverines. He has the skill set to become a star, though.