Michigan Football Recruiting: Meet the Wolverines' 2018 Class
Michigan fans are still waiting for favorite son Jim Harbaugh to bring them a Big Ten championship, but they can't complain about the talent he's drawn to Ann Arbor. That has continued with the Wolverines' 2018 recruiting class, a 19-man group that is ranked 21st in the country and third-best in the conference.
The latest crop of prospects includes seven 4-star products with players from seven states as well as a foreign country. Michigan remains a national program, and Harbaugh continues to scour the country to find folks who can get the Wolverines to the next level.
Almost everyone in the 2018 class was on board back in December, when the first early signing period occurred, though a few previously committed players didn't make it official until they signed on Wednesday. Two that did not, though, were 4-star linebacker Otis Reese, who had been pledged to the Wolverines since June 2016 only to flip to Georgia at the last minute, and 3-star quarterback Kevin Doyle, who ended up at Arizona.
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Scroll down for an alphabetical player-by-player breakdown of Michigan's 2018 class.
Michael Barrett
Height/Weight: 5'11½", 215 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star athlete/No. 753
High School: Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)
Michael Barrett committed to Michigan in late January, a byproduct of one of the Wolverines' satellite camps last summer in Georgia. A dual-threat quarterback in high school, he will be used in various roles once he gets to Ann Arbor.
Ronnie Bell
Height/Weight: 6'1", 170 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star wide receiver/No. 1,480
High School: Park Hill (Kansas City, Mo.)
Ronnie Bell had appeared to be headed to college on a basketball scholarship, committed to play for Missouri State, but then a breakout senior season—89 catches for 1,605 yards—led to more interest on the football side. Michigan offered just before the early signing period, and he committed almost immediately.
Sammy Faustin
Height/Weight: 6'2", 190 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star cornerback/No. 592
High School: Naples (Naples, Fla.)
Though rated mostly for his play as a corner, Sammy Faustin has a future as a safety in college because of his fondness for hitting. He also has great length, which will make it possible for him still to cover receivers when Michigan is facing a pass-heavy team like Indiana or Penn State.
Vincent Gray
Height/Weight: 6'2", 180 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star cornerback/No. 702
High School: Adams (Rochester, Mich.)
Vincent Gray starred as a cornerback and wide receiver at the prep level but will focus on the defensive side at Michigan. The Wolverines got his commitment on Jan. 21 over offers from California, Duke and Oregon, all of which came after he backed out of a Missouri pledge in late December.
Gemon Green
Height/Weight: 6'2", 165 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star cornerback/No. 382
High School: DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas)
The higher-ranked (and slightly older) of the Green twins—both of whom committed to Michigan on the same day in April—Gemon Green may not see the field in 2018, as the Wolverines are building depth in the secondary. When he does see action, though, he will show the ability to play on or off receivers.
German Green
Height/Weight: 6'2", 168 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star safety/No. 1,236
High School: DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas)
German Green may have been ranked much higher than No. 98 among safeties and 176th in Texas had he not missed his junior year of high school with a torn ACL. He's also on the small side for a safety, but he makes up for it with some powerful hitting that will get him time in Michigan's secondary rotation as soon as 2019.
Hassan Haskins
Height/Weight: 6'1", 202 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star running back/No. 978
High School: Eureka Senior (Eureka, Mo.)
Michigan returns its top two running backs for 2018, but it may need to find some carries for Hassan Haskins, who ran for more than 2,000 yards as a senior. A big back who invites contact and can run through it, if he can pick up blocking schemes, he could be on the field quite a bit as a true freshman.
Ryan Hayes
Height/Weight: 6'7", 252 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star offensive tackle/No. 335
High School: Traverse City West (Traverse City, Mich.)
He played tight end at the prep level, but Michigan sees Ryan Hayes as an offensive tackle thanks to his blocking ability on both run and pass plays. He'll need to pack on the pounds, but the frame is already there. Expect a redshirt in 2018 to help him bulk up and learn his new position.
Aidan Hutchinson
Height/Weight: 6'6", 260 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star defensive end/No. 112
High School: Divine Child (Dearborn, Mich.)
Michigan's highest-rated in-state recruit, Aidan Hutchinson committed to the Wolverines last February, but he knew he'd end up there back in fifth grade. The son of former Michigan captain Chris Hutchinson is the sixth-best strong-side defensive end in the 2018 class.
Jalen Mayfield
Height/Weight: 6'5", 273 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star offensive tackle/No. 268
High School: Catholic Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Michigan's roster depth made it possible to focus on potential rather than immediate impact with many recruits, and Jalen Mayfield falls into that "potential" category. The former Minnesota commit needs to get bigger in order to handle college edge-rushers, but he's already shown the athleticism needed to handle the job.
Cameron McGrone
Height/Weight: 6'1", 215 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star linebacker/No. 118
High School: Lawrence Central (Indianapolis)
Cameron McGrone is rated as the seventh-best outside linebacker in his class mostly because of his willingness to fly to the ball and ability to get around the edge as a pass-rusher. He's confident, too, telling 247Sports' Josh Newkirk he is "the best linebacker in the nation."
Joe Milton
Height/Weight: 6'5½", 230 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star quarterback/No. 204
High School: Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
One of two quarterbacks Michigan signed for 2018, Joe Milton is the ninth-best pro-style passer in the country. The QB room will be crowded with Brandon Peters, Dylan McCaffrey and Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson ahead of him, so Milton seems destined for a redshirt.
Mustapha Muhammad
Height/Weight: 6'4", 235 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star tight end/No. 168
High School: Ridge Point (Missouri City, Texas)
Mustapha Muhammad is the most likely freshman to get on the field for the 2018 opener at Notre Dame. The No. 6 tight end in his class plays more like an oversized wide receiver, and he should be a valuable target in the passing game.
Luke Schoonmaker
Height/Weight: 6'6", 225 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star tight end/No. 798
High School: Hamden Hall (Hamden, Conn.)
While far less heralded than Michigan's other tight end signee, Luke Schoonmaker still has a good shot at being involved immediately because he has great speed for his position. He played quarterback in high school, further displaying his athleticism.
Myles Sims
Height/Weight: 6'2½", 173 lbs
Position/Ranking: 4-star cornerback/No. 170
High School: Westlake (Atlanta)
Myles Sims is similar to many other defensive backs Michigan signed this year in that he has great length as well as the ability to play cornerback or safety. He's probably destined to be part of the Wolverines' nickel package until he adds more bulk, but his closing speed is something that can be built around.
Christian Turner
Height/Weight: 5'11", 187 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star running back/No. 508
High School: Buford (Buford, Ga.)
Christian Turner is built like top Michigan rushers Karan Higdon and Chris Evans, but where he could make his mark is at pass-catcher—either out of the backfield or lining up in the slot. He was a "silent commit" for Notre Dame before the Wolverines plucked him away.
Taylor Upshaw
Height/Weight: 6'5", 240 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star defensive end/No. 561
High School: Braden River (Bradenton, Fla.)
Michigan flipped Taylor Upshaw from Florida in late November, seeing great promise in a player who didn't start playing organized football until his junior year of high school. He has a strong pedigree, though, as father Regan Upshaw was a former first-round NFL draft pick who played nine pro seasons.
Ben VanSumeren
Height/Weight: 6'3", 228 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star athlete/No. 625
High School: Garber (Essexville, Mich.)
However Michigan ends up using Ben VanSumeren will depend on which of the many positions he's capable of playing represents the biggest need. He could be a tight end or linebacker, but early on he'll get looked at as a fullback or H-back. The Wolverines flipped him from Iowa just before the early signing period.
Julius Welschof
Height/Weight: 6'6", 248 lbs
Position/Ranking: 3-star defensive end/No. 647
High School: N/A (Germany)
Julius Welschof is a former competitive skier who came to the United States in 2017 to develop his football skills. Georgia Tech had his commitment until Dec. 20 when he flipped via a Twitter video, Michigan seeing his great upside, which will take some time to develop.
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