Michigan Football Recruiting Blitz: The 2010 Class

In the past two years, this time of year Michigan has been hitting the recruiting trail to find new prospects to fill up the class. This year it's a little different.

Michigan has 23 committed players for the 2010 class and one player from the 2009 that will enroll next month.

Speaking of enrolling early, Michigan may have up to eight players enrolled after the holiday.

Those eight include: Deerfield Beach, Florida CB Adrian Witty , Ann Arbor wide receivers Jeremy Jackson and Ricardo Miller, Livonia running back Austin White, Avon Lake, Ohio, center Christian Pace, Flower Mound, Tex., running back Stephen Hopkins, Eagle Lake, Fla., safety Marvin Robinson and Canton, Ohio, wide receiver Jerald Robinson.

With three spots still open from the 2009 class, the informal word from the Big Ten is that Michigan will be allowed to sign 28 players in this current class. With the commitment of Richard Ash, Michigan has 24 players filling up those 28 spots.

So who is still left on the board for the Wolverines in the 2010 class?

• Josh Furman , LB/Athlete (3 Star) from Maryland is scheduled to make a decision on Saturday at The Crab Bowl. The experts believe that Josh will pick the Wolverines. Josh has told the coaches his decision already put it will become public on Saturday.

• The package of San Diego Stars Tony Jefferson, LB (4 Star) and Kenny Stills, WR (4 Star). The combo is making their announcement tonight on local TV. They are down to USC, Oklahoma, and Michigan. They both visited Michigan for the Ohio State game. The experts expect the combo to pick Oklahoma on Friday.

• In-State DT Johnathon Hankins (3 Star). Michigan just offered JH a couple of weeks ago. They told him at a Michigan camp this summer that they would assess him after his senior year. The Michigan coaches did and offered him a scholarship. JH is the classic recruit that loves the last place he visited. Florida was No. 1 after his trip there, Michigan was No. 1 two weeks ago after his visit, and OSU is No. 1 after last weekend's visit. The longer it take for him to make a decision, the better it is for him to choose the Wolverines. With that said, his father has been quoted as saying that Johnathon wants to make a decision by Christmas.

• The Package Deal of Tony Grimes, CB (3 Star) and Clarence Murphy, DE (3 Star) high school teammates from Florida. Both have said that Michigan is their leader and want to announce on signing day. Some have suggested they are "silent" commits so they don't lose their spots in the class.

• Rashard Knight, CB from Florida (4 Star) seems very interested in Michigan but missed his flight for his official visit during the OSU weekend. Still wants to visit after the holidays and the quiet recruiting period.

• Torrian Wilson , an Offensive Guard from Miami (4 star). He was an early Michigan lean but committed to Stanford which seems to be a little soft since he still wants to take some visits to Michigan and Tennessee.

• Sean Parker , Safety from California (4 star). Sean doesn't like to talk about his recruitment too often but it's believed that ND and Michigan are his two leaders. Sean recently visited Ann Arbor. Update: Sean has said his final three are Michigan, USC, and CAL. Sean would be a huge pick up for the Wolverines at Safety. It would also allow the Michigan coaches to move Marvin Robinson to LB (another 4 star safety in this class).
• Jatashun Beachum, "Big Tex" is a large QB/DT prospect (3 Star) from Dallas. The Michigan coaches have told him that he can play QB on the goal line if he comes to Michigan but of course they would like him full time on the defensive line. Big Tex did visit Michigan and really enjoyed it, which made him re-think his commitment to Arkansas. As time goes by, the memory of Ann Arbor will fade and his commitment grows stronger for the Hogs.
  

So there are 10 players on the above list for four remaining spots. If you consider Furman, Grimes, and Murphy silent commits, there is one open slot. So why is the Michigan staff still recruiting all the above players and others not on the list so hard?

There is a rumor that not all of Michigan's 24 players are fully academically eligible at this point.

Michigan may have told them they will wait until their first semester grades come out and decide after that if they still have an offer. Some players may also be looking at other schools and might de-commit.

Could more spots open up? They might and it seems the Michigan coaches continue to recruit to the final bell.