Michigan Football Recruiting 2012: 8 Recruits That'll Make or Break the Class

With a top five class right now, the Wolverines have fared well on the trail and are in the running for a few more high profile recruits.

The Wolverines are nearly finished with 2012 recruiting with over 20 commitments, so I decided to look at this from a different standpoint than I did with the Notre Dame piece earlier this week.

I'm going to give you eight recruits that I think it's imperative Big Blue develops right and gets some production out of to not call this class a bust. 

8. Devin Funchess, TE

A lot of evaluators like myself have a love and hate relationship with the word "potential". It looks good to say when evaluating a prospect, but we all know that sometimes potential is never fulfilled.

Yet, Devin Funchess has a ton of it. He's a 6'4", 205-pound TE prospect with excellent athleticism and natural receiving ability. Once he gets coached up and inside the Big Blue strength program to tack on some weight, he has a chance to do some damage.

Getting production from Funchess' development and potential would go a long way in "making" this class and not "breaking" it.

7. Tery Richardson, CB

Not sure about you, but I don't think Donovan Warren ever really played like his recruiting status had him out to be for Michigan. Sure he started but I was looking for more.

Hopefully Terry Richardson can become the standout CB that Warren wasn't. 5'10", and in the 175-180 pound range, Richardson is an ultra quick CB with solid transition quickness and mirror ability.

It's very important that he becomes a starter or at the very least, as a nickel back type for the Wolverines out of this class when we look back at it in three to four years.

6. Ondre Pipkins, DT

Michigan's defense isn't the best in the world, we all know the woes that Big Blues has been through defensively over the past few years. So getting a 6'3", 320-pound load like Pipkins could help a long ways.

With playing in the run dominant Big Ten, having a natural space eater like Pipkins is big time help for your defensive front. 

I just think if he doesn't develop into a key contributor, things could get hollow on the interrior DL for Michigan in a few years. But if he does, he could be the next Alan Branch in Ann Arbor.

No.5-2 the Linebacker Commitments

Michigan has hauled in perhaps the best LB class in the country for 2012. The quartet of Joe Bolden, James Ross, Kaleb Ringer and Royce Jenkins-Stone is an envious one for other programs.

All four players are in the 6'1" to 6'2" range and weigh between 215 and 230 pounds. There's athleticism, instincts, play speed, size and thumping ability among the four core LB prospects.

Whether they earn a starting spot, become key contributors or are special teams aces, these four second-level defenders will help Big Blue early in their careers. They have to become stalwarts to help improve Michigan's defense in the future.

1. Kyle Kalis, OT

The headliner of the class for 2012 and one of the top 30 players overall on my board. Kalis a is 6'5", 305-pounder that can play both left and right tackle.

With him being the headliner, then that means he's basically the face of the class. So if Kalis flames out, then chances are many fans will associate his bust status to the entire class.

Which is not good or fair, but it's just among the laws of perception. But it's essential that Michigan gets some production out of Kalis, be it as a starter or a swing OL.