The top ten three-star recruits throughout the Harbaugh era are as follows: 10-6
An examination of Michigan’s top three-star prospects in recent memory, beginning with picks 10 through 6.
Written by njdurand 7:00 a.m. CDT on June 5, 2024 0 New / 0 Comments
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DEC 29 for college football Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
Rich von Biberstein’s photo/Icon Getty Images via Sportswire
Under Jim Harbaugh’s leadership, the Michigan football programme enjoyed great success on the field, especially in the final three seasons. If there’s one thing, though, that rival supporters have frequently criticised, it’s the team’s poor recruitment performance in comparison to its on-field accomplishments. Given that Michigan has been ranked as the No. 14 team in 247Sports’ recruiting talent rating since 2015, this is undoubtedly a convincing argument. What then goes wrong?
The Wolverines are often among the top teams in the nation in the field of talent development, so there’s hope there. Michigan has a history of doing a great job of identifying players who are diamonds in the rough and developing them into valuable contributors who can prosper in college and be selected in the NFL draft.
Three-star prospects have been a regular presence on Michigan’s rosters for the past few years, even though their arrivals on campus may not have generated much excitement. In fact, they are accountable for some of the most significant events in the program’s recent history.
We’ll start our examination of some of Michigan’s most notable recent development achievements today by ranking the top-10 three-star prospects of the Harbaugh era, starting with No. 10-6.
The 247Sports composite is the basis for star ratings.
- DT Grant, Kenneth (2022)
Given his relatively small body of work, Kenneth Grant is difficult to rate, but his 2023 performance was strong enough to place him above other very worthy contenders. Grant entered the game as a sophomore and went on to win All-Big Ten honours, after spending his initial year primarily in a depth role.
Alongside Mason Graham and Kris Jenkins, Grant recorded 3.5 sacks and 29 tackles in 2023, including five for a loss. He also produced a few quite noteworthy plays, like as his stop that prevented Penn State from scoring a score on a chasedown and his sack of Michael Penix in the National Championship.
Even though Grant has only had one successful season, he is already regarded as one of the nation’s top defensive linemen and should have another in 2024. It’s possible that he plays himself into the first or second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which would make this ranking appear excessively low.
S. 9. Mettelus, Josh (2016)
Josh Mettelus, the No. 719 player in the nation and linebacker Devin Bush’s high school buddy, committed to Michigan but already displayed some promise. As a true freshman, Mettelus participated in eight games, largely on special teams and in a depth position, recording 15 tackles and one sack.
As a sophomore, Mettelus made waves, starting all 13 games and earning honourable mentions in the 2017 All-Big Ten team. In his junior and senior years, he would start every game and was named to the All-Big Ten team in his junior year. The Minnesota Vikings ultimately chose him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
On the defensive end of Michigan, he never truly developed into a great superstar, but his influence was always felt. He was an example of Michigan’s ability to produce defensive players since he developed as a member of the secondary every year and gained recognition for his aggressive playing style.
- RB Haskins, Hassan (2018)
Just Haskins’ 2021 game versus Ohio State is good enough to earn him a spot on this list. He blasted the Buckeyes for 169 yards and five touchdowns that afternoon, helping Michigan win its first game against Ohio State in ten years.
When Haskins arrived to Michigan in 2018, he played linebacker. However, he eventually transitioned to running back full-time, where he had a breakout season in 2019 with 622 yards.
Apart from his role in “The Game,” Haskins was named an All-American and All-Big Ten player in 2021. The Tennessee Titans selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. With 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021, he was Michigan’s top rusher.
- Paye DE Kwity (2017)
Michigan has a reputation for turning out standout defensive linemen in recent years. While names like Aidan Hutchinson and Rashan Gary may immediately spring to mind, Kwity Paye was equally as busy while residing in Ann Arbour.
Paye was an unnoticed recruit from Rhode Island who was raised in a camp for refugees in Guinea prior to arriving in the United States. Seeing his potential, Michigan signed him and gained access to his tools and size. Paye, who is considered to be Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich’s heir apparent, was selected by the coaches to the second team of the All-Big Ten in 2019 after receiving honourable mentions in 2018.
Paye finished the 2020 season with two sacks and sixteen tackles, four of which were for a loss due to COVID-19. The Indianapolis Colts selected him No. 21 overall despite his lacklustre performance.
- In 2021, S. Rod Moore
Rod Moore had a big play against Ohio State, just like Haskins did. The fact that Moore, an Ohio native from Calyton, was an unheralded recruit who was chosen straight out of the Buckeyes’ backyard, adds even more sweetness to the situation.
Moore, a recruit, had an immediate impact as a freshman, participating in 11 games (four of which he started) and splitting defensive rookie of the year awards with Michigan. Over the previous two seasons, he started 14 games and was named to the All-Big Ten team in each. In the 2023 season of “The Game,” he had the greatest moment when he successfully intercepted a pass from Kyle McCord to seal the victory.
After the 2023 season, Moore made the decision to return to Michigan rather than enter the NFL Draft. Regretfully, he had a knee injury in the spring that will probably keep him out of action until 2024. Moore may not have played his final game at Michigan, but in any case, the Ohio native has made a great legacy for himself.
