Take Two: Can Michigan hold on to top spot in Big Ten for 2019 recruiting?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
THE STORYLINE
Michigan is off to a phenomenal start in this recruiting class with 10 pledges so far including five-star defensive end Christopher Hinton from Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian.
Defensive back Te’Cory Couch, quarterback Cade McNamara, offensive lineman Nolan Rumler and defensive end Stephen Herron are all four-star standouts who have already picked the Wolverines.
Michigan currently has the No. 1 class in the Big Ten and the last time the Maize & Blue finished with the top group in the conference was in 2007 - more than a decade ago.
Can Michigan hold off Ohio State, Penn State and others and win the conference recruiting title this year?
It’s going to be tough. The Buckeyes always get theirs and they already have the most four-star commits (six) in the conference. Penn State just landed five-star running back Devyn Ford and the Nittany Lions have the highest average-star ranking in the Big 10.
Michigan is doing really well but can they hold off other conference foes?
FIRST TAKE - BRANDON BROWN, THE WOLVERINE.COM
“Michigan is doing well in 2019 right now but Ohio State continues to recruit at a level few can claim and if I were being honest, I’d expect the Buckeyes to finish at the top of the Big Ten again. Throw in the fact that Penn State is also tearing up the recruiting trail and it’s going to be tough for UM to hang on to the top spot in the conference.
“As things stand right now, Michigan is already over the scholarship limit with 10 players verbally committed in 2019 and while those numbers will surely change, UM’s class isn’t going to be very big and that also works against them in terms of scoring their commits against other powers in the Big Ten.
“How Michigan performs on the field in 2018 will also have a huge influence on how things play out on the recruiting trail. There are a lot of moving parts but it’s going to be tough to unseat Ohio State and fend off the Nittany Lions.”
SECOND TAKE - MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“Recruiting-wise, you have to look to Ohio State and Penn State and the way those schools are recruiting right now. One of those schools will probably end up No. 1. They have fewer commitments and a better star average than Michigan does.
“If I’m a betting man, I’m saying Michigan will probably finish third in the Big Ten. On the field, if Michigan can get some magic from Shea Patterson and fix some problems they have, that will really, really help recruiting quite a bit. If they have a big year on the field, they have an opportunity to challenge for that Big Ten title, but the way I see it, it’s going to be Ohio State, Penn State, 1-2 on the field and off the field.”