Michigan football recruiting has been much better than it seems

If you asked a Michigan football fan how recruiting was going this week, the responses would probably be wildly different.

Some fans are frustrated by some of the recent misses. This is because they have been some of the same misses suffered over the past few cycles — ever since NIL became a thing.

Teams are using pay-for-play as an enticement. It’s against the rules but when there is no enforcement, it’s the wild west. We saw this rear its ugly head with Marquise Davis to Kentucky. Michigan football was the clear favorite until the last minute when, magically, things did a complete 180.

That’s frustrating. So are the lack of five-star commitments after winning a national championship. But Michigan did win a national championship with just two five-stars (via the 247 Sports composite rankings). J.J. McCarthy and Will Johnson were it.

Donovan Edwards was a top-50 recruit. But Michigan football just landed a top-50 recruit in Nate Marshall. The Wolverines also signed a top-100 running back in Jordan Marshall, a QB ranked in the top 125, and seven prospects ranked in the top 200 overall, as well as 17 blue-chippers out of 26 in 2024.

Michigan football has a healthy blue-chip ratio

According to the Blue-Chip Ratio, an idea put forth by Bud Elliott of 247 Sports, you need at least 50 percent of your roster to be blue chips (4 or 5 stars) in order to win a national title. Well, Michigan hit 65 percent in 2024. So far in 2025, with the commitment of Avery Gach, the Wolverines are 5/5 (100 percent).

The Wolverines are also ranked in the top 10 in terms of average ranking per commitment in 2025. So even though Michigan isn’t recruiting like Ohio State, it never has. Ohio State has been ranked an average of third by the 247 Sports Team Talent rankings over the past three seasons. Michigan football hasn’t ranked higher than 12th.

Ohio State fans can say whatever they want, but Michigan football players have been better coached and better developed. That’s how the program won three straight Big Ten championships.

Michigan football recruiting is better than the narrative

If you take a deeper look at the past 2-3 recruiting classes Michigan football has been recruiting better than the narrative might suggest.

For starters, they have had success at quarterback. Jadyn Davis and Carter Smith are each ranked in the top 151 overall of the 247 Sports composite rankings for their respective classes. That’s some quality talent at the game’s most important position and if Michigan can develop those quarterbacks, the program will be a great spot.

The running game is going to be the focal point and in that regard, Jordan Marshall just signed along with a slew of other talented backs the past few classes. Plus, the O-line recruiting has been off the charts. Michigan signed five offensive lineman in 2024. Two of them were ranked in the top 168. Four of the five were blue-chippers and if history is any indication, Sherrone Moore and crew will turn them into All-Big Ten players.

Michigan also signed top-200 defenders at EDGE and cornerback in 2024, not to mention a top-50 D-line commitment in 2025. The Wolverines also tend to find productive pass catchers who aren’t super-highly ranked such as Semaj Morgan and Fred Moore (both 3-stars).

As long as Michigan can keep attracting talent on the offensive and defensive lines, plus quarterback, and running back, which is a more important position in Ann Arbor than most places, they are going to have a shot to keep doing what they have been doing.

Michigan just needs to execute its strategy

You obviously need key players and depth at every position. But some positions are more valuable than others and Michigan has done some of its best recruiting at those positions.

If you can run the ball, protect the quarterback, stop the run, and impact the other team’s quarterback, you can win a lot of games. Michigan football proved that the past three years and keeping that in mind, with a blue-chip ratio of 73 percent among signees/commitments in 2024/25, there’s no need to freak out about recruiting.

Paying for five stars would be nice. But as long as Michigan can develop the blue-chip talents it can get, which has been a lot the past two cycles, the Wolverines will be fine.

For Michigan, development is king.

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