Monday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Jim Harbaugh is coming

The Michigan football coaching search is a signature on a contract away from being official, as it is all but a done deal that former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh will replace Brady Hoke as the man who calls the shots in Ann Arbor.

We could spend a lot of time getting into what this means for the program and my opinions on the hire and what not, but an aspect of all of this that looks like could get interesting quickly is on the recruiting trail.

News has been quiet over the last month, and rightfully so seeing as Michigan has been without a coaching staff and we have been in the midst of a dead period between semesters and over the holidays.

With the raging rumors that Harbaugh is headed to Michigan, buzz has picked up in the college football world and many recruits are taking notice of what is happening in Ann Arbor right now. So without further ado, let's get started.

The first commit to drop could be...

Anyone who follows the Wolverines on the recruiting trail knows the exodus of players that has taken place in the 2015 recruiting class. Harbaugh instantly brings credibility and high expectations to the program and I think that will be enough to be able to get in the ears of a few former commits that have decided to look elsewhere.

The biggest name on this list is 2015's top tight end prospect Chris Clark (Avon, Connecticut), who has been very outspoken on social media about a possible Harbaugh hire being a game changer for him. When/if this coaching change becomes official, I expect Clark to again become a member of the 2015 class.

It will not be a shoe-in, as it seems UCLA has creeped into the picture, but come national signing day, Clark seems bound to be a Wolverine under Harbaugh.

Is Mike Weber coming back?

Many of the questions surrounding Harbaugh on the recruiting trail have revolved around the possibility of four-star 2015 running back Mike Weber (Detroit, Michigan) coming back into the fold. The simple answer where we stand today is no.

Weber seems very solid in his commitment to Ohio State and does not look to be in position to make another change. Seeing as running back is not necessarily a position of need during this cycle, this should be the least of Michigan's worries on the recruiting trail going forward. Weber has moved on, and so should the fans and the program.

Don't count out Iman Marshall

The class of 2015's top corner prospect Iman Marshall (Long Beach, California) plans on making his college decision on national signing day, and while Michigan has not been much of a factor throughout the process for him, the Harbaugh effect could have a huge influence on where his recruitment ends up as well.

Marshall spoke to 247's Tom Loy about the potential Harbaugh hire at Michigan and his reaction to it. ($)

"That would be great," said Marshall. "The fact that Michigan would have a dude that came from the league with the [San Francisco] 49ers and someone who has coached a national championship contending team is big. That would be real dope."

I'm not sure exactly the impact this could have on bringing in Marshall, but I would expect them to at the very least get a visit.

Four-star OL says Harbaugh is a "game changer"

Thiyo Lukusa (Traverse City, Michigan), a four-star 2016 offensive line prospect took to Twitter on Sunday to address his thoughts on the potential of Harbaugh heading to Michigan.

Harbaugh to UofM is a game changer if its true.

— Thiyo Lukusa (@BigblacK4420) December 28, 2014

Lukusa was once considered a heavy Michigan lean, but after it became clear Brady Hoke and staff were going to be dismissed at the end of the year, the Wolverines trending away in terms of his suitors.

He told me that he would be willing to reconsider Michigan after they made their hire, and it appears that Harbaugh could potentially grab his attention.

We'll have more on the Harbaugh situation in the coming days and the impact he brings to the university both on and off the field