NSD 2017 Recap: Michigan Football’s Entire 2017 Class is Official

Well, everybody, Harbaugh did it again.

The Michigan coach went out and was able to get some big time recruits to sign with Michigan on National Signing Day. Last year, he was able to snag the top recruit in high school, Rashan Gary, to sign with the Wolverines on National Signing Day. This year, he was able to get five-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon and four-star wide receiver Nico Collins to sign with the Wolverines.

It was so big to get these two recruits for several reasons. Solomon’s recruiting process has been one of the biggest roller coasters in recent memory. After being committed, and then de-committed, Solomon decided to re-commit and sign with Michigan. Collins signed with Michigan after being pursued by several SEC schools. Being from the state of Alabama, Collins coming up north to the mitten state is an incredible catch for Harbaugh.

Michigan also received a commitment from four-star wide receiver Oliver Martin just two days before Signing Day. This gives UM five wide receivers in this class to replace Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh and (possibly) Grant Perry. Not to mention All-American Jake Butt will be gone as well. Michigan is losing a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but Harbaugh has fully reloaded his roster with a wealth of talent.

Here is the complete 2017 class:

Quarterback

4* Dylan McCaffrey (Littleton, CO)

Running Back

4* O’Maury Samuels (Los Lunas, NM)

3* Kurt Taylor (Covington, GA)

Wide Receiver

5* Donovan Peoples-Jones (Detroit, MI)

4* Nico Collins (Pinson, AL)

4* Tarik Black (Cheshire, CT)

4* Oliver Martin (Iowa City, IA)

3* Brad Hawkins (Suffield, CT)

Offensive Tackle

4* JaRaymond Hall (Oak Park, MI)

4* Chuck Filiaga (Aledo, TX)

3* Andrew Steuber (Darien, CT)

3* Joel Hoenigford (Sugarcreek, OH)

Center

4* Cesar Ruiz (Bradenton, FL)

Defensive End

4* Corey Malone-Hatcher (St. Joseph, MI)

4* Donovan Jeter (Beaver Falls, PA)

4* Luiji Vilain (Alexandria, VA)

4* James Hudson (Toledo, OH)

4* Deron Irving-Bey (Flint, MI)

3* Kwity Paye (Warwick, RI)

Defensive Tackle

5* Aubrey Solomon (Leesburg, GA)

3* Philip Paea (Berrien Springs, MI)

Linebackers

4* Drew Singleton (Paramus, NJ)

4* Jordan Anthony (Bradenton, FL)

4* Josh Ross (West Bloomfield, MI)

3* Ben Mason (Sandy Hook, CT)

Cornerbacks

4* Ambry Thomas (Detroit, MI)

4* Benjamin St-Juste (Montreal, QC)

Safeties

4* J’Marick Woods (Florence, AL)

4* Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Detroit, MI)

Punter

3* Brad Robbins

Needless to say, this is one hell of a class. Good enough for the fifth best class in the country behind Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and USC.

There are so many good looking names here that it’s kind of hard to digest. But here are some names, in order by star rankings, that I’m looking forward to seeing play in the future.

3*: Kurt Taylor

Taylor’s attitude towards Michigan has been awesome. So awesome that he is a guy that you just cannot root against. There is going to be a good amount of competition here for his first couple years at UM, so I don’t expect him to get much playing time at all his freshman year. However, I really hope he brings his best and the guys around him make him better.

4*: Ambry Thomas

I’m really looking forward to seeing Thomas play, and he may get some experience right away. He enrolled early and was one of the top recruits in the state of Michigan, so he should be comfortable with the team and the playbook come September.

In high school, Thomas played both offense and defense. I really wouldn’t be surprised to see Harbaugh draw up some offensive plays designed around him, but he will predominately be used as defensive back, which is what he was recruited as. Regardless of what position he plays, Thomas is going to be an enormous talent at UM for years to come.

5*: Donovan Peoples-Jones

Peoples-Jones was the number one ranked wide receiver recruit in the country and the number one ranked player in the state of Michigan in 2017. There’s a lot to be excited about him.

He has good speed and route running and has amazing hands. He is a little shorter than the other receivers in the class, but Harbaugh went and got Tarik Black (6-foot-4) and Nico Collins (6-foot-5) so there is a lot of versatility in this receiving group being brought in.

There you have it. The entire 2017 class for the University of Michigan’s football team. We will get a good look at these guys come April when the spring game is played, but after that we will have to wait until the start of the season for more.

Please come soon, September. (But not too soon, I need some baseball in my life, too.)