New Blue: 2021 OL Greg Crippen details commitment, plans for U-M career

It was a long time coming, but Michigan’s 2021 class grew for the first time in nearly a year on Wednesday thanks to commitments from four-star offensive lineman Greg Crippen and three-star defensive lineman Dominick Giudice.

Crippen was the first of the two to drop his commitment. The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder from IMG Academy was once a verbal to Notre Dame, but the Wolverines remained persistent. Crippen de-committed from the Irish earlier this month, and that persistence by the coaching staff finally paid off with his commitment.

“The entire staff has never stopped recruiting me and my family,” Crippen told Maize n Brew. “It’s all about relationships. You can see from this year’s NFL Combine for Michigan. They will get you there with hard work and dedication. It was not just one person but all of them. Coach Harbaugh, Warinner and Brown have all been terrific.”

RELATED: Four-star 2021 OL Greg Crippen commits to Michigan Football

RELATED: Scouting new Michigan commit Greg Crippen

So besides those relationships, what else was it that led Crippen to find his future home in Ann Arbor?

“Academics was priority one going into this process,” Crippen said. “I plan on majoring in business. The Ross (School of Business) is a top school for my future. I also wanted big time football. The Big House gives you that while playing in the Big Ten.”

Crippen doesn’t know exactly what he wants to do with that degree, but he does hope to work in a major company, and “something sports related would be great.”

When it comes to the gridiron, the Wolverines envision Crippen playing at either guard spot or center, and he has more than bought into that plan.

“I can play both and will do whatever they ask,” he said.

Crippen has plans on improving his game before even stepping foot on campus as a student-athlete. The biggest thing he wants to get better at is keeping a wider base when drive-blocking. Things he views as strengths include his ability to call out defenses, his quickness off the ball and his punch.

Due to the new dead period enforced by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many recruits had to either cancel or delay their visits to college campuses. Luckily for Crippen, his official to Michigan was already set for June 19, which is well past the dead period.

Crippen, along with the aforementioned Giudice, make up Michigan’s current recruiting class, along with five-star quarterback J.J. McCarthy and four-star offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi.

Crippen is the No. 222 overall player on 247Sports’ composite rankings.