The six biggest targets still on the board for Michigan Football’s 2021 class

The Michigan Wolverines currently have the No. 8-ranked football recruiting class in the country with the 2021 haul of commitments so far, which this early ranks right up there with the best classes that Jim Harbaugh has brought in since taking the job. However, there are still a handful of big names on the board for them that could push it even further for them.

Here are the six biggest targets where we stand today.

Four-star running back Donovan Edwards

No. 36 player nationally | No. 3 running back | No. 1 in Michigan

Edwards is the biggest fish left on the board and a recruitment that could go a long way in putting this class into an even more promising light. Edwards, who has drawn comparisons to Alvin Kamara, is a do-it-all back with impressive measurables and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Edwards and five-star quarterback commit J.J. McCarthy would be the faces of the future in terms of the hope that Michigan can bust through its current ceiling as a program. It’s far from a lock he winds up in Ann Arbor, but most analysts do expect it.

Four-star offensive lineman Rocco Spindler

No. 50 player nationally | No. 3 guard | No. 3 in Michigan

Spindler could take another already-strong offensive line class and make it even more impressive should he decide to stay home and play for the Wolverines. 247Sports has Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Penn State listed as the “warm” teams in his recruitment, but the Crystal Ball picks are split down the middle between Notre Dame and Michigan. Ed Warriner and Sherrone Moore have a battle on their hands here, but the reward is a college-ready interior OL prospect that may factor into the two-deep as soon as he hits campus. Spindler will make his announcement on Aug. 8.

Four-star offensive guard Drew Kendall

No. 128 player nationally | No. 8 guard | No. in Massachusetts

Spindler is not the only guard that Warriner is working hard on, as Kendall is another player that could fill a role in this class. All of the 247Sports Crystal Balls on him currently have him heading to Michigan, so the experts expect Kendall to be a part of this class at some point. He might need some time to put on some weight to his frame, but would be yet another strong get for the offensive line class.

Four-star offensive tackle Rayshaun Benny

No. 189 player nationally | No. 19 OT | No. 6 in Michigan

Benny is being recruited to play on defense for Michigan, which bodes well for their ability to take him in this class and it is the side of the ball he prefers to play on, he told MnB. At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds before he even gets to college, this could be the type of size and bulk the team needs to add in the middle.

Four-star defensive tackle George Rooks

No. 196 player nationally | No. 14 DT | No. 2 in New Jersey

Rooks gets lost in the mix with some of the bigger targets garnering more buzz, but he has the look of a player that can flex inside and out along the defensive line depending on the front that is being used. He has only a pair of Crystal Balls to his name, both for Michigan, but 247 also lists Pittsburgh and Syracuse as the “warm” teams in his recruitment alongside the Wolverines.

Four-star wide receiver Jayden Thomas

No. 219 player nationally | No. 39 WR | No. 21 in Georgia

Thomas’ recruitment is still developing, but the Wolverines are in on him and he is also being recruited to play baseball. Regardless of whether Michigan lands Worthy or not, Thomas would be the icing on the cake to a really solid receiver haul that also includes four-star commit Cristian Dixon and three-star Markus Allen.