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Say what you will about Michigan football, it’s been one of the national powerhouses in recruiting.
With regularity, the Wolverines bring in a top ten class every year, and that’s included the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2016 defensive end Rashan Gary.
However, when ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren looked back at who was the ‘most-hyped’ recruit that the maize and blue brought in, it wasn’t Gary or five-stars Donovan Peoples-Jones or Daxton Hill. No, it was an exciting player who came in with a new coaching staff, all the way back in 2008.
15. Michigan Wolverines: RB Sam McGuffie
Class of 2008
ESPN ranking: No. 30 running backMcGuffie was an internet sensation. There were viral videos of him hurdling players and even flipping over a fellow recruit. He was supposed to be the perfect fit for Rich Rodriguez’s offense at Michigan and was going to help bring the offense up to speed.
McGuffie ran for 486 yards and three touchdowns and had 175 receiving yards with a TD during his first year at Michigan. He suffered multiple concussions, though, and ended up transferring to Rice. He had 883 rushing yards and six touchdowns his first season at Rice, but injuries plagued him and eventually moved to wide receiver for his final season.
He eventually signed as a free agent with a few NFL teams before landing as a member of the 2018 United States Olympic men’s bobsled team in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
McGuffie, as noted, only had but one season in Ann Arbor before he transferred to Rice. But he certainly had the look of a big-time playmaker in that solitary season.
However, given that Michigan broke its longstanding bowl game streak, the longest in the nation at the time, by going 3-9, the era of McGuffie is one that most ardent Wolverines faithful long to forget.