When Michigan football got a commitment from Charlotte (N.C.) West athlete Jaden Smith, 247Sports didn’t even have a star ranking for him. On3 had him listed as a three-star, but a lowly one.
Now that Smith is pledged to a big-name program of Michigan’s caliber, he’s gotten on scouts’ radar, and they’re now seeing what the Wolverines saw when they offered him. And the recruiting rankings are reflecting that.
ESPN updated its recruiting rankings on Thursday and the biggest benefactor of Michigan football’s pledges was Smith, who went from unranked to No. 102 overall. Here’s what Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill had to say about why Smith made a meteoric rise:
The Wolverines are assembling one of the nation’s premier classes, and that group just got another boost with the recent addition of Smith, who enters the ESPN 300. A standout at the UCReport’s Carolina camp, he posted strong testing numbers, including a laser 4.58 40-yard dash and a broad jump over 10 feet that would have placed him among the top LBs in this year’s NFL combine. He needs to continue to fill out his 6-3, 200-pound frame, but while adding more power to his game, he can give offenses fits with his quickness and range. Smith will effortlessly slip blockers and change direction and has excellent body control. A disruptive defender who lives in opponents’ backfields, Smith should only continue to improve as he adds size and gets stronger. It won’t be surprising if he moves up the rankings further when all is said and done.
Since his commitment, we’ve seen the recruiting services update his ranking across the board. The 247Sports Composite has Smith as a four-star at No. 311 overall. 247Sports’ proprietary ranking now has him listed as a three-star and the 42nd-best athlete. On3’s rankings haven’t markedly changed and Rivals now has him as a three-star prospect and the 54th-best player at his position, nationally.
Smith projects to linebacker at 6-foot-2.5 and 195 pounds. He’s now the second-ranked Michigan football commit in 2024, behind only tight end Brady Prieskorn at No. 83, but ahead of No. 114 Jadyn Davis, No. 148 RB Jordan Marshall, No. 153 Jerod Smith, No. 206 Andrew Sprague, No. 225 Jacob Oden, No. 226 Mason Curtis, No. 273 Luke Hamilton, No. 285 Hogan Hansen, and No. 288 Blake Frazier.
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