The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman comes out with his ‘Freaks List’ yearly for college football. For his 2022 rendition, Feldman had Mazi Smith ranked No. 1.
Andrew Ivins with 247Sports came out with a 2023 high school football version of a Freaks List. Ivins put 50 2023 high school prospects on his list and he had a summary of why they were ranked.
There was one Michigan commit listed.
Collins Acheampong comes in at No. 16. Acheampong is a four-star athlete from Santa Margarita Catholic.
Collins Acheampong looks like someone who was built in create-a-player mode on Madden — or maybe NBA 2K — as he’s over 6-foot-7 and equipped with 10-inch hands to go along with his near 7-foot wingspan. He didn’t play football as a sophomore or junior after the global pandemic dismantled his school’s football program, but he flashed this summer on the camp circuit and was better than expected in the first game of his senior season at Rancho Santa Margarita Catholic, totaling a sack and multiple pressures. Acheampong, who many view as a pass rusher long-term, will need some time to develop, but he could be a monster one day given how explosive he is with his length (has touched 141 inches on a vertical leap test and gone 4.2 in the 20-yard shuttle).
Acheampong is listed as an athlete on 247Sports, but he is projected to be an edge rusher when he comes to Michigan. He is listed as the 244th ranked prospect and the 16th ranked athlete in the country by the 247Sports composite.
What makes the recruitment of Acheampong so interesting is that he didn’t play football the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he tore it up on the defensive side of the ball his freshman year of high school. In 2019, as a freshman, he recorded 51 tackles, 15 TFL, nine sacks, and one fumble recovery.
Mike Elston was the primary recruiter and the California product committed to the Wolverines back on June 10. He chose Michigan over both Miami (FL) and LSU.
The No. 1 prospect on Ivins’ Freaks List is a prospect that Michigan fans are really hoping the Wolverines can reel in, Nyckoles Harbor.
Harbor is a five-star athlete from Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC) and he is the 10th-best prospect according to the 247Sports composite. The Wolverines are trying to fend off Maryland, Georgia, LSU, and South Carolina. Harbor can play either the edge position or be a game-changing tight end at the next level.
The other obstacle in the way of landing the talent of Harbor is track. Harbor is not only a football star, but he is an incredible track runner. Harbor has talked about going pro in track after high school, which would affect college football.
Harbor is expected to visit Michigan on the weekend of Sept. 23 for the home game against Maryland.
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