Roundup: Meet Michigan football’s 2021 recruiting class

A full roundup of recruiting evaluations, facts, stats, film and everything else covering Michigan football’s signed 2021 class.

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It wasn’t a perfect signing day for Michigan football, as there were a few unhappy surprises, and a big great one — as well as a couple of smaller ones — so it was mostly good for the Wolverines. It took a minute for the letters of intent to start rolling in, but once they did, they came in with regularity.

We scoured the main sites for breakdowns and intel on all of Michigan football’s newest members, including the new bios from the program itself. Here’s everything you need to know about Michigan football’s 2021 recruiting class, in order of their signing.

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Dominick Giudice

From MGoBlue.com:

Prep
• Attended Mater Dei High School (2021) coached by Dino Mangiero
• Helped Mater Dei finish as the state runner-up after reaching the championship game as a junior
• Played all along the defensive line and offensive tackle in high school
• Selected to the Mater Dei Prep All-Decade Team (2010-19) on defense

Key Statistics
• Credited with 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks and 42 quarterback pressures as a senior
• Totaled 43 tackles for loss and 24 sacks as a junior – total was No. 1 in New Jersey and ranked 11th nationally

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of three stars; the No. 1,958 overall player nationally, the No. 100 weakside defensive end and the No. 42 player in the state of New Jersey
• Three-star prospect according to 247Sports; the No. 111 defensive end nationally and the No. 43 player in the state of New Jersey
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 179 defensive end and the No. 35 player in the state of New Jersey
• Rivals.com two-star prospect
• First team All-New Jersey Defensive pick by USA Today as a senior
• Named the division’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior; first team defense All-Division selection
• Earned Jersey Sports Zone All-Zone Team as a junior and senior

Personal
• Dominick Giudice was born Sept. 12, 2002
• Son of Anthony and Maryann Giudice

The Wolverine’s EJ Holland:

He plays with a relentless motor and has shown improvement with the way he uses his hands. Giudice doesn’t bend all that well, and a clear lack of athleticism prevents him from going higher in my ranking. He also needs to work on his get off. Giudice fits the cliché billing as a lunch pail recruit with a chip on his shoulder. Overall, you’re getting a big, strong, mean kid that lacks athleticism but will be the hardest worker in the room.

Maize N Brew:

Giudice has said that the coaches plan to play him at the anchor position, which I agree matches his skillset the best right now. He doesn’t have the athleticism to be a pure pass rusher on the weakside, but can definitely take on tight ends and clog up running lanes. However, I think that eventually he’ll pack on 20 or 30 more pounds and slide inside to be a three-tech, where his pass rush skills will be more valuable.

Wolverine Digest:

2021 Outlook: Giudice is an underrated recruit, but does have some upside. At 6-4, 250 pounds, he has the type of frame and athletic ability that will serve him well at the defensive end position. He’s also been described as a kid who is moving fast at all times, making it difficult for offensive lineman to keep him in check. It’s unlikely that Guidice will become an impact player in year one, but the upside is definitely there for him to become one at some point.

Next: Michigan’s tight end of the future

National Signing Day: Michigan Wolverines sign Giovanni El-Hadi

The first to commit in the 2021 recruiting class, the four-star offensive tackle makes it official with Michigan football.

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Ratings

Stars Overall Position State
247Sports 4 86 13 3
Rivals 4 90 13 4
ESPN 4 134 18 5
247Sports Composite 4 25 12 4

Vitals

Hometown Sterling Heights (MI) Adlai Stevenson
Projected Position Offensive Tackle
Height 6-foot-5
Weight 285-pounds

Recruitment

He’s the one who kicked it all off. El-Hadi was the first in the 2021 class to pull the trigger for the Wolverines in March 2019, and he never wavered on his pledge.

Since, he joined J.J. McCarthy in being a vocal leader to try and lure fellow recruits to Ann Arbor.

Readiness Level

A prototypical tackle, El-Hadi likely has to wait until his second year until he becomes an everyday contributor, as he’s behind both Ryan Hayes and transfer Willie Allen.

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Film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqhnLAGInw8

Stories

Michigan commits make push for Donovan Edwards

Giovanni El-Hadi showcases dominance in highlight video

El-Hadi takes in Michigan vs. Iowa game (2019)

El-Hadi takes in Michigan vs. MTSU game (2019)

El-Hadi reacts to J.J. McCarthy’s commitment

Why El-Hadi chose Michigan

El-Hadi commitment story

Fab Four: Selecting Michigan football’s Mount Rushmore of all-time recruits

 

Michigan commits, signees make push for Donovan Edwards

With one major target off the board at RB in 2021, several prospective Wolverines took to Twitter to thy and lure a 4-star in-state tailback

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When Hopewell (VA) five-star RB TreVeyon Henderson committed to Ohio State without having ever visited Columbus, nearly all of Michigan’s hopes at tailback suddenly rest on an in-state talent in West Bloomfield (MI) four-star Donovan Edwards.

It seemed as if the Wolverines were trailing for the star player in Oakland County, with the Buckeyes, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma all in full-pursuit. However, reports indicate that Michigan has made a big push, including one from The Wolverine’s EJ Holland, who published a story on Friday about the maize and blue pursuit of Edwards.

Many of those already committed or even signed to Michigan took that as an opportunity to let Edwards know just how much he’s wanted in Ann Arbor, including commits J.J. McCarthy and Giovanni El-Hadi as well as signees Zak Zinter, AJ Henning, Kalel Mullings and Braiden McGregor.

Check out their pitches to Edwards below:

 

 

 

Michigan 2021 commit showcases dominance in new highlight video

The 2021 Wolverines football commit just released his junior highlight video showcasing his dominance.

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When Sterling Heights (MI) Adlai Stevenson offensive tackle Giovanni El-Hadi pledged to Michigan, he was a veritable unknown — which made sense given that the 2021 class wasn’t on everyone’s radar just yet.

Fast forward nearly a year from his commitment last March, and El-Hadi is both a regular feature in Ann Arbor and one of the nation’s top prospects, rated as a four-star, 49th in the country, regardless of position, by Rivals.com, and the 8th-best offensive tackle nationally.

Now, he’s a powerhouse, continuing to grow into his technique, body and ability. At 6-foot-5, 300-pounds, El-Hadi is still a work in progress, but his junior year showed just how little work he might need when it comes to his aggressiveness.

El-Hadi took to Twitter on Tuesday evening, finally posting his latest, a full highlight reel of him playing both offensive tackle as well as defensive end.

Watching it, you can see why not only Michigan coveted him, but also why a school like Penn State had the foresight to try to get in on him early.

Watch his new junior highlight reel below:

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Michigan ‘near the top’ for Detroit Country Day 3-star OT Caleb Tiernan

Detroit Country Day 2021 offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan went to Michigan to watch the basketball team take on Oregon at Crisler Center

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Livonia (Mich.) Detroit Country Day 2021 three-star offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan has Michigan “definitely near the top” in his college recruitment, and a recent trip to Ann Arbor has solidified his interest.

Tiernan went to Michigan to watch the basketball team take on Oregon at Crisler Center Saturday, which ended in a 71-70 overtime loss.

Since it wasn’t a football game, there were fewer recruits. That gave the prospect something similar to a one-on-one experience.

“I think I know everything about Michigan and how it works, so I’m just trying to build connections with the coaches and other commits to see if this is the place,” Tiernan told WolverinesWire.

The 6-foot-7, 265-pound lineman focused on what he was looking for in a football program, spent time with offensive line coach Ed Warinner and offensive line graduate assistant Josh Hendershot.

“More personally and less in a rush,” Tiernan said of his conversations with Warinner and Hendershot. “It was a lot more impacting because if I end up going there, they would be my coaches.”

Specifically speaking his relationship with Warinner, Tiernan said he was a “really nice guy” and showcased his caring attitude for all those on the roster.

Tiernan also had the opportunity to check in with 2021 four-star offensive tackle Giovanni El-Hadi, the 96th-best prospect in the country and a Michigan commit.

El-Hadi was the first in the 2021 class to commit to Michigan, and Tiernan wanted to find out what caused him to pledge so early.

The Sterling Heights (Mich.) Stevenson only had positives words regarding the Wolverines.

“It was the first time I’ve asked a commit about why he chose Michigan,” Tiernan said.

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Following the relaxing yet engaging visit to Michigan, Tiernan trimmed his list to four schools – Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State and Penn State.

Tiernan doesn’t plan to set a commitment date.

“It will probably be whenever,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m going to set a date.”

Ranked as the No. 451 prospect in the country, Tiernan is also No. 47 at offensive tackle and No. 12 in Michigan, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire@EvanPetzold