There are a lot of varying opinions in the world of college football recruiting, with now four major services: 247Sports, On3, Rivals, and ESPN. 247Sports started more than a decade ago now and quickly became the industry standard. It absorbed Scout, which along with Rivals, were considered the top recruiting-only sites.
But the worldwide leader, ESPN, has continued to have its own rankings of prospects, though its staff has dwindled compared to what it used to be.
Recently, ESPN put out where each team stands in the 2024 class and the Michigan Wolverines are behind only Georgia nationally.
2. Michigan Wolverines
ESPN 300 commits: 9 | Previous ranking: 2
Big Ten rank: 1 of 14
Top offensive commit: QB Jadyn Davis (No. 37)
Top defensive commit: DT Jerod Smith (No. 169)Michigan is battling for one of the top classes not only in the Big Ten, but in the country. Jadyn Davis was a big pickup at QB, as he is an accurate passer with a smooth release who has been highly productive, throwing for more than 3,400 yards with 43 TDs as a junior while completing 73% of his passes. RB Jordan Marshall was a nice pull out of Ohio, as he is a runner with a wonderful blend of speed, quickness and balance, exemplified by his excellent testing numbers — a laser-timed 4.53 40-yard dash and 7.04 L-drill — at the Ohio UA camp. Closer to home, Jacob Oden is a defender who will come downhill and close well in run support. Mason Curtis can be a well-rounded linebacker who is tough enough to play the run and flexible and agile enough to be effective in coverage. On the defensive line, Jerod Smith brings a competitive demeanor with a versatile skill set with his blend of quickness and power.
The Wolverines are still ahead of Ohio State, Florida, and other surging programs according to ESPN. The same holds true on 247Sports, but the margin between the maize and blue and scarlet and gray is getting slimmer.
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