Michigan has fallen behind in recruiting for the 2023 class.
Recruiting has always been highly sought after. College fans brag about their recruiting standings, and coaches work the recruiting trail all year round to constantly and consistently bring in talent.
Now more than ever, with the addition of NIL, recruiting is heavily under the microscope. Money has been thrown around all across the country in an effort to attract the best talent. In conferences like the Big Ten, recruiting is vital. Players want to play for well-known names like Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State.
This is why it is uncanny to see a Big Ten champion fall so behind in recruiting. Michigan is doing precisely that. After a spectacular season and dethroning Ohio State in the Big Ten, Michigan is ninth in the recruiting rankings in the Big Ten and 35th in the country.
Teams that rank higher in the Big Ten than the Wolverines are:
Ohio State (1st in the country)
Penn State (3rd in the country)
Northwestern (18th in the country)
Iowa (20th in the country)
Michigan State (25th in the country)
Purdue (28th in the country)
Nebraska (29th in the country)
Minnesota (30 in the country)
According to 247 sports
Michigan is coming off a spectacular season where they shocked the entire country by winning the Big Ten en route to a college playoff appearance. The Wolverines dominated the Buckeyes, beating them 45-27 for their first victory against their arch-rivals since 2011.
Michigan would finish the regular season with only one loss versus Michigan State. Despite looking flat versus Georgia in the College Football Playoff, it seemed Michigan was ready to compete to take over the conference with Ohio State.
Even though it is still possible to compete with the Buckeyes, Michigan falling behind in recruiting is troubling for the Michigan faithful. However, lifelong Michigan fans are pointing out that Michigan is doing things right, sticking to the “Michigan Way.”
Michigan seems to be adamant about following the rules. This is a pleasant surprise as teams are scrambling to compete from a monetary point of view. Some argue that this will help Michigan in the long run as they can stay consistent with their beliefs and keep a long-term structure while other programs will struggle.
Michigan critics argue the opposite, that the Wolverines are lagging behind in a new era of college football.
For now, the rankings look bleak, but it will not matter if Michigan continues to find success moving forward.
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