5 Biggest Recruiting Victories Of The Jim Harbaugh Era

So far, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has done a quality job in assembling a strong 2021 recruiting class, one that currently ranks No. 7 according to Rivals.com. This class is shaping up so nicely, in fact, that many are drumming up conversation around whether or now it will wind up as Harbaugh's finest recruiting effort of his Michigan tenure.

Looking back at the classes from a macro perspective from 2016 (Harbaugh's first full recruiting cycle) on, the Wolverines secured the No. 4 class in the nation for both the '16 and '17 cycles. Now, recruiting rankings often end up as a numbers game, and Michigan signed 29 and 30 prospects in those two years respectively, so a drop off in the subsequent seasons is expected, but that gives a base for which years U-M was recruiting at its highest level.

1. Rashan Gary – Defensive End – Paramus Catholic

No recruiting retrospective from the Harbaugh era is compete without discussing Rashan Gary, a five-star defensive end prospect that wound up as the No. 1 recruit in the entire country according to 247Sports.com.

Gary, who was listed at 6-5 and 283 pounds, is one of the most complete defensive lineman to come out of high school in the past five years. Gary was such a high level prospect that he received a good deal of attention from Michigan when former head coach Brady Hoke was in charge, and Harbaugh continued to push for the explosive East coast recruit.

From a recruiting perspective, Gary was down to Michigan and Clemson for what seemed like a good amount of time. Alabama was a suitor that lurked around for a while as well and was looked at as a dark horse threat, but the Tigers were the main competition in this recruitment.

At Michigan, Gary did not quite live up to the expectations placed upon him as a No. 1 recruit in the country, but he was still productive from the get to in Ann Arbor. As a true freshman, Gary only logged 27 total tackles but five of those were for a loss of yardage, so he made an impact as he was eased into the lineup. From then on, Gary was perhaps the most important U-M defensive lineman to contain for opposing offensive lines during his final two years at Michigan, seasons that were capped off with All-Big Ten honors. Ultimately, Gary was selected at No. 12 in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in 2019.

2. J.J. McCarthy – Quarterback – IMG Academy

Though the recruitment of J.J. McCarthy was not the drag-it-out, dogfight battle of other prospects, it may end up being one of, if not the, most impactful recruiting victory of the Harbaugh era due to the timing.

Initially suiting up for Nazareth Academy in Illinois, McCarthy led his former high school to three consecutive state championship berths with one victory to his credit. This high level success is part of why IMG Academy (and Michigan) was attracted to his talent, but his on-field prowess is just as impressive as his leadership.

Over the summer, McCarthy was invited to the Elite 11 Finals, which is dedicated to the top rising senior quarterbacks in the country. According to the SI All-American staff on hand, McCarthy was ranked as the No. 2 passer in attendance. By all accounts, McCarthy showed off a great deal of zip on his passes, was precise with his touch when throwing into small windows and was coachable throughout the contest. Each of these qualities have many anxious for the time McCarthy steps onto campus in Ann Arbor.

According to Rivals.com, McCarthy is ranked as the No. 33 prospect in the nation according to Rivals.com, but he is a five-star and the No. 2 quarterback overall according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings. Given the timing of his commitment when some are beginning to criticize Harbaugh's ability to develop a quarterback at Michigan, McCarthy takes the No. 2 position for biggest recruiting wins for the U-M head coach.

3. Aidan Hutchinson – Defensive End – Divine Child

Over the last year-plus, Aidan Hutchinson has proved that he is one of the most important pieces on the U-M defense heading into the 2020 season. Last year, Hutchinson grew into his own as an anchor on the D-Line, posting 66 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six pass deflections and four and a half sacks as a true sophomore. Hutchinson is expected to take another step forward this season and has been the recipient of his fair share of hype entering the fall.

As a recruit, Hutchinson was an in-state product that picked up offers from programs such as LSU, Wisconsin and Michigan State in addition to the Wolverines. Hutchinson went on visits to Notre Dame, Ohio State and MSU, but Michigan was able to win out on a prospect who was rated as the No. 129 player in the country by Rivals.com.

Wolverine Digest ranked Hutchinson as the No. 3 player on the team heading into the season, but sources out of Schembechler Hall indicate that he is actually the best player on the team– and it is not particularly close. Given what he could achieve over the next one or two seasons, Hutchinson comes in at No. 3 on the list of Harbaugh recruiting wins.

4. Cesar Ruiz – Center – IMG Academy

When discussing instant impact players that have taken the field for Harbaugh, center Cesar Ruiz is a clear example of what is possible when Michigan lands a college-ready prospect. Ranked as the No. 1 center by Rivals.com, Ruiz was the consensus top player at his position by the recruiting services due to his clear polish and physical stature.

Once at Michigan, Ruiz spent a bit of time at guard before settling into his natural role at center. Soon, Ruiz became a stalwart along the U-M offensive line as a dependable player that was stout in pass protection and also helped move the line of scrimmage during run plays.

After just three years in college, Ruiz built up a resume that was sound enough to turn pro after picking up two years of All-Big Ten honors. As a result of his efforts at the collegiate level, Ruiz was selected in the first round at No. 24 overall by the New Orleans Saints and just signed his first pro contract on Monday.

5. Daxton Hill – Safety – Booker T. Washington

Over the past decade or so, Michigan has not one many recruiting battles head-to-head against Alabama, but that history was not a factory when Michigan temporarily lost five-star Daxton Hill to the Crimson Tide before he flipped back to Michigan. Hill eventually signed to U-M, and he made a strong impact in spot duty during his freshman campaign as he filled in for injury. Entering the 2020 season, Hill is looked at as a lock to start in the secondary and has drawn a fair amount of critical acclaim throughout the pre-season.

At the end of the recruiting cycle, Hill was ranked as the No. 24 player in the country by Rivals.com's measure and the No. 14 player overall on 247Sports.com. Both sides had the Michigan safety in position as the top player at his position. Michigan's ability to land the consensus best player at a given position is notable in itself, but winning a hard fought recruiting battle against Alabama is important in its own right after years of losing out in those contests. For those two reasons, Hill rounds out the top five recruiting victories for Michigan in the Harbaugh era.

Do you think any prospect was excluded from this list that we missed? How would you reorder the list if you had the choice? Let us know!

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