Taking A Look At Jim Harbaugh's Quarterback Recruits Through Six Years
One of the biggest knocks on Jim Harbaugh through his first six years - outside of his record against Ohio State - has been the inability to locate and/or develop a big time quarterback in Ann Arbor. As someone who both played and coached the position at the highest level, it was anticipated that quarterback development would be something that Harbaugh would excel at. Turns out, not so much. Though Harbaugh found success via the transfer portal with former Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock, the rest of his tenure has largely consisted of misses on the recruiting trail.
Brandon Peters, 2016 Class
Brandon Peters was Jim Harbaugh’s first quarterback recruit at the University of Michigan. Peters was rated as the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the nation and the No. 1 overall recruit from the state of Indiana. Harbaugh indicated that he saw many similar traits in Peters that he saw in Andrew Luck, leading many to believe that Peters was set to become Michigan's next great quarterback.
"He's a winner. Very similar (to Luck) in stature at this stage," Harbaugh said. "But most of all, he knows how to naturally play the game of football."
Though Peters would have several opportunities to win the starting job outright, he was never quite able to find his footing at the University of Michigan. Peters ultimately entered the transfer portal following the 2018 season and is currently the starting quarterback at the University of Illinios.
Dylan McCaffrey, 2017 Class
Dylan McCaffrey arrived in Ann Arbor with a lot of fanfare. Not only was he the younger brother of Stanford star running back Christian McCaffrey, he was also the son of three-time Super Bowl Champion wide receiver Ed McCaffrey. Coming from the McCaffrey bloodline, fans once again believed that the highly rated quarterback out of Colorado was set to become the next great quarterback at the University of Michigan.
Though McCaffrey showed flashes of what made him such a highly rated recruit coming out of high school, he also suffered two significant injuries in limited reps that caused him to miss significant time early in his college career. Having fully recovered from his injuries, it seemed like McCaffrey was a sure bet to win the starting job in 2020 following the departure of Shea Patterson. Unfortunately for McCaffrey, Joe Milton emerged as the runaway favorite during fall camp - with multiple reports suggesting that the competition wasn't even close. Following the announcement that Milton had won the starting job, McCaffrey opted out of the 2020 season and announced his intention to transfer.
Interestingly, McCaffrey is still enrolled at the University of Michigan and has yet to enter the transfer portal.
Joe Milton, 2018 Class
Joe Milton arrived in Ann Arbor as Harbaugh’s highest rated quarterback recruit in the 2018 class. In addition to all of the physical attributes Milton possessed, the reports coming out of camp suggested that Mitlon had run away with the starting job and that the competition wasn’t even that close.
After beating out Dylan McCaffrey for the starting job in 2020, it appeared that Harbaugh had finally hit on one of his quarterback recruits. While the jury is still out on Milton, it became clear over the course of the season that there was still a long way to go in terms of development. Milton would eventually be replaced by Cade McNamara in week five.
As it currently stands, Joe Milton is still in the running to win the starting job for the 2021 season.
2020 Stats
- Attempts: 141
- Completions: 80
- Yards: 1,077
- Touchdowns: 4
- Interceptions: 4
Cade McNamara, 2019 Class
Cade McNamara got his first shot when he replaced a struggling Joe Mitlon during week five with the Wolverines trailing Rutgers on the road. McNamara entered the game with Michigan trailing 17-0 and quickly went to work - putting together a three-play, 63 yard touchdown drive on his first possession. McNamara would ultimately lead the Wolverines to a triple-overtime victory that night, snapping a three-game losing streak.
It appeared, at least for the moment, that Harbaugh had discovered his new starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2020 season. McNamara would indeed get the start the very next week against Penn State, he suffered a shoulder injury during the first quarter of the game that all but ended his 2020 season.
Though the sample size is still quite small on McNamara, it's hard to imagine that he wouldn't be the current favorite to win the starting job in 2021.
2020 Stats
- Attempts: 71
- Completions: 43
- Yards: 425
- Touchdown: 5
- Interceptions: 0
Dan Villari, 2020 Class
Villari’s path to Ann Arbor wasn’t filled with the typical fanfare you might expect from a Michigan quarterback recruit. Rated as a three-star prospect coming out of high school, Villari didn’t hold a single offer from a Power 5 program. That all changed when JD Johnson, Michigan’s only quarterback recruit in the 2020 class, learned of a medical condition that would require him to retire early from the game of football. As a result, Michigan had very little time to find a replacement and secure a quarterback in the 2020 class.
That’s when they found Villari.
The big-bodied quarterback is 6-4, 227 pounds and a tremendous athlete. He’s listed as a pro-style quarterback, but he’s mobile enough to do damage with his legs. As a senior at Massapequa (N.Y.) Plainedge, Villari threw for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns against just one interception, while rushing for 1,522 yards with 25 touchdowns. He led the Red Devils to the Class III Championship game where he threw for two touchdowns and rushed for 144 yards en route to a 56-20 win. As a result of his senior year production, Villari took home the Don Snyder Award which is given to the top quarterback and MVP of the Class III Conference.
It's hard to say where Villari will fits into the picture long term. With McNamara's stock rising and McCarthy officially on campus, Villari is clearly the dark horse of the QB compeition in Ann Arbor. I wouldn't count him out just yet.
JJ McCarthy, 2021 Class
McCarthy is the highest-rated quarterback the Wolverines have had in the last 13 years. He’s also the third highest rated Michigan quarterback recruit of all time. While his physical abilities are likely enough to win him the job by the time fall camp rolls around, his leadership abilities are what will almost certainly elevate him to the top of the depth chart.
If you’ve followed McCarthy’s high school career closely, his on-field talent is obvious. At 6-3, 195 pounds, McCarthy is a threat in the pocket that can also extend plays with his legs, making him extremely difficult to defend. While his mobility and arm strength are impressive, his accuracy is elite. Whether standing in the pocket or on the run, McCarthy has the ability to thread the needle all over the field with deadly precision — a concept that likely seems foreign to most Michigan fans.
While the physical abilities are great, what truly sets McCarthy apart is his poise and his leadership. There’s no question who the leader is when McCarthy is on the field. He’s the ultimate competitor who embraces the challenge of leading a group of men to victory. He doesn’t get rattled, the moment is never too big for him and he’s proven time and time again that he can make the right decisions when it counts the most. When his team is struggling and needs a vocal leader, McCarthy is the guy they look to — and he delivers.
Yes, McCarthy possesses all of the physical abilities you look for in a quarterback. More importantly, he provides the type of leadership abilities that have been obviously missing in Ann Arbor for far too long. McCarthy is the team guy, he’s the culture guy, he’s the guy that people buy into and he’s the guy that elevates the play of those around him.
With McCarthy now officially on campus, fans are already counting down the days until he is named QB1.
