Michigan Must Change Messaging On NIL

Michigan is coming off of one of it's best seasons in program history, yet the momentum on the recruiting trail is essentially non-existent halfway through the month of July. As questions and concerns continue to grow over Michigan's NIL approach and its impact on recruiting, most are pointing to the current recruiting rankings in the 2023 class as the smoking gun for why Michigan must change its NIL approach.

Before we go any further, here's where the Wolverines have finished in each recruiting cycle within the Big Ten since 2010 according to 247Sports:

2010: No. 3
2011: No. 5
2012: No. 2
2013: No. 2
2014: No. 2
2015: No. 5
2016: No. 2
2017: No. 2
2018: No. 3
2019: No. 1
2020: No. 2
2021: No. 2
2022: No. 3
2023: No. 12 (Current ranking as of July 11, 2022)

Though Michigan experienced a few down seasons and three coaching changes during that span (2010-2022), the Wolverines never seemed to struggle on the recruiting trail - finishing No. 3 or better in 11 of the last 13 recruiting cycles. It's that long track record of success on the recruiting trail that has a lot of fans scratching their heads about Michigan's 2023 class.

Will the Wolverines ultimately recover and sign a top-five class within the conference? Will Michigan's stance on NIL serve as a roadblock on the recruiting trail? We discuss all of that and more in the video below: