Michigan Football Recruiting: 2022 Signee Superlatives
Michigan's football roster officially grew by 22 on National Signing day last Wednesday. Some of the newest Wolverines will be household names next fall, while others may take a couple years to get it figured out. Here's a look at some of the things that stand out from this year's class.
Most Athletic
There's a reason why all the Florida schools and others wanted Dent down the stretch. The 6-0, 190-pounder is all arms and legs, runs extremely well and has great ball skills. When you watch him run around and make plays, you get the sense that he's just good at everything that involves athleticism. He's got that natural, muscular build and just makes everything look really easy. He's raw, and he'll have to refine some specifics when it comes to playing the safety position, but he's got all of the ability in the world.
Most Likely To Succeed (On & Off Field)
ON THE FIELD:
Sabb is billed as one of the top overall safeties in the entire country and just looks like he'll be able to step in and play right away. At safety, you don't have to do a ton in terms of making huge plays to be considered really good — see Brad Hawkins. Sabb has the mental makeup, football IQ, size, speed and experience against top competition to be really, really good at Michigan for several seasons. It's nearly impossible to imagine Sabb not being extremely successful at Michigan almost out of the gate.
OFF THE FIELD:
Orji is so intriguing both on and off the field. I have no doubt that he can be great on the field, but if football doesn't work out, this kid is a lock to be successful. As the youngest son of Nigerian immigrants who came to the United State in order to pursue an elite education and successful careers, Alex has been driven to be great on and off the field. His father Willy studied accounting and finance in Nigeria and then pursued additional education at Eastfield College and then at the University of North Texas. Alex's mother Miriam got her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and is now a surgeon. The two of them also regularly raise money to fund scholarships for Nigerian children in the area where they grew up. Alex's older brothers, Alston and Anfernee, both play football at Vanderbilt, where they're extremely focused on academics as well. Alex may end up being outstanding in a winged helmet, but with a family structure like that, he's all set even if he never plays another snap.
Future Team Captain
As a life-long Michigan kid and the son of a former Wolverine, Johnson has maize and blue in his veins. He's also extremely intelligent, charismatic and possesses great leadership skills. He's a lot like Aidan Hutchinson in terms of his background and what he brings to the table between the ears. He's going to work hard, lead by example, practice, lift and study diligently and bring his teammates along with him.
Biggest Steal
There are quite a few candidates here since Michigan flipped a few guys away from their original suitors on signing day, but Walker feels like the biggest nab because he used to be committed to Notre Dame. He's also extremely intriguing at 6-4, 175 pounds and with position versatility. Walker is long, lean, smooth and very naturally athletic. He looks most like a wide receiver, which is where he'll start out at Michigan, but he's got a lot of ability as a defensive back as well. If he ends up being an all-conference or All-American type of player, Michigan fans can brag about it to Irish fans for years.
Most Underrated
Stokes is from a military family and treats his football life like a job, and he's been doing that since he was in about 9th grade. He's motivated, driven and talented. That's a dangerous combination when given the vehicle to develop and succeed — see Blake Corum, David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson. Stoke is modestly rated as a three-star prospect and is considered the No. 60 running back in the country per 247 Sports. I'll be shocked if there are 59 running backs from his class who end up having a better career than him.
Swiss Army Knife
I've already outlined what makes Orji so special off the field, but I am extremely intrigued by what he's capable of on it. At 6-2 and north of 230 pounds, Orji is built like a brick house and he can really run, as evidence by his 24 rushing touchdowns this past season. But he can also really throw the ball. He's going to start out at quarterback at Michigan, and I think he's got a great chance of earning playing time there someday, but he's big enough, strong enough and athletic enough to play several other position. He's the kind of kid who could end up being an All-Big Ten linebacker. He's certainly smart enough to pick up anything you throw at him, so it's going to be interesting to see what the Michigan coaches do decide to throw at him.
Best Position Group
Michigan landed some nice prospects across the board, but the defensive back haul is in the discussion as the best in the country. Here are the signees:
- Grosse Pointe (Mich.) High cornerback Will Johnson
- Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy safety Keon Sabb
- Concord (Calif.) De La Salle safety Zeke Berry
- Germantown (Tenn.) High athlete Kody Jones
- Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood cornerback Myles Pollard
- Jacksonville (Fla.) Terry Parker safety Damani Dent
With pure cover corners north of 6-2 (Johnson, Pollard), versatile safeties (Sabb, Berry), a speedy, lightning quick nickel (Jones) and a ultra high ceiling ballhawk (Dent) all in this group, all six of these guys could play together and compliment each other well for years to come.
Hardest Hitter
Just put on the tape. At 6-2, 220 pounds, Rolder is put together and he can really run. When you put that kind of size in motion, at high speed and blast into quarterbacks or ball carriers, you get violent collisions, and that's exactly what you see when you watch Rolder play. He's smart, fast and really intense in pursuit. That makes him a lot of fun to watch. He's good for several big hits per outing, which should translate to the next level.
Rookie Star
At 6-3, 205 pounds and with 4.37 speed, Clemons has the physical build and ability to get on the field next fall. Plus, wide receiver is typically a position that isn't quite as hard to pick up as a freshman. Of course, Jim Harbaugh and his offensive coaches value blocking downfield by receivers in a major way, so we'll see if Clemons can do that at a high level. He's got the size and physical strength to be a good blocker, and everything else is certainly there, so playing time as a rookie is on the table for the Oregon native.
Best Recruiter
The traits that make Johnson a future captain also made him a great recruiter throughout the cycle. He's a Michigan lifer, he's got a great personality and he's a really good player. Those three things make a prospect attractive to fellow prospects. As the son of a former player, Johnson also has a cool angle to pitch when it comes to talking about what it's like to be a Wolverine. He was always extremely active on social media, as well. There's a reason the Michigan coaches wanted Johnson in attendance for every major recruiting event over the course of the last year-plus.