The Wolverines are the best team in the nation, the defending Big Ten champions, and a participant in the College Football Playoffs despite the fact that a number of key players who are vital to the team’s success on the field were not high profile recruits.
Don’t let anyone tell you that stars don’t matter — they absolutely do. But so do highly motivated, culture building, developmental three stars, and Michigan has several of them who make up the very fabric that has turned the Wolverines into a legitimate contender.
Right now, according to 247 Sports, Michigan’s 2024 class checks in at No. 19 nationally. That does seem a bit low considering how much success Michigan has had recently, but the class does have a nice blend of what makes Michigan so good right now — some highly rated stars, some middle of the pack, versatile players and some lower rated potential gems. With the 2023 Early Signing Period in the books, and some Michigan fans a little worried about the 2024 crop, let’s take a look at six under the radar recruits who have made the Wolverines the No. 1 team in the nation. Four of them are Michigan Men through and through and captain material, one is a budding young star and another is a transfer who has been a major part of this year’s defense.
The idea that “The Mutant” is a three-star contender on all platforms is really astounding. Experts believed there were 486 players better than Jenkins when he graduated from high school. That is absurd. Jenkins is one of Michigan’s most crucial defensive players right now and a true beast. He is strong, agile, adaptable, and unrelenting. Although he doesn’t pack the stat sheet, he is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the game.
Amazingly, ESPN, who does the least work when it comes to covering recruiting, was the only service to give Sainristil a four-star rating. Mikey was viewed as a an athlete who could play on both sides of the ball as a high school prospect, which can sometimes hurt a prospect’s ranking. That path has obviously played out at Michigan for the one-time receiver, but he has turned into one of the best nickel corners in the entire country. He’s a two-time captain, an absolute ball hawk with incredible skills and an off-field champion that would make any team and locker room better. He’s a future pro and was obviously severely underrated as a high school player.
Moore follows the trend; he was genuinely rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports and On3, but it was evident that he was not a blue chipper since he had over forty offers. Moore caught Michigan’s attention, and it has paid off handsomely. The Ohio native, who made the game-winning interception against the Buckeyes back in November, was aware of the rivalry between Ohio State and himself. Like Sainristil, he has an uncanny ability to be in the right spot at the right time and make plays with the ball and tackle opponents in the open field. It’s difficult to determine who is more crucial to Michigan’s secondary between him and Sainristil.
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