[ad_1]
The Michigan Wolverines’ 2022 football recruiting class is off to a hot start, with the haul containing two four-star prospects and a five-star.
We have provided background info on each of them below (in chronological order from the newest pledge to the oldest), and will continue to update this article each time Michigan lands a new pledge.
RELATED: What Landing Taylor Groves Means for Michigan
RELATED: Groves Commits to Michigan — ‘When you Know, you Know’
Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South five-star cornerback Will Johnson
Height: 6-2
Weight: 182
2020 Stats: 14.5 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups
Quick Biography: Johnson committed to Michigan Feb. 28, becoming the Wolverines’ first (and to date, only) five-star prospect in the class. He chose the Maize and Blue over his other two finalists, Ohio State and USC, pledging a little over three months after a visit to The Big House during U-M’s November showdown against Wisconsin.
“I think it was definitely a big visit for me,” Johnson said of his November trip. “They impressed me a lot. I definitely connected with a lot the commits. It was a big weekend for Michigan. I liked getting to see the dorms, but really it was being able to connect with everybody.”
Johnson’s father, Deon, also played for Michigan in the 1990s. The younger Johnson also cited his relationship with U-M’s new co-defensive coordinators, Mike Macdonald and Mo Linguist, as one of the primary factors for his pledge.
“They said it’s not going to be a lot of man [defense],” Johnson said of the schematic philosophy. “They are going to have a lot of different coverages and take a more pro-minded approach.”
Cross Plains (Tenn.) East Robertson four-star safety Taylor Groves
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
2020 Stats: He played in East Robertson’s first five games but then missed the second half of the season with injury, but still managed 694 all-purpose yards, 10 total touchdowns, 55 tackles and two interceptions.
Quick Biography: He committed to Michigan Feb. 5, despite receiving his offer just a week earlier on Jan. 27. Groves cited his relationship with new co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist as one of the primary reasons for his pledge.
“It was just a gut feeling,” he said. “It was also the relationship I built with Coach Mo Linguist. It just felt real. I feel like he’s a coach who can develop me and get me where I want to be.
“I like how real he is. He doesn’t beat around the bush and tells you what he wants and how he feels. That’s what you need as a coach. He coached in the NFL, so he can show me what I need to do to get there.”
Groves is listed as a wide receiver by Rivals.com, but was recruited by Michigan as a safety. His commitment came without ever having visited Ann Arbor.
Germantown (Tenn.) High four-star safety Kody Jones
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
2020 Stats: Shelby County Schools did not have a football season this past fall
Quick Biography: He pledged to Michigan Feb. 5, just two and a half weeks after picking up an offer from the Maize and Blue. Jones said the primary reason for his commitment was due to the relationship he had built with newly-hired U-M co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist.
“Really, it’s Coach Mo,” Jones explained while discussing his pledge. “The relationship we have is crazy. What we talk about and how we talk about it is real. I felt it in my heart.
“That’s where I want to be. I know it in my heart, so why wait?”
Jones committed to Michigan over other impressive offers from the likes of Auburn, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M. His pledge also came without ever having visited Ann Arbor.
The four-star is listed as a safety, but Linguist has discussed him potentially filling Michigan’s nickel/corner role as well.
Monument (Colo.) Palmer Ridge three-star offensive tackle Connor Jones
Height: 6-7
Weight: 285
Quick Biography: He pledged to Michigan on Christmas Eve night (Dec. 24), standing as U-M’s first offensive line commit in the 2022 class. The 6-7, 285-pounder chose the Maize and Blue over other Power Five offers from Indiana, Northwestern, Oregon State, Virginia and West Virginia.
Jones admitted he’s been a Michigan fan his entire life, and cited his relationship with [now former] offensive line coach Ed Warinner as one of the primary reasons he committed.
“Overall, he’s a great coach,” Jones said of Warinner. “He’s put a lot of guys in the league. That’s one thing I’m going to take into consideration when making a decision. It definitely makes me super excited. The NFL is Plan A.”
Jones also took a self-guided tour of Ann Arbor in mid-December a week before he committed, marking the first time he’d ever been to campus.
River Rouge (Mich.) High three-star defensive end Davonte Miles
Height: 6-4
Weight: 265
Quick Biography: He committed to Michigan Dec. 18, serving as just the third pledge in the Wolverines’ 2022 class. Miles had 17 scholarship offers at the time of his commitment, including other notable ones from the likes of Kentucky, Michigan State and Pittsburgh.
“I feel like I wanted to stay home and help Michigan win, become that top-caliber program,” Miles told Rivals.com’s Josh Helmholdt. “They were one of my favorite programs [growing up].
“It’s a huge blessing and a dream come true.”
Miles also cited his relationship with defensive line coach Shaun Nua as one of the primary reasons for his pledge.
Rabun Gap (Ga.) Nacoochee three-star tight end Marlin Klein
Height: 6-6
Weight: 215
2019 Stats: 15 catches for 335 yards and four touchdowns
Quick Biography: He pledged to Michigan on Sept. 22, becoming the first offensive commit in the Wolverines’ 2022 class.
Originally hailing from Germany, Klein chose Michigan over other notable offers from Florida State and Georgia.
Despite being listed as a wide receiver, U-M tight ends coach Sherrone Moore was Klein’s primary recruiter. The 6-6, 215-pounder cited how much Ann Arbor reminded him of Germany when explaining why he chose to pledge.
“As soon as I stepped on campus, it felt like home, and that is when I started thinking about committing,” he said. “I did not go up there thinking about doing this, but I know that I found my place.
“When I was up at Michigan, I felt like I was at home in Germany. The weather reminded me of home, and it just felt right. The campus was great, the people are nice, and Michigan is the whole package.”
—
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
[ad_2]
Source link
