2023 commit Benjamin Hall using offseason to recruit others to the class
Benjamin Hall didn't need to use Sunday as an exposure tool.
Compared to the number of participants throughout the offseason camp circuit without offers or are yet to be committed, others like Hall are an anomaly. They've already announced their pledge before and are in no need to further prove that their recruitment stock deserves a rise.
But should they take the time out of their weekends and lace the cleats, it's a matter of proving themselves to everyone at the camp, including fellow prospects, media, scouts, and parents, that they deserve to be granted that opportunity to be a college athlete.
Simply put, reiterating the fact that their perspective school has instilled trust for them to be a part of the team in one or two years.
For Hall, he could have easily not come to the Rivals Camp Series held in Atlanta, Georgia, last weekend. His plans are set for the next level. Having photographers and creative minds filming his every move wasn't all that necessarily. He knows how talented he is and he knows how Michigan feels about his potential.
But letting it be known on the field that he'll be the next great running back to come out of Michigan was the objective. Letting it be known that he was recruited by Michigan and others weren't.
"I'm trying to establish myself to everyone," Hall told Maize & Blue Review. "I know how good I am but it's a matter of putting everyone else on notice, honestly."
With spring practice now over at North Cobb High, utilizing local showcases like the one held by Rivals.com is Hall's chance to let the momentum ride a little further before it's time to strap on the helmet again in August. The few weeks spent working on footwork, agility, and slimming down during team camp wasn't going to be wasted by Hall.
Hall entered the weekend showcase looking to be about 6-foot-0 and weighing close to 230 pounds. His offseason training certainly featured a heavy focus in the weight room as he possessed tree trunk like arms and throughout his lower half. Packing on more muscle has been the goal in order to perfect his persona as a power running back.
The rising junior's aspirations of being the top athletes for his position at the camp were seen immediately upon the first individual drills. Lead by two-time Super Bowl winner Brandon Jacobs, the bag drills that were set up had the purpose of campers working on their vision up field while using light footwork to not slip on the blocking dummies below them.
Hall was always the first one to grab an available football and be the first in line for the drills. It seemed as if he was vying to become the standard of his group and setting an example of how to do things right. That thought runs parallel to his leadership both on the field and in the classroom at North Cobb.
Assistant coaches at the school have raved about Hall's captain qualities and his value as a person. It really shows what kind of a student-athlete Michigan is getting come next year.
Hall's wanting to be first in line carried over to the pass rush session against opposing linebackers. He had some ferocious battles against guys ranked in the top 100 in the country, including 2024 four-star Sammy Brown, in which Hall would send the highest rated linebacker out of the play back seven yards on one rep. That had Jacobs and those who were watching fired up.
When watching Hall take part in the 1v1 competition towards the end of the camp, honing more of a versatile role to his game clearly showed with his ability to get out in the open field and make catches in tight windows. Hall's first step, low hips, and changing directions on a dime resulted in him winning basically every rep that he received.
When Hall was waiting in line, he made sure to ask who else at the camp was eyeing Michigan as a potential destination. After he got the list of those who added the Wolverines to their top lists, Hall went out of his way to introduce himself to them and show a face to his potential future teammates.
Simple acts like that are part of Hall's initiative to help bring others who hail from the deep south up to Michigan. With his commitment being a few months old, transitioning into a player recruiter has been something that Hall feels compelled to do, especially when getting in the ear of nearby recruits also living in the state of Georgia.
"It's definitely big trying to get others recruit from down here up to Michigan," Hall said. "At first, it's hard for these guys to want to go north where it's cold. But once they take the visit to campus, they'll really see how much they love it up there. Just liked what happened with me."
Hall would announce his commitment back in March after taking an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor almost two weeks prior to the decision. He said the experience of being on campus, seeing the facilities, and sitting down with Mike Hart was enough to convince him that he found his home.
The message from Hall when he's speaking with perspective recruits doesn't require a whole lot of syllables. He remembers being blown away at the unofficial and how everything changed from that point on. Knowing that memory can also hold true for those eyeing Michigan is why Hall feels the need to share to prospects the importance of getting up to Ann Arbor to see for themselves.
"Take the visit (to Michigan)," Hall said. "You have to take the visit there. You have this idea of the program before you get there. But once you're on campus, it's breathtaking. It's nothing like it."
Hall firmly expressed his sheer loyalty to Jim Harbaugh and Hart that as of right now, the only official visit that the three-star has scheduled is back to Michigan on June 17. Hall won't be the only commit on campus that weekend as Chicagoland three-star defensive lineman Brooks Bahr will also be there too.
Others officially visiting that weekend are four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson, Rivals100 four-star defensive tackle Jason Moore, Rivals100 four-star offensive tackle Cayden Green, three-star EDGE Joseph Mupoyi, Rivals250 four-star EDGE Enow Etta, and Rivals250 four-star tight end Jaxon Howard.
Those three days, along with the weekend prior, are slated to be the most crucial for Michigan in terms of having so many heralded prospects on campus at the same time. For the weekend that the aforementioned player will be in attendance, it'll be an advantage to have two current verbal commits there as well who are seemingly locked in to their pledge.
"I'm trying to grow these relationships," Hall said. "Hopefully, for the guys who aren't committed, we can try to pull them along with us and make this a super class."
Hall's time as a recruiter has been a learning experience. It helps that he's grown close with Bahr since they both committed in March and visited together previously the same month. Bahr is going out of his way in helping Mike Elston by adding more pieces to the defensive line in ways like forming a relationship with Mupoyi.
Seeing what Bahr has done this spring with recruiting has shown what Hall can do too. Using his commitment as a tool to get the 2023 class back in the top ten nationally will pay dividends down the road. For the guys near him, Hall continuously hits them up over the phone and over social media, including four-star offensive Paul Mubenga.
Mubenga has spoken with M&BR before about Hall's work to get him onboard. The two have known each other for years, being that their schools are relatively close in proximity, but it's after Hall's commitment where their bond rose to another level. Mubenga is expected to be at Michigan again for an official visit on June 10.
"I think Paul really should (commit," Hall said. "Once he gets up there again and see how it truly is at Michigan, that'll make the difference."
Hall is just one of the many voices coming out of the 2023 class. Along with Bahr, Semaj Morgan, Cole Cabana, Adam Samaha, and Raylen Wilson are using the offseason to not only get to known each other on a personal level, but also do everything in their power to have their class finish as one of the most star studded in Michigan football history.
When Hall announced his commitment, he was immediately added into a group chat set up by Morgan, Cabana, and Samaha. All six want to become as close as possible, despite them all living in different parts of the country, and hope that the number of recipients in that chat grows by the day once official visits get underway.
"We have this little group chat and we all talk here-and-there," Hall said. "We really try to check in on each other and see what everyone is doing at that time. Just trying to build on those relationships. We all have to play our role and bond together before we become teammates."
In terms of who's been communicating with Hall from the coaching staff, he hears from Hart basically every day for the past few months. Hall fits the bill of the type of running back that Hart wants in his group as bruising every-down ball carrier who can lower the shoulders and move the chains with his relentless motor.
Hart has told Hall about his vision for the junior once he gets to the next level. Hart firmly believes that he found the next Hassan Haskins out of suburban Atlanta and be a compliment to Cabana's all-purpose ability. Michigan could take another running back for the class, which Hall is all for the idea, given his love for competition.
"Coach Hart really sees me being an every-down running back," Hall said. "Filling that role of a big time Big Ten running back. Someone who can do it all on every play. We talk almost daily. He knows what I can do so it's a matter of being ready in December."
Being ready by the end of the year means Hall graduating early in time for spring camp next year. He has no desire to miss out on the opportunity to practice with the team and use the upcoming offseason to throughly understand the playbook and Hart's philosophies. Also, getting accustomed to the speed of the college game and maybe even earn playing time in the fall.
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