Deep Dive Into Michigan Football's Success Recruiting The Peach State
Michigan Wolverines football is having success with players from the Peach State.
2022 three-star tight end Marlin Klein is just the latest from Georgia to join the Wolverines, with the 6-6, 215-pounder pledging to the Maize and Blue on Tuesday. He chose Jim Harbaugh and Michigan over contenders Arizona State, Boston College, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan State, Nebraska and others.
Here's a breakdown of Michigan's recent success with players from Georgia:
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Current Michigan Football Players From Georgia
Michigan has eight current players from Georgia, highlighted by sophomore defensive tackle Chris Hinton, a former five-star recruit, and redshirt sophomore Michael Barrett. Both are expected to be major contributors for the Wolverines this upcoming season, with the two projected to earn starting nods.
Two more from the Peach State are candidates to break out for the Wolverines in the defensive backfield, especially following the departure of Ambry Thomas. Redshirt freshmen corners Jalen Perry and DJ Turner are both seeking a starting job, and are likely to both play this season.
Redshirt sophomore running back Christian Turner is one who has made some contributions in the past, but he opted out of the upcoming campaign.
Former Michigan defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon was on the roster for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, but transferred to Tennessee following his sophomore season in Ann Arbor.
Here's the list of current Michigan players from Georgia:
| Player | Recruiting Class | Year At Michigan |
|---|---|---|
|
LB Michael Barrett |
2018 |
R-So. |
|
DT Chris Hinton |
2019 |
So. |
|
OL Trente Jones |
2019 |
R-Fr. |
|
DB Jalen Perry |
2019 |
R-Fr. |
|
LB Charles Thomas |
2019 |
R-Fr. |
|
RB Christian Turner |
2018 |
R-So. |
|
DB DJ Turner |
2019 |
R-Fr. |
|
LS William Wagner* |
2019 |
R-Fr. |
Michigan hit Georgia extremely hard on the trail in 2018 and 2019, landing two and five scholarship players from the state in those classes, respectively. Some of that success could be attributed to the strong in-roads Harbaugh built while hosting satellite camps in the state in the summer of 2016, including one in which he and MLB legend Hank Aaron got to spend some time together.
'Almost Wolverines' From Georgia
In addition to the seven scholarship Wolverines listed above, Michigan has had even more success securing commitments from players in the area, but like recruiting in any state, that doesn't always mean they'll sign with the team they originally pledge to.
In the class of 2017, Michigan received a decommitment from four-star athlete Jeremiah Holloman, who ended up signing with Georgia.
In 2018, the Wolverines saw two more decommit in four-star outside linebacker Otis Reese and four-star offensive lineman Jalil Irvin. Reese signed with and played for Georgia, before transferring this offseason to Ole Miss. Irvin was an Auburn Tigers signee in their class of 2018.
Who's Next? Michigan Football Recruiting Targets In Georgia
Below is the list of prospects from Georgia who Michigan is currently targeting.
Class Of 2021
Class Of 2022
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