Michigan is off to a nice start with 2022 recruiting despite ongoing questions surrounding the program and status of head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The Wolverines hold five commitments, headlined by a pair of Rivals250 prospects in Alex VanSumeren and Tyler Martin, and are ranked No. 7 nationally, per Rivals.
But there is still plenty of work to be done.
Here is a look at five 2022 prospects Michigan should consider offering.
QB Tayven Jackson, Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove
It may be tough to find an elite quarterback to come in after Rivals100 prospect JJ McCarthy. Jackson makes a lot of sense, though. A four-star recruit, Jackson has a lot of athletic upside and great measurables at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds. I liked what I saw from him at Center Grove practice this summer, and he went on to lead his team to a state championship this fall. The kid is a winner, and his potential is through the roof. He may need time to develop, but he would have the opportunity to do that behind McCarthy. Jackson has offers in hand from Arizona State, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, West Virginia and others.
WR Tobias Merriweather, Vancouver (Wash.) Union
This one is probably the biggest no-brainer on the list. While Merriweather is from the Pacific Northwest, his father is originally from Detroit and is a big Michigan fan. Along with that tie, Merriweather is a Rivals250 prospect with great size (6-4, 180) and ability. I saw him last year on the 7v7 circuit with FSP, one of the premier club teams nationally, and he certainly passed the eye test. On a team loaded with talent, it was Merriweather that stood out the most. While Michigan has transitioned to a 'speed in space' concept, Merriweather brings size on the outside and has enough speed to stretch the field and get vertical.
OLB Keaten Wade, Spring Hill (Tenn.) Summit
Michigan may not have a defensive coordinator, but linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary is still active on the trail and should at least give Wade a look. While it may seem like a tough pull from the South, Michigan scored big in the Nashville-area this cycle with Junior Colson. And it just so happens that Wade and Colson train together through NPA (Michigan should build inroads with them as they work with a lot of top tier recruits). I saw Wade at a session with Colson this offseason and while still raw, he's super long and athletic. His intriguing frame has attracted offers from LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and others.
CB Toriano Pride, St. Louis (Mo.) Lutheran North
It might be a little late in the game for Pride as he already holds offers from Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and a slew of other top programs. But it wouldn't hurt for Michigan to throw its hat in the ring for the Rivals250 prospect. While the focus at corner is on Domani Jackson and Will Johnson, they aren't locks, and 2021 saw just one corner in the class. Pride isn't the usual tall, long corner that Michigan targets, but he has speed and great technique. He caught my attention at the Under Armour Camp in Ohio last summer, and I wrote then that Michigan needed to offer.
ATH Christion Stokes, Harper Woods (Mich.) High
Michigan has offered a lot of in-state prospects in 2022. If I had to pick an unoffered recruit that is most deserving of a Michigan scholarship, it might be Stokes. He's definitely a tweener, but I think he's a guy that could turn into something with a few years of development. He has experience playing running back at the high school level and is listed as a safety. Stokes' frame has the ability to put on some good weight, while maintaining athleticism, so he also has the potential to spin down and and play linebacker. I would have liked him at Viper in the previous scheme. He caught my attention at the same camp as Pride. He has offers from Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State and others.
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