Meet The Commits: Michigan's 2022 Recruiting Class Starting To Take Shape

The Michigan Wolverines' 2022 football recruiting class is starting to take shape.

We have provided background info on each of them below (in chronological order from the newest pledge to the oldest) as it stands today.

RELATED: Commit Impact: What Landing CJ Stokes Means For Michigan

RELATED: Michigan Football Rises In 2022 National Recruiting Rankings

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Quick Biography: Alexander committed to his favorite school June 19 during his official visit over an offer from Marshall.

"Michigan has been my favorite college since I was a little kid," Alexander said. "It meant the world to me when they offered. I like the family dynamic. They'll have your back no matter what. It just seems like a great place to be."

An under-the-radar prospect who missed most of last season with a thumb injury , Alexander worked out for Michigan at both of its on-campus camps this month as well as its satellite camps in Big Rapids and Nashville. Michigan decided to offer after strong performances.

"It was great getting to work with them," Alexander, a speedy linebacker, said. "I got to see what they were about and how hard they worked. They saw what I was about, and they pulled the trigger. But they are all great coaches, and I've learned a lot from them."

Quite a few Michigan coaches were involved in the recruitment of Alexander. New Michigan linebackers coach George Helow offered, but fellow assistants Steve Clinkscale and Ron Bellamy, who botth have strong ties in the Detroit-area, were also heavily involved.

Height: 5-10

Weight: 188

Quick Biography: A speedster who has 4.41 40-yard dash speed, Stokes was quick to pull the trigger during his official visit from June 18-20, and made his pledge Saturday (June 19). With that, he became new Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart's first commit at the position since taking the job.

He chose the Maize and Blue over Duke, Louisville, Minnesota, Missouri, Penn State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, West Virginia and others.

"Ann Arbor, I'm coming," Stokes posted on social media along with his commitment graphic.

An undersized back himself, Hart is high on Stokes' game, and Stokes believes he can be developed by Michigan's all-time leading rusher and the rest of the staff.

Height: 6-0

Weight: 175

2019 stats: 22 receptions for 419 yards and three touchdowns (his squad's 2020 fall season was pushed back to the spring of 2021)

Quick Biography: He pledged to Michigan April 20, after originally having planned on making a decision in the summer of 2021. Morris had been in the midst of planning official visits to Florida, Michigan and Notre Dame, but decided to scrap those plans to commit to the Maize and Blue.

“They have a great culture,” he said. “I think they have a bright future ahead of them. I like the family feel and the way they make me feel like they really want me. They showed me how I’m going to be used, and that’s big for me.”

U-M took a laid-back recruiting approach with Morris and it wound up paying dividends. He cited his budding relationships with co-offensive coordinators Sherrone Moore and Josh Gattis as one of the primary reasons for his pledge, and the topics they discuss together.

“They are great guys,” Morris said. “They seem real. I say this all the time, but it’s not just about football with them. They always ask how I’m doing, how my family is doing, how school is going and things like that. It really shows a lot.”

Morris is also former Nazareth Academy teammates with current Michigan freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 205

2020 Stats: 32 receptions for 548 yards and 11 touchdowns

Quick Biography: He pledged to Michigan March 3, becoming the first wide receiver commit in U-M's 2022 class. Michigan State was actually viewed as the leader for Trent throughout much of the process, but U-M offensive coordinator Josh Gattis helped turn the tide in the Maize and Blue's favor.

"He's a coach that you can look at as a friend," Trent said of Gattis. "But you don't necessarily treat him as a friend. He's a best friend but a coach at the same time. He likes me as a big guy on the outside and sees me as a strong, physical receiver. We have a great relationship.

“We actually talk about stuff like the food he’s had down south, and the food we have up here. I want to try some of that down south food. But he’s just a cool dude and a good coach."

When asked which NFL receiver Trent compares his game to, he singled out Tennessee Titans wideout Julio Jones.

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 Johnson, also played for Michigan in the 1990s. The younger Johnson also cited his relationship with Michigan's staff as one of the reasons for his decision.

“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.”

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 former Michigan co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist, who departed the program in April.

“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?”

New defensive passing game coordinator Steve Clinkscale and the Michigan staff are now continuing to recruit him and keep him in the class.

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, though he did visit the weekend of June 18-20.

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.

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.

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.

The 6-6, 220-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."

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