Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard's first full recruiting class is one of the top classes in the country at No. 13, and is the highest-ranked class in the Big Ten (rankings are subject to change, as the late signing period runs through August 1).
While Howard's first commit at U-M was current sophomore guard Franz Wagner, the class of 2020 was his first in terms of having an entire year for evaluation and relationship building.
After being hired, Howard was able to hold onto four-star guard Zeb Jackson's pledge, his first win in the class of 2020. Jackson committed to U-M under former head coach John Beilein, and stayed firm through the coaching transition. He signed in the early period back in November.
Not having the opportunity to recruit 2020 prospects while they were prep sophomores and juniors didn't hold Howard back from signing an elite class.
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Howard and co. signed three four-star prospects, center Hunter Dickinson, small forward Terrance Williams and Jackson. Three-star Jace Howard, Juwan Howard's son, committed to U-M this January, and after recently planning to walk-on, he has signed a letter of intent and will be a scholarship player at U-M.
U-M is the only team in the Big Ten to bring in three or more four-star or higher prospects in 2020. Having three or more four-star or higher recruits is rare air for the Wolverines. This is just the fifth class since 2002 in which U-M has brought in three or more of such prospects, joining the classes of 2003, 2012, 2013 and 2018 in accomplishing the feat.
This is U-M's second top-15 class in the last three years, as the 2018 class, reeled in by John Beilein, was ranked No. 11 in the nation.
The 2020 signing class is headlined by Dickinson, the nation's No. 34 player and fifth-ranked center. Dickinson is the second-highest ranked player that is slated to join a Big Ten school next season, only behind Illinois five-star commit Adam Miller, who is the No. 30 prospect in the class and the only five-star committed in the conference.
Dickinson is the highest ranked recruit to come to U-M since Kam Chatman, who was the No. 25 player in the class of 2014. Ignas Brazdeikis was a five-star recruit in 2018, but was not given a national rank.
Rivals Big Ten Recruiting Rankings — Class Of 2020
1. Michigan (13)
2. Illinois (15)
3. Wisconsin (29)
4. Rutgers (32)
5. Michigan State (35)
6. Purdue (36)
7. Indiana (40)
8. Iowa (42)
9. Ohio State (52)
10. Penn State (52)
11. Minnesota (63)
12. Northwestern (75)
13. Maryland (79)
14. Nebraska (not ranked)
Note: National rank in parentheses
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