Rivals.com released its initial top-100 for the class of 2021 yesterday, and La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy four-star quarterback and Michigan commit J.J. McCarthy checked in at No. 11 nationally.
If he were to hold onto that exact ranking throughout the entire recruiting process (which is highly unlikely), he would go down as the sixth-highest rated recruit Michigan has ever signed during the Rivals.com era (since 2002).
With that in mind, we've taken a look back at the previous five who were rated higher, and have provided a quick recap on how each of their U-M careers unfolded.
It should also be noted that we only included players Michigan signed out of high school, and excluded transfers (which is why senior quarterback Shea Patterson — who was rated No. 3 overall during his prep days — was left off the list).
No. 1 — Rashan Gary (DT) in 2016
He is the highest-rated recruit Michigan has ever signed during the Rivals era, coming to Ann Arbor (from New Jersey) as the No. 1 overall player in the 2016 class.
Rivals.com listed Gary as a defensive tackle in high school, but he began his Wolverine tenure at defensive end and stayed there for the rest of his career.
He made a significant impact right off the bat as a freshman in 2016, appearing in all 13 games as a backup and racking up 27 tackles, five stops behind the line of scrimmage and one sack.
Gary then earned a starting role as a sophomore in 2017, beginning all 13 contests while compiling 66 tackles, 12 stops for loss and six sacks, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches.
Injuries derailed his junior season in 2018 as Gary missed the entire month of October, though the New Jersey native still managed to accumulate 44 stops, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, and earn first-team All-Big Ten honors once again from the coaches.
The defensive end then chose to leave Ann Arbor early following his junior season, and was selected No. 12 overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2019 NFL draft.
No. 3 — Jabrill Peppers (CB) in 2014
He was the biggest recruit former head coach Brady Hoke (2011-14) signed during his four years at Michigan, which takes on a bit more significance when considering the former U-M head man brought in two separate classes that ranked in the top-7 nationally.
Peppers flashed his immense potential right away as a freshman in 2014 when he appeared in three of the club's first four games, but was then lost for the season with injury and received a medical redshirt as a result.
He enjoyed a breakout campaign as a redshirt freshman in Jim Harbaugh's first season of 2015, starting 12 games at safety while also serving as the club's primary punt returner, and even seeing time on offense.
Peppers finished with 45 tackles, 5.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 10 passes defended, earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten recognition as a result.
The versatile athlete then took his game to yet another level in 2016, starting 12 games in Michigan's viper linebacker spot, and racking up 72 tackles, 16 stops for loss, four sacks and an interception.
He also rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns, ran a punt back for a score, was named a first-team AP All-American and finished fifth in Heisman trophy voting.
Peppers then departed Michigan following his redshirt sophomore campaign, and was chosen 25th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL draft.
No. 4 — Ryan Mallett (QB) in 2007
He came to Michigan as the No. 2 quarterback in the country in the 2007 class (Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen was No. 1), and was expected to be Chad Henne's successor and the next great passer under then-head coach Lloyd Carr (1995-07).
Injuries to Henne in his senior season allowed Mallett to see playing time in 11 games as a freshman, throwing for 892 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Carr's retirement and the hiring of Rich Rodriguez caused Mallett to transfer following the 2007 campaign, as he headed for Arkansas to play out the rest of his collegiate days.
The pocket passer sat out the 2008 season, but then enjoyed successful 2009 and 2010 campaigns that saw him throw for a combined 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns, before departing for the NFL after his redshirt junior year and becoming a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2011.
No. 6 — Prescott Burgess (S) in 2003
Though he definitely did not live up to his No. 6 national ranking out of high school, Burgess still put together a solid career in Ann Arbor (especially his final two seasons).
He transitioned from safety to linebacker as a freshman in 2003, but only racked up 42 tackles during his first two years at U-M.
Burgess then enjoyed a breakout campaign as a junior in 2005, registering 81 tackles, four stops behind the line of scrimmage, one sack and an interception.
During his senior campaign of 2006, the Ohio native compiled 48 stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two picks, including his famous 31-yard interception return for a touchdown against Brady Quinn and the No. 2-ranked Irish in the 2006 47-21 beatdown of Notre Dame in South Bend (pictured above).
He was a sixth round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2007 NFL draft, and went on to play five seasons in the pros (2007-09 and 2009-11 with Baltimore, and 2009 with New England).
No. 8 — Derrick Green (RB) in 2013
He was rated as the top running back in the country out of high school in 2013, but to say his career at U-M was unproductive would be a major understatement.
Green showed some promise as a freshman in 2013 when he appeared in all 13 games and rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns, and even carried some of that production into his sophomore campaign.
In 2014, Green started the first six contests and racked up 471 yards and three scores, but was then lost for the season in early October with a broken clavicle.
The Virginia native was never the same following his injury, appearing in just seven games in 2015 (Harbaugh's first year) and only rushing for 157 yards.
As a senior with the Horned Frogs in 2016, Green played in 10 games but tallied just 141 rushing yards, and was not chosen in the 2017 NFL draft.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
