When Florida cornerback Ja’Den McBurrows committed to Michigan Friday afternoon, he immediately became the highest ranked defensive player in its 2021 class. That can be a cause for concern, considering he’s a three-star and the No. 580 overall player in the country, according to 247Sports’ composite.
Looking at Michigan’s list of 2021 commits, a stark dichotomy appears. Out of the five four- or five-stars in the class, all of them play on offense. Every defensive commit is ranked as a three-star, lower than the lowest offensive player. What happened to Michigan’s recruiting strategy that led to this difference in talent, and will it continue throughout the cycle?