Michigan lands 4* DE Kechaun Bennett (6-4, 220) of Connecticut. If Don Brown wants a defensive front 7 player, I never question it. He specializes in finding those guys.
Bennett is the third 4* commit on defense for Michigan in the past week, joining 4* LB’s Junior Colson (6’2, 205) of Tennessee and Jaydon Hood (6’1, 212) of Florida.
Those 3 commits have pushed Michigan’s class into the top 5 at #5 of the 247Composite class rankings. Ohio State is still the far and away leader in the nation with the #1 class and will be hard pressed for anyone to pass them. Probably only Clemson can catch them.
Michigan’s class would probably be a lock to finish in the top 3-4 if they could just lock up their own state. 5* DT Damon Payne from Belleville is the #1 DT in the nation and he’s not even considering Michigan because of a stupid blood feud between Harbaugh and Belleville’s head coach. RB Donovan Edwards is in 5* striking range at #37 overall. 4* OL Rocco Spindler is in the top 50. 4* OL Garrett Dellinger is in the top 75 overall. 4* DL/OL Rayshaun Benny is in the top 200 overall.
You play around with the 247 class calculator and just add those 5 instate guys alone and Michigan’s class jumps to #2 overall and their average star (minus the punter) jumps to #3 behind only Ohio State and Clemson.
As it stands I doubt Michigan even gets 3 of those 5 in-staters. Damon Payne flat out isn’t happening unless something insane happens. Donovan Edwards is a lean but nowhere near a lock- Oklahoma and Georgia loom large there and MSU has gotten in it thanks to Mel Tucker chipping away. Ditto Rocco Splinder- who was a heavy Michigan lean but somehow Notre Dame may have over- taken as the leader. Garrett Dellinger seems to be heavily favoring LSU. And Rayshaun Benny recruitment seems to be at a stand still at the moment which baffles me because they should be going all out for him.
Just so happens to be a banner year in-state and Harbaugh decides to escalate a feud with the high school coach whose program is producing more high end P5 talent than any program in the entire state the last 4-5 years.