With the ink not even dry on the class of 2016, here is a look at our very early top 10 players in Michigan for the class of 2017. Next year’s class looks to be exceptionally strong, especially at wide receiver. Michigan State will be a major player with the majority of recruits. The players below are listed in alphabetical order.
Detroit Cass Tech’s Jaylen Kelly-Powell
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s wide receiver Kahlee Hamler
The skinny: Hamler, 5-foot-9, 152 pounds, possesses legitimate 4.4 speed. He holds offers from MSU, Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska and a host of MAC programs.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 46 wide receiver in the nation.
The word: Shifty: A DeSean Jackson type of player.
Detroit Cass Tech defensive back Jaylen Kelly-Powell
The skinny: Kelly-Powell, 6-0, 180 pounds, has 4.5 speed. He has offers from U-M, Ohio State, Notre Dame and a host of other BCS programs.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 21 safety in the nation.
The word: Consistent: Equally effective against run and pass.
Recruiting:
Full coverage
St. Joseph defensive lineman Corey Malone-Hatcher
The skinny: Malone-Hatcher, 6-3, 246 pounds, holds offers from MSU, U-M, Notre Dame, Ohio State and a host of other BCS programs.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 13 defensive end in the nation.
The word: Powerful: Strong at point of attack.
U-D Jesuit’s Scott Nelson
The skinny: The 6-2, 185-pound Nelson currently holds offers from U-M, Northwestern, Iowa State and Boston College.
Rivals.com ranking: Unranked (not for long).
The word: Productive: All he does is make plays.
Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones
The skinny: The 6-2, 195-pound Jones has offers from basically every major program in the nation including MSU, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU and USC.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 3 WR in the nation.
The word: Explosive: A 40-plus-inch vertical jump.
Ann Arbor Skyline wide receiver Hunter Rison
The skinny: The 5-11, 190-pound Rison holds scholarships from MSU, Alabama, UCLA and Arizona State among others. He is the son of Spartan great Andre Rison.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 31 WR in the nation.
The word: Confidence: Talent to back it up.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s linebacker Joshua Ross
The skinny: Ross, 6-0, 219 pounds, holds offers from MSU, U-M, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 11 OLB in the nation.
The word: Instincts: Understands the game.
Ann Arbor Pioneer running back/linebacker Antjuan Simmons
The skinny: The 6-1, 199-pound Simmons has been offered by MSU, U-M, LSU, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 12 outside linebacker in the nation.
The word: Versatile: Could star on either side of the ball.
Detroit King defensive back Ambry Thomas
The skinny: The 5-11, 175-pound Thomas has been offered a scholarship by MSU, U-M, Ohio State and Notre Dame as well as over 20 more BCS programs.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 16 cornerback in the nation.
The word: Physical: Loves to lay the big hit.
Walled Lake Western wide receiver/defensive back Cody White
The skinny: White, 6-3, 190 pounds, has been offered by Iowa, Wisconsin, Duke, Northwestern, Boston College and host of MAC programs.
Rivals.com ranking: No. 66 WR in the nation
The word: Potential: Size gives him huge upside.
In 2016, only half of the top 10 prospects from Michigan ended signing with the Spartans and Wolverines, despite almost all of them having offers from both schools. Mark Dantonio and Jim Harbaugh will be looking to keep more homegrown talent in the state of Michigan in 2017.
Matt Dorsey is a recruiting analyst for spartanmag.com and rivals.com.