The Rivals.com prospect rankings for the class of 2017 are far from settled – they’ll be updated several more times before National Signing Day next February – but the Michigan recruiting class received a big bump Monday. Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, who picked the Maize and Blue just over a week ago, made a big jump up the rankings.
Detroit Cass Tech’s Donovan Peoples-Jones
Previously the No. 114 overall prospect and No. 6 dual-threat quarterback, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound McCaffrey is now the No. 39 overall player and No. 2 among dual-threat quarterbacks. The lone four-star currently committed to Michigan, the top-ranked pledge gives the Maize and Blue a nice centerpiece for the 2017 group, which currently includes four three-star classmates.
The Wolverines are hoping that a local prospect joins McCaffrey to catch passes from the big Coloradoan, and that player saw a move up in the rankings, as well.
Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones rose just seven places in the Rivals100 – from No. 20 to No. 13 – but with it, he saw the addition of a fifth star to his recruiting profile. With offers coast-to-coast, it’s no surprise that the 6-1, 183-pounder (who earned the Sparq National Championship, a test of overall athleticism, at Nike’s The Opening elite camp last summer) was due for a bump in the rankings.
Several other Michigan targets litter the top of the national rankings, including the top overall player, Houston Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson. Although the inability to land a single Texas recruit in 2016 may hinder the Wolverines’ chances to land him, he tentatively plans an off-season visit to Ann Arbor. Another five-star from outside the region has already made a visit to campus. Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep Isaiah Wilson is the No. 5 player nationally, a slight drop from No. 3.
Michigan landed the nation’s top player in 2016 in New Jersey defensive tackle Rashan Gary, but reeled in only two other Rivals100 players (tight end Devin Asiasi and cornerback David Long). If the upward trajectory on the field continues, it should carry over into a great shot at the top of the recruiting rankings, as well.
Tim Sullivan is the Football Recruiting Editor of The Wolverine magazine and TheWolverine.com. He is also a contributor to national football recruiting coverage on the Rivals.com network. You can follow him on Twitter @TimS_Wolverine.