Hits & Misses
Hit: Taylor Lewan (OT) — Originally ranked 153. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. Lewan significantly exceeded expectations as a mid-tier recruit, achieving the highest outcome possible.
Hit: Denard Robinson (ATH) — Originally ranked 143. Outcome: NFL Starter. Robinson emerged as a key player, outperforming his initial expectations and achieving a high outcome.
Hit: Michael Schofield (OT) — Originally ranked 306. Outcome: NFL Starter. Schofield surpassed his recruitment ranking with his performance as a starter, indicating strong development.
Hit: William Campbell (DL) — Originally ranked 103. Outcome: NFL Drafted. Campbell’s performance led him to be drafted, which aligns with a successful trajectory for a player of his ranking.
Hit: Jeremy Gallon (WR) — Originally ranked 206. Outcome: NFL Drafted. Gallon exceeded expectations, culminating in a draft selection, showcasing his development as a wide receiver.
Hit: Fitzgerald Toussaint (RB) — Originally ranked 262. Outcome: Undrafted NFL Roster. Toussaint’s journey reflects a solid college career, even without being drafted, indicating significant development.
Miss: Justin Turner (S) — Originally ranked 87. Outcome: Bust. Turner failed to meet expectations set by his recruitment ranking, resulting in a low outcome.
Miss: Isaiah Bell (LB) — Originally ranked 187. Outcome: Bust. Bell's performance did not align with his expectations as a mid-ranking recruit, leading to a disappointing outcome.
Miss: Anthony LaLota (DL) — Originally ranked 195. Outcome: Bust. LaLota's outcome fell short of his recruitment rank, marking him as a significant miss.
Miss: Vladimir Emilien (S) — Originally ranked 221. Outcome: Bust. Emilien's performance did not reflect the expectations associated with his recruitment, resulting in an unsatisfactory outcome.
Development Story
The Michigan 2009 recruiting class demonstrated a blend of outcomes that reflect varying levels of player development against their original rankings. Of the 21 total recruits, a significant number achieved high outcomes, including multiple players who reached the NFL level, albeit without retaining their NFL status post-career. The class had a blue-chip percentage of 71, indicating a strong initial evaluation of talent. However, the S2S rerank moved down to 12, suggesting that while some players developed well, the overall class did not perform at the anticipated level compared to their pre-college rankings.
The class featured several high-performing recruits who exceeded expectations, particularly in the offensive line and skill positions. Notably, Taylor Lewan and Denard Robinson both achieved outstanding outcomes, contributing to a more favorable evaluation of this class's effectiveness. Conversely, the presence of multiple "Bust" outcomes among ranked recruits highlights that not all players lived up to their recruiting profiles, which is reflected in the overall class ranking drop.
Outcome Summary
Overall, the Michigan 2009 recruiting class met expectations with several standout performances but also featured notable misses. The S2S rerank declined from 9 to 12, indicating that while there were significant hits, the number of recruits who did not meet their potential had a considerable impact on the class's overall perception. The takeaway from this analysis is that while the class produced several players who achieved success beyond their initial rankings, the presence of "Bust" outcomes among higher-ranked recruits tempered the overall evaluation.