Revisiting 5 of the toughest recent Michigan Football recruiting misses

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Recruiting is challenging, and even the best staffs miss on some of their top targets that end up committing to a different school. But some misses stick with fans longer than others; the ones where you can still picture the player in the winged helmet and still wonder what might have been.

Michigan has had its fair share of misses over the years. Some were near-misses that came down to the final days, while others were long shots that briefly felt real before reality set in.

Here are five of the most notable recruiting misses in recent Michigan history.

Xavier Worthy (2021) No. 55 overall, No. 7 WR, No. 3 player in California

This one still feels different because Michigan actually landed him. Worthy committed to the Wolverines and was expected to enroll early before those plans were derailed. He ultimately signed with Texas, where he became one of the most explosive receivers in college football, an All-American and eventually a first-round NFL Draft pick.

It’s not hard to imagine how different Michigan’s passing attack might have looked with Worthy catching passes from Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy. The Wolverines won plenty without him, but this remains one of the most fascinating recruiting misses in recent Michigan history.

Najee Harris (2017) No. 2 overall player nationally, No. 1 RB, No. 2 player in California

Michigan didn’t just recruit Harris. The Wolverines went all-in. Harbaugh visited Antioch High School multiple times, and Michigan held a satellite camp at his high school school. The coaching staff made Harris arguably its top recruiting priority.

According to 247Sports’ oral history of the recruitment, Michigan’s pursuit reached a “fever pitch” late in the process. Harbaugh even famously attended an Antioch football game and announced the school’s homecoming queen at halftime. For a while, fans genuinely believed the Wolverines had a shot to pull off the upset. Instead, he committed to Alabama, won two national titles and became a first-round pick.

Isaiah Wilson (2017) No. 11 overall player nationally, No. 3 OT, No. 1 player in New York

This one hurt because Michigan looked like the favorite for so long. The former five-star offensive tackle had been heavily linked to Michigan throughout much of his recruitment. Even days before his decision, recruiting analysts were still discussing the Wolverines as the team to beat before Georgia surged ahead late. Then, Harbaugh wore cleats inside his house and things changed.

Wilson ultimately signed with Georgia and became a first-round pick. Considering Michigan’s offensive line questions during parts of the Harbaugh era, it’s easy to wonder how differently things might have played out had he ended up in Ann Arbor.

Zach Harrison (2019) No. 7 overall player nationally, No. 2 edge, No. 1 player in Ohio

It’s difficult enough beating Ohio State on Saturdays, but beating the Buckeyes for an elite player from Columbus is an entirely different challenge. That’s what made Harrison’s recruitment so intriguing. Michigan built legitimate momentum and, at various points, appeared to have a real shot at flipping one of Ohio’s top prospects. In the end, the Buckeyes kept him home.

The miss wasn’t devastating in hindsight because Michigan eventually developed stars at the position, but landing Harrison would have been a symbolic victory as much as a football one.

Leonard Fournette (2014) No. 3 overall player nationally, No. 1 RB, No. 1 player in Louisiana

Unlike some others on this list, Michigan was never viewed as the clear favorite…no matter Jabrill Peppers wanted to say about him and fellow five-star DaShawn Hand.

But the Wolverines took a real swing at one of the most famous recruits of the modern era. Fournette was a national celebrity before he ever played a college snap, and Michigan managed to get involved despite competing against the SEC powers that had recruited him for years.

He ultimately stayed closer to home and signed with LSU, where he rushed for more than 3,800 yards and became the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. Sometimes a recruiting miss is painful because you almost landed the player, while other times, it’s painful because you can only imagine what could have been.

Honorable mentions: Dante Moore, Rocco Spindler, Josh Conerly Jr., Raylen Wilson, Theo Johnson, George Karlaftis, Otis Reese

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