Recruiting rankings are useful. They’re also wrong sometimes.
While Michigan has landed its fair share of five-stars over the years, some of the program’s biggest success stories came from players who arrived in Ann Arbor with far less fanfare. For this list, we’re focusing on prospects who were ranked outside the Rivals Industry Top 600 and went on to become key contributors.
Hassan Haskins (2018)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 915 overall, No. 76 RB, No. 11 in Missouri
Haskins arrived in Ann Arbor as a three-star running
back and left as one of the defining players of the Jim Harbaugh era. He rushed for 2,324 career yards and 30 touchdowns, highlighted by his unforgettable five-touchdown performance against Ohio State in 2021. The Tennessee Titans selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ronnie Bell (2018)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,416 overall, No. 221 WR, No. 16 in Missouri
Bell was a lightly recruited athlete who became one of Michigan’s most dependable receivers. He finished with 145 receptions and 2,269 receiving yards, captained multiple playoff teams and eventually became a seventh-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers.
Josh Uche (2016)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 611 overall, No. 46 weakside defensive end, No. 88 player in Florida
Uche barely makes the cutoff, but he sure belongs. Michigan developed him into one of the most explosive pass rushers of the Harbaugh era. He finished with 16.5 career sacks and became a second-round pick by the New England Patriots.
Jon Runyan Jr. (2015)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,015 overall, No. 91 OT, No. 24 in Pennsylvania
Runyan arrived with a famous last name, but little recruiting hype. He developed into a two-time All-Big Ten offensive lineman, started 37 games and became a sixth-round pick who has carved out a lengthy professional career.
Luke Schoonmaker (2018)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 795 overall, No. 41 TE, No. 3 in Connecticut
Michigan saw much more in Schoonmaker than recruiting services did. He developed into one of the Big Ten’s top tight ends and eventually became a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael Barrett (2018)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 748 overall, No. 91 athlete, No. 73 player in Georgia
Barrett came to Michigan as an athlete and left as the winningest player in school history. He was a captain, won three Big Ten titles, helped the Wolverines win a national championship, and was selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Andrew Vastardis (2016)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 2,382 overall, No. 193 IOL, No. 69 in Virginia
Vastardis is one of the lowest-ranked players on this list. He eventually became Michigan’s starting center, a team captain and a key piece of the Wolverines’ Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line in 2021.
Patrick Omameh (2008)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,159 overall, No. 105 offensive guard, No. 56 player in Ohio
Omameh never received much recruiting attention, but he became a multi-year starter under Rich Rodriguez and later spent nearly a decade in the NFL. That’s a tremendous return for a prospect ranked outside the Top 1,000.
Sean McKeon (2016)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 764 overall, No. 49 tight end, No. 2 player in Massachusetts
McKeon developed into one of the more reliable tight ends of the Harbaugh era. After playing in 46 games at Michigan, he has spent several seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
Ben Mason (2017)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 633 overall, No. 50 running back, No. 5 player in Connecticut
Mason arrived as a running back and reinvented himself as a fullback. He became a captain, fan favorite and fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens.
Star-Studded Walk-Ons
Jordan Kovacs (2009)
Rivals Profile: Unranked
Few players have ever become bigger fan favorites. Kovacs walked on, earned a starting job, became a two-time All-Big Ten selection and finished his career as a team captain. His rise from walk-on to defensive leader remains one of the best Michigan football stories of the modern era.
Graham Glasgow (2011)
Rivals Profile: Unranked
Before becoming a long-time NFL offensive lineman, Glasgow was simply another overlooked prospect. He developed into an All-Big Ten player, helped anchor Michigan’s offensive line and became a third-round pick.
Jordan Glasgow (2015)
Rivals Profile: Unranked
Jordan followed a similar path, earning a scholarship, becoming a starter and eventually hearing his name called in the NFL Draft. Turning a walk-on into a draft pick is about as good an evaluation as you’ll find.
