ESPN 300 offensive lineman Kai-Leon Herbert has committed to Michigan. The No. 106-ranked prospect chose the Wolverines over Florida and Miami and gives Michigan nine ESPN 300 commitments in the 2017 class.
Maybe more significant, though, is that since the 2016 class, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has now landed five ESPN 300 prospects from SEC territory, including Herbert, who hails from Florida.
Harbaugh has secured 21 total commitments from the south in the 2015 to 2018 classes. Prior to that, Michigan had only landed five commitments from the south from the 2011 to 2014 classes, and only one was an ESPN 300 prospect.
Whether the uptick has been thanks to running satellite camps and getting Michigan's name in front of more prospects or just Harbaugh's name, the Wolverines are benefiting in a major way.
Adding Herbert could also help land another ESPN 300 offensive lineman from Florida in Herbert's American Heritage teammate Tedarrell Slaton, who is also considering Michigan. And the Wolverines could very well land ESPN 300 wide receiver Nico Collins from Alabama, which would make this class full of commitments from the south for Harbaugh and his staff.
With Herbert on board, Michigan has 18 total commitments, and the nine ESPN 300 commits put the Wolverines in a tie for third most ESPN 300 commitments with LSU and Oklahoma, trailing Ohio State with 11 and Alabama with 10.
