2019 Men's Recruit Rankings: #7 Michigan Wolverines

Recruit rankings data has been manually collected by TSR contributors from multiple, reliable sources. Transfers and foreign recruits who are not expected to have four years of eligibility are excluded from these rankings. Order of rankings was decided by all TSR contributors. Despite our research, it is possible that certain names have been erroneously omitted.

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The Michigan Wolverines have been quietly assembling a squad that looks to contend on the national stage in cross country. Their lethal incoming class they have put together for this fall will boost their firepower for years to come, which is enough to earn them the #7 spot in our recruiting rankings (although it was debated that they should be better).

Their class begins with James Gedris of Grosse Ile, Michigan. Just weeks ago, Gedris pulled off an impressive double at New Balance Nationals, finishing runner-up position for the two-mile in 9:06 and 3rd in the 5k in a big time of 14:29. This sort of strength will be an incredible asset for Michigan, especially coming from a freshman. This past fall, Gedris consistently churned out low-15 minute times in cross country, collecting a total of nine wins on the grass. Consistency like this will serve the Wolverines well, as tiny differences in results can have major team scoring implications.

Next up is Thomas Shilgalis. The Naperville Central (IL) standout has some serious range, including a 1:53 800 meter PR and a 14:11 XC three-mile personal best (which converts roughly to 14:46 for 5k). However, it's his 4:07 1600 that makes him really special. Shilgalis also ran on a 4x800 relay team that ran 7:45 during his senior year, showing that he is used to being around other talented individuals. When he shows up for the first day of practice in Ann Arbor, he should feel right at home with a talented group surrounding him.

Speaking of talented individuals, let’s talk about Nick Foster. Foster is from Ann Arbor, so he is used to training through the winters and knows the area. Little things like that can make a huge difference in a freshman’s training quality, so Foster should feel right at home. He ran a 4:03 mile to win the Brooks PR invitational in Seattle earlier this month, solidifying his position as one of the best recruits in the country. He has also run 1:51 for 800 meter and 8:52 for 3200 meter, making him an extremely versatile athlete.

Foster was undefeated during the cross country season until he got 13th at the Footlocker Midwest Regional, but he bounced back to finish 13th overall at Nike Cross Nationals a week later. Nick Foster is truly a national-level talent, and has the ability to make an impact on the Michigan team as soon as his career begins. Big Blue will happily take anyone who could potentially develop into a low-stick who complements their incredibly deep lineup.

Speaking of guys from Ann Arbor, let's talk about Foster's high school and now college teammate John Florence. With personal bests of 4:18 and 9:05, Florence becomes yet another key recruit who will beef up an already impressive group of distance standouts. This past cross country season, Florence finished 2nd in five different races. The catch? His teammate Nick Foster was the only one to beat him in each of those five races. Don't let the dominance of Foster overshadow just how talented Florence is and can be.

Ben Jacobs of Corunna, Michigan comes in with PR's that do not necessarily stand out at first glance (compared to his fellow recruits). He has run 4:15 for 1600 meters and 9:22 for 3200 meters; times that are not uncommon among high level recruits in today’s track and field world.

However, when taking a second look, you begin to realize that Jacobs never finished outside of the top three in ANY individual race before a regional or national-level meet his entire senior year. This includes not losing a single 1600 or 3200 race during his senior campaign.

Sometimes it is more valuable to be a consistent winner than going out and picking up a fast PR. This is undoubtedly something that the coaching staff at Michigan has picked up on, making Ben Jacobs an underrated recruit who may be able to surprise some people at the collegiate level.

Michigan’s final recruit is Tommy Brady of Park Ridge, Illinois (with a name like that, he must be destined for greatness). Brady has run 4:18 for 1600 meters, 9:06 for 3200 meters, and 14:17 for three miles in cross country (which roughly converts to 14:53 for 5000 meters). Brady ran 9:15 or faster for 3200 meters five times during the most recent outdoor season. That includes two 9:07 performances. Consistency like that indicates that he is ready to make the jump to the next level. He will be joining an incredibly talented group, and will have the potential to make an impact right away.

Michigan will not be losing any of their top seven from last year. This means things are looking good for the Wolverines as they will have a great opportunity to improve upon their 19th place finish from last year’s cross country national meet. This group of freshmen will have plenty of time to develop, and some of them may sneak into that top seven this fall.

The Wolverines have been building a rather powerful program, and they might not be flying under the radar this fall. If their squad can stay healthy and improve from their 2018 performances, this could be a team shooting for a top 10 finish at NCAA's in a few months.