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Michigan: Will Recruits Bring Another National Championship?

© Chuck Bednar

Last year, the Michigan Wolverines were co-National Champions. This year, they stood atop the college football recruiting world.

"I can't remember a team signing so many gifted offensive players in a single class," Bobby Burton of the National Recruiting Advisor told reporters. "Michigan is the clear-cut winner."

Six Parade high school All-Americans will don Wolverine jerseys next season, including running back Justin Fargas of California; Drew Henson, a quarterback out of nearby Brighton, Mich.; wide receivers David Terrell of Virginia and Marquise Walker from New York; kicker Hayden Epstein of San Diego; and Washington, D.C. defensive back Cato June.

Fargas is a 6-1, 185-pounds from Notre Dame High School. He holds the school's career records with 668 carries for 6,352 yards and 77 scores -- even though he only started playing football as a freshman at Notre Dame HS. In his senior season, Fargas scored 35 times and rushed for 2,818 yards. Even though experts question his ability to run between the tackles (a necessity in the Big Ten), Fargas told CBS Sportsline that he expects to start as a freshman.

"The people in Michigan are football crazy," he said. "I'm crazy about football. It should be perfect."

"This was a California kid who was being heavily recruited by both USC and UCLA," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr added. "He came here last summer with his father for a short visit and I knew at that time he liked Michigan."

Carr and the Wolverines locked up a total of 19 high school All-Americans and arguably the best group of new recruits in the nation. UCLA and Notre Dame also put in solid recruiting efforts.

"UCLA probably had the most well-rounded class," Burton said. "They basically beat the pants off USC, which was one of the big disappointments."

Among those going to the Bruins are Parade All-Americans Sean Phillips, a defensive lineman from Texas; Arizona's Mike Saffer; linebacker Robert Thomas from Imperial, Calif.; and Denver defensive back Lovell Houston. The NRC had Thomas (6-3, 230) as the top ranked linebacker entering college.

Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish inked three Parade All-Americans, including Louisiana quarterback Arnaz Battle and running back Terrance Howard from New Jersey. Notre Dame also signed the one of the top wideouts in the country in 6-2, 204-pound David Givens and running back Mike McNair of Corona del Mar, Calif. -- a USA Today All-American.

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