““Wow! I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what just happened.” That was the first thing Michigan alum and college football analyst Desmond Howard said to media at the conclusion of the ‘Signing of the Stars’ event in at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor.
Howard has been around the Wolverines for decades. If he says something is crazy , it’s crazy.
“It was like the ESPYS meets the [NFL] draft,” said event host Randy Sklar.
Like the NFL draft but with even more famous faces. Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, wrestling legend Ric Flair, Yankees great Derek Jeter were among many celebrities on hand to welcome in the new guys to their alma mater.
“I was not expecting this. When I first walked into the auditorium and just looked around at all the people it was just kind of breathtaking,” said quarterback Brandon Peters
Peters is among a huge recruiting class. Some have already dubbed it the Fab 25. The biggest get the Wolverines has to be No. 1 recruit Rashan Gary. The defensive tackle is the first No. 1 recruit to come to the Big Ten since ESPN started it’s rankings back in 2006. Gary joins Kareem Walker (a friend of his) and Detroit cornerback Lavert Hill as the highlights on the 2016 class.
The sheer magnitude of the stage was a big part of what made Wednesday’s event so exciting, but the recruits say another big part of what made the day so exciting is Coach Jim Harbaugh.
“This is a perfect example of how Harbaugh’s mind works,” said Howard.
“I’ve never met anyone like coach Harbaugh. Not even remotely close,” said linebacker Carlo Kemp. “I want to go to a coach where if I need something, if I’m not doing this play right… I feel comfortable enough that he’s going to have his door wide open for me to come ask a question.”.”
