Michigan Adds Three Defensive Linemen to 2021 Recruiting Class
2/3/2021 11:33:00 AM | Football, Signing Day
• Signing Day Central
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football program completed its 2021 Signing Class by continuing to bolster the defensive line with three signees on Wednesday (Feb. 3). The impressive trio includes in-state prospect Rayshaun Benny, New Jersey recruit George Rooks and Texas native Ike Iwunnah.
U-M addressed every position group in this year's recruiting class and placed a strong emphasis on the offensive and defensive lines, signing a total of 10 players in the trenches. The Wolverines addressed all three levels on defense, adding six defensive linemen, three linebackers and two players in the secondary. On offense, Michigan added four offensive linemen and seven skill position players: three receivers, two running backs, one tight end and one quarterback. Another piece of the class was special teams, addressed by signing the nation's second-ranked punter, Tommy Doman.
Michigan signed players from 10 different states, including six players from the state of Michigan. The core of this year's recruiting class includes three players from Massachusetts and two players from California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Texas.
The Wolverines had four players listed as the top-ranked player in their respective state by different recruiting services: defensive lineman Kechaun Bennett (Connecticut), running back Donovan Edwards (Michigan), tight end Louis Hansen (Massachusetts) and quarterback J.J. McCarthy (Illinois). In addition, U-M had eight signees selected for postseason all-star games -- four in the Adidas All-American Bowl and four in the Under Armour All-American Game.
In addition to the signing of 23 high school prospects to National Letters of Intent (NLI), the Wolverines added graduate transfer offensive lineman Willie Allen this winter. Allen is from River Ridge, La., and played the majority of his collegiate career at Louisiana Tech, earning 15 starts in 25 games.
Following is a list of signees as of 11Â a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3:
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (High School) | Coach |
| Rayshaun Benny | DL | 6-5 | 275 | Detroit, Mich. (Oak Park) | Greg Carter |
| Ike Iwunnah | DL | 6-4 | 281 | Garland, Texas (Kendall Miller) | Kendall Miller |
| George Rooks | DL | 6-4 | 270 | Jersey City, N.J. (St. Peter's Prep) | Rich Hansen |
Following is a list of signees from early signing period on Wednesday, Dec. 16:
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (High School) | Coach |
| Raheem Anderson | OL | 6-3 | 298 | Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical) | Thomas Wilcher |
| Andrel Anthony | WR | 6-2 | 180 | Lansing, Mich. (East Lansing) | Bill Feraco |
| Kechaun Bennett | DL | 6-4 | 220 | Suffield, Conn. (Suffield Academy) | Drew Gamere |
| Tristan Bounds | OL | 6-8 | 305 | Wallingford, Conn. (Choate Rosemary Hall) | Lawrence Spinnato |
| Junior Colson | LB | 6-2 | 230 | Brentwood, Tenn. (Ravenwood) | Michael Newman |
| Greg Crippen | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Northborough, Mass. (IMG Academy, Fla.) | Bobby Acosta |
| Cristian Dixon | WR | 6-2 | 187 | Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) | Bruce Rollinson |
| Tommy Doman | P/K | 6-3 | 180 | West Bloomfield, Mich. (Orchard Lake St. Mary's) | George Porritt |
| Tavierre Dunlap | RB | 6-0 | 196 | Del Valle, Texas (Del Valle) | Charles Burton |
| Donovan Edwards | RB | 5-11 | 190 | West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) | Ron Bellamy |
| Giovanni El-Hadi | OL | 6-5 | 305 | Sterling Heights, Mich. (Adlai Stevenson) | Justin Newcomb |
| Dominick Giudice | DL | 6-4 | 265 | Freehold, N.J. (Mater Dei) | Dino Mangiero |
| TJ Guy | DL | 6-4 | 240 | Mansfield, Mass. (Mansfield) | Mike Redding |
| Louis Hansen | TE | 6-5 | 232 | Dover, Mass. (St. Sebastian's) | Daniel Burke |
| Jaydon Hood | LB | 6-1 | 212 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) | Roger Harriott |
| Ja'Den McBurrows | DB | 5-10 | 165 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) | Roger Harriott |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 6-3 | 195 | La Grange Park, Ill. (Nazareth Acad., Ill./IMG Acad., Fla.) | Bobby Acosta |
| Tyler McLaurin | LB | 6-2 | 220 | Bolingbrook, Ill. (Bolingbrook) | Johnny Ivolw |
| Rod Moore | DB | 5-11 | 180 | Clayton, Ohio (Northmont) | Tony Broering |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 6-1 | 160 | Fresno, Calif. (Central East) | Kyle Biggs |
Position Breakdown
Defensive Back (2): Ja'Den McBurrows, Rod Moore
Defensive Line (6): Kechaun Bennett, Rayshaun Benny, Dominick Giudice, TJ Guy, Ike Iwunnah, George Rooks
Linebacker (3): Junior Colson, Jaydon Hood, Tyler McLaurin
Offensive Line (4): Raheem Anderson, Tristan Bounds, Greg Crippen, Giovanni El-Hadi
Punter/Kicker (1): Tommy Doman
Quarterback (1): J.J. McCarthy
Running Back (2): Tavierre Dunlap, Donovan Edwards
Tight End (1): Louis Hansen
Wide Receiver (3): Andrel Anthony, Cristian Dixon, Xavier Worthy
State Breakdown
California (2): Cristian Dixon, Xavier Worthy
Connecticut (2): Kechaun Bennett, Tristan Bounds
Florida (2): Jaydon Hood, Ja'Den McBurrows
Illinois (2): J.J. McCarthy, Tyler McLaurin
Massachusetts (3): Greg Crippen, TJ Guy, Louis Hansen
Michigan (6): Raheem Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Rayshaun Benny, Tommy Doman, Donovan Edwards, Giovanni El-Hadi
New Jersey (2): Dominick Giudice, George Rooks
Ohio (1): Rod Moore
Tennessee (1): Junior Colson
Texas (2): Tavierre Dunlap, Ike Iwunnah
2020-21 Recruiting Class Honors
Early Enrollees (10): Raheem Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Tristan Bounds, Junior Colson, Greg Crippen, Cristian Dixon, Tavierre Dunlap, Donovan Edwards, Giovanni El-Hadi, J.J. McCarthy
ESPN300 Members (10): J.J. McCarthy (25), Xavier Worthy (62), Donovan Edwards (68), Giovanni El-Hadi (136), Cristian Dixon (142), Junior Colson (144), Jaydon Hood (191), George Rooks (205), Raheem Anderson (241), Greg Crippen (297)
247Sports Top 247 (7): Donovan Edwards (32), J.J. McCarthy (37), Giovanni El-Hadi (87), Xavier Worthy (99), Junior Colson (101), Rayshaun Benny (212), Tavierre Dunlap (236)
Rivals250 Members (12): J.J. McCarthy (44), Donovan Edwards (58), Xavier Worthy (66), Junior Colson (82), Louis Hansen (83), Giovanni El-Hadi (92), Rayshaun Benny (98), Greg Crippen (162), Raheem Anderson (166), Cristian Dixon (201), Jaydon Hood (225), George Rooks (227)
PrepStar Top 350 All-Americans (14): J.J. McCarthy (11), Donovan Edwards (46), Giovanni El-Hadi (49), Louis Hansen (78), Junior Colson (89), Greg Crippen (125), Raheem Anderson (133), Cristian Dixon (148), Xavier Worthy (200), George Rooks (271), Jaydon Hood (313), Kechaun Bennett (329), Rayshaun Benny (343), Tristan Bounds (347)
Adidas All-American Bowl (4): Junior Colson, Tommy Doman, J.J. McCarthy, Xavier Worthy
Under Armour All-American Game (4): Donovan Edwards, Giovanni El-Hadi, Jaydon Hood, George Rooks
No. 1-rated player in their respective state (4): Kechaun Bennett (Connecticut), Donovan Edwards (Michigan), Louis Hansen (Massachusetts), J.J. McCarthy (Illinois)
MaxPrep Player of the Year: Donovan Edwards (Michigan), J.J. McCarthy (Florida)
