ESPN (by way of the Detroit News) has ranked the 2012 U-M football recruiting class 6th in the nation.
The top three is rounded out with Texas taking the top spot followed by Florida State and Alabama.
In terms of the Big Ten, Penn State ranks in at 17th with Ohio State following them at 18.
“Defense seems to be the theme in the early edition of the class rankings and Michigan is another example, with nine of its 14 commitments being defensive players, including a huge linebacker corps both in numbers and stature,” writes ESPN recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill.
Here is Michigan’s 2012 recruiting class according to GoBlueWolverine.com:
CB Anthony Standifer, 6-1 / 180, Crete-Monee HS, Crete, Ill.
S Allen Gant, 6-2 / 205, Sylvania (Ohio) Southview HS
CB Terry Richardson, 5-9 / 165, Detroit Cass Tech HS
DT Matt Godin, 6-6 / 265, Detroit Catholic Central HS
DE Pharaoh Brown, 6-6 / 220, Brush HS, Lyndhurst, Ohio
DE Mario Ojemudia, 6-2 / 220 Farmington Hills Harrison
MLB James Ross, 6-1 / 215, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
OLB Joe Bolden, 6-3 / 230, Colerain HS, Cincinnati
TE Devin Funchess, 6-4 / 205, Farmington Hills Harrison
TE A.J. Williams, 6-6 / 260, Sycamore HS, Cincinnati
MLB Royce Jenkins-Stone, 6-2 / 215, Detroit Cass Tech HS
MLB Kaleb Ringer, 6-1 / 225, Northmont HS, Clayton, Ohio
G Caleb Stacey, 6-4 / 280, Oak Hills HS, Cincinnati
OT Ben Braden, 6-6, 280, Rockford (Mich.) HS
Source: Detroit News, ESPN, GoBlueWolverine.com