Predicting 10 highest rankings among 2024 Michigan enrollees on EA Sports College Football 25

Michigan will be involved in EA Sports College Football 25, expected to be released to the public this summer in the month of July. U-M athletes have opted in and will be playable in the video game that ends a 10-year hiatus.

Like in the era that proceeds the upcoming console game, individual ratings, while subjective, will remain a topic of debate. For the Wolverines, who are coming off their first outright national championship for the first time since 1948, its roster of future NFL draft selectees will be given rankings deserving of their talent.

But what about the incoming freshman?

Michigan heralds a 2024 recruiting class of 26 signees, ranked No. 15 overall on the On3 Industry National Team Recruiting Rankings, with 14 four-star additions. The group will be the first on next season’s squad to be featured in the game for the entirety of their collegiate careers. That’s if the game becomes an annual release.

Based on early rumblings, the 2024 class had no qualms about opting in, so the expectation is that the 26 signees will be playable characters. With that said, The Wolverine predicts the ten-highest rankings EA Sports will hand out the previous cycle and how they compare to Michigan freshmen when NCAA Football 14 came out.

RB Jordan Marshall – 81 Overall

Capping off his high school career by capturing the Ohio Mr. Football Award, Jordan Marshall will enter his freshman year at Michigan with a new running backs coach in Tony Alford, who recruited the Top 100 tailback when he was at Ohio State. Notching 1,550 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns last season, Marshall has shown quality vision, patience, toughness in between the tackles, and versatility as a pass catcher out of the backfield. He’s in line to receive early playing time next fall, and given the expectation for him to be in the rotation, that’s why Marshall is predicted to receive the highest rating. 81 is the same ranking that Derrick Green earned on NCAA Football 14.

QB Jadyn Davis – 78 Overall

As an early enrollee, Jadyn Davis will compete against Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, and Jayden Denegal for the starting quarterback job this spring. At the helm of quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell, the relationship between Davis and the latter is tight-knit, and a major factor in the Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day star’s commitment to Michigan was made in March of last year. An elite command of the offense and game manager, the departure of JJ McCarthy provides Davis an opportunity to potentially lead the Wolverine under center early while fine-tuning his accuracy in intermediate-to-long passes and throwing motion. 78 overall is the same ranking that NCAA Football 14 gave Shane Morris.

OT Andrew Sprague – 78 Overall

Andrew Sprague earned All-American honors following another season in which he earned first-team All-State honors from the Missouri Football Coaches Association, leading Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst to combine for 3,000 combined yards of total offense. As the highest-ranked Michigan offensive lineman signee in the 2024 class, Sprague is projected to be the program’s future anchor. At 6-foot-7, 285 pounds, Sprague shows proper technique, bend, flexibility, and footwork. A 78 overall ranking is the same as what David Dawson had on NCAA Football in his first year in Ann Arbor.

TE Brady Prieskorn – 78 Overall

Brady Prieskorn‘s drop in the rankings last season wasn’t because of his on-field performances but because few people had evaluated the elite offensive playmaker. Prieskorn primarily lined up as the X receiver at Rochester (Mich.) Adams. However, his 6-foot-5.5 and 225-pound frame will also be used in-line while he plays for Michigan. Prieskorn consistently showed an aptitude to block, run routes, and make plays at multiple positions, and he continues to grow physically. When Jake Butt and Khalid Hill were freshmen, NCAA 14 issued them 77 and 74 overall ratings, respectively.

EDGE Lugard Edokpayi – 77 Overall

Michigan has a track record of signing EDGE recruits with incredibly high ceilings and waiting for them to develop so that they make considerable impacts as juniors and seniors. Lugard Edokpayi is viewed as a raw yet talented prospect while possessing high athleticism and length. Holding a basketball background, Edokpayi is 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, so the possibility of him gaining upwards of over 30 pounds is in the cards while in Ann Arbor. As a senior, Edokpayi recorded 10 tackles for a loss and a sack, showing quality strength in the trenches. A 77 overall ranking is one slot below what NCAA Football 14 gave Taco Charlton as a freshman.

LB Cole Sullivan – 77 Overall

Cole Sullivan is nurturing into one of the standout performers among the early enrollees this offseason, which isn’t surprising to The Wolverine readers, given that EJ Holland and I agreed on On3’s assessment of his senior season. On3 was the only primary recruiting media service that listed Sullivan in the Top 150 nationally. An asset in pass coverage, a stout run-stuffer, and a tackling machine, Sullivan is a ferocious hitter and humble off the field and should carve out a starting role on Michigan’s defense in due time. A 77 overall ranking is higher than what Mike McCray and Ben Gedeon had when they were freshman on NCAA Football 14.

OL Blake Frazier – 76 Overall

As a Michigan legacy, Blake Frazier grew up with maize and blue in his blood and is now beginning to follow in the footsteps of his father, Steve Frazier, as an early enrollee. Playing with a lofty mean streak and the objective to bury defenders, Frazier experienced a weight gain leading up to his senior season, jumping over 30 pounds, but continued to display a low explosiveness once the ball is snapped. Frazier also yields flexibility on the offensive line, potentially getting either guard or tackle reps. A 76 overall ranking is just below Logan Tuley-Tillman‘s freshman rating on NCAA Football 14.

CB Jo’Ziah Edmond – 75 Overall

Like Edokpayi, fellow signee Jo’Ziah Edmond experienced a significant rise in his recruiting ranking over the fall of last year. Committing to Michigan this past August, ranked in the Top 800 before nearly being featured in the Top 100 by On3 once the traditional signing period hit, Edmond showed tremendous athleticism as a two-way starter for Nappanee (Ind.) NorthWood. While technique development will be a focus for Edmond once he enrolls, such as backpedaling, he was commonly listed as a candidate for early playing time by On3 experts. A 75 overall ranking is what Jourdan Lewis received as a freshman on NCAA Football 14.

DL Owen Wafle – 75 Overall

A powerful pass rusher who revels in rag-dolling opponents, Owen Wafle was long considered to be an underrated prospect, according to EJ Holland‘s evaluations, and his violent feats to get after the quarterbacks will soon be celebrated in Ann Arbor. Wafle has been compared to Michigan’s Mason Graham and will become a fan favorite once he finds himself in the regular rotation on the defensive line. A 75 overall rating was also Henry Poggi‘s ranking on NCAA Football 14 when he was a freshman.

WR I’Marion Stewart – 74 Overall

Michigan has signed at least one signee from Chicagoland in every recruiting cycle since 2019, with I’Marion Stewart now carrying the torch. A good route runner with a high catch radius and the ability to find daylight in the open field, Stewart projects as a slot receiver for the Wolverines, who could also insert the four-star as a punt return specialist. A 74 overall rating is the same as Jehu Chesson‘s in his first season with U-M in NCAA Football 14.