Head coach Jim Harbaugh is working with more than an empty cupboard at Michigan this season, but the 2016 recruiting class holds key players for the Wolverines' future.
Some top prospects are already committed to play in Ann Arbor, while the coaching staff is still trying to gain a verbal pledge from others. Either way, nothing is official until pen meets paper on national signing day.
The key elements in deciding which recruits are the most important include the prospect's ranking and position combined with the need on Michigan's roster.