It is no secret that Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh can recruit. The program has been ranked by many outlets in the top ten the last two seasons and were up to No. 5 in the country in 2016, according to 247Sports. If there was ever a weak spot in the Wolverines’ recruiting trail, it would likely be 2018- as they currently sit at No. 15 in the country.

Let’s skip a year and look at 2019.

Already for their 2019 class, the Wolverines have the No. 6 ranked class in the country, despite having just four hard commits- the lowest of any team in the top seven. Luckily for Harbaugh and the Wolverines, it’s about quality, not quantity.

One of the incoming players from the class of 2019 is defensive end Stephen Herron Jr. Some sites have Herron rated as a four-star athlete, while others list him as a five. A top 50 athlete with a composite score of .9818 on 247Sports, many argue he already has five-star talent and there is no question that by the time 2019 rolls around we could see all major outlets have Herron with five stars next to his name.

According to Herron’s Twitter, he considers himself a five-star player, and with that high rating comes big expectations. The 6-foot-4 inch defensive end out of Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky has already set high standards for himself for when he leaves high school and heads to Ann Arbor.

“When I get to Michigan I want to get time as a true freshman and set the career sack record,” Herron told Armchair.

With still nearly two years left remaining in his high school career, the excitement to get to Michigan is more than evident and he is ready for the challenges that comes with being a big name at a big school. Oh, and of course the fact that his final decision making process listed the Ohio State Buckeyes as one of his finalists.

When asked about what he is looking forward to most about playing college ball, Herron responded with the answer everyone is guessing.

“Ohio State by far! I want to be a part of that game!”

Herron committed to Michigan in July via his Twitter account. It was a tough decision for him, but ultimately he went with the place he felt most comfortable in and the school he thought he could contribute best for.

“Michigan really felt like home and I felt they showed me the most love,” Herron explained. “I wanted a college town and that’s exactly what Ann Arbor is, so I can’t wait to be loved in that city.”

One of the things that stands out about Herron is his versatility on the field. Primarily listed as a defensive end, Herron has the quickness and versatility to play at the linebacker position as well. Between those two positions, the Wolverines welcomed in seven four-star players this past year and will bring in three more again in 2018. Herron’s versatility and the ability to be placed almost anywhere in the defense will allow him to be used right away and contribute to the Wolverines’ elite defense.

Despite Herron’s big plans on the field, he also wants to leave Michigan a sound student and an even better person that people will remember. He plans to major in both business and law and wants to let Wolverines fans know he takes his schooling very seriously.

“I want to be remembered as the best DE to come out of Michigan, but I also want to be known as the best kid as well as someone with respect and love as a person.”

Herron is already seeing profound success in high school – he was a part of a state championship last year and is part of an early undefeated season as his school sits at 2-0 on the young year.

It will be a couple of years before Herron steps into the Big House and starts competing at a high-level, and he still has more work to do, as a repeat state championship is in his sights at the moment. Herron will join fellow five-star defensive end Chris Hinton as the big names coming in to Michigan in 2019.

Check out all of Stephen Herron Jr.’s highlights here.

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