ESPN’s Tom Luginbill breaks down Jadyn Davis’ commitment to Michigan football
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It wasn’t a shock to the college football world on Friday when five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis committed to Michigan football, but it was a statement commitment. Davis made his pledge live on ESPN’s flagship program, “SportsCenter,” essentially telling the nation that the Wolverines — off two straight College Football Playoff appearances — aren’t going anywhere.
But why is he choosing to play in Ann Arbor?
After his commitment, Tom Luginbill, ESPN’s recruiting analyst, joined Sage Steele to share why he believes Michigan football and Davis is a match made in heaven.
“I’m not really surprised by this. Three classes ago, they signed J.J. McCarthy, a high-profile player who’s now become the leader of that offense,” Luginbill said. “This last class, 2023, they did not target a four- or five-star quarterback, so they turned their attention to the 2024 class. And I think this is a really nice marriage between skill set and scheme. And I never want to downplay the value of an NFL background when it comes to the recruitment of the quarterback position when you have those principles and that foundation, and although Michigan’s become more explosive, a little bit more wide open, but every young man at this stage has dreams and aspirations of playing in the National Football League. And I think for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, having that background can really play well in recruiting because it’s something that kids are gravitating towards, and I think it’s a really, really nice fit for the young man.”
Davis grew rather emotional during his pre-commitment speech, crying while he was thanking all of those who mattered to him in the midst of his recruitment. Luginbill thinks that speaks volumes about his preparedness for the next level.
“I think just in listening to him, we would all agree that he’s very mature,” Luginbill said. “He’s thought this thing through. He’s gone through all the scenarios. And you know what, it’s a long process when you’ve been recruited from the eighth grade. And you’re getting pulled in a lot of different directions. There’s only so many spots at quarterback now, with the transfer portal (making it) very, very limited. So you jump on that opportunity that you’re most comfortable with. And in this case, it’s Michigan.”
But what kind of player is Michigan getting in Davis? He’s not a dual threat, but he’s not exactly a statue, either.
Luginbill compared him to another player the Wolverines pursued heavily years ago who wasn’t quite a program-changing player but was a star, nonetheless.
“This young man reminds me an awful lot of UCLA’s Dorian Thompson Robinson,” Luginbill said. “Very, very similar skill set. Good athlete, maybe not an elite runner, but good enough to keep plays alive and get out of trouble. But smooth, poised, I think very a well-groomed thrower of the football, a natural passer of the football. And Jack Tuttle comes into Michigan from Indiana in the transfer portal. Still got a year to go now. For Jadyn Davis to continue to hone and develop and get bigger and stronger. And then all of a sudden when he jumps onto Michigan’s campus, he’s going to be an entirely different player 15 months from now.”
