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Jim Harbaugh once refused to take off a pair of cleats during an in-home visit. It cost him a 5-star lineman
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Jim Harbaugh has had some great success on the recruiting front during his time at Michigan. However, there have been times when he’s made some head-scratching decisions regarding his strategy to impress the nation’s top prospects.
One time, it cost him and Michigan the opportunity to land 5-star offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson.
In an interview with the Bartsool Sports’ Bussin’ With the Boys podcast, Wilson explained why he opted against going to Michigan with Harbaugh running the show. Until an in-home visit, Wilson was high on becoming a Wolverine.
Then Harbaugh walked through the door. In cleats.
“Harbaugh did something weird,” Wilson said. “He did something super weird.
“Remember when they first got the deal with Jordan?” Wilson said. ”He just wouldn’t take off his cleats. He came to my in-home visit with cleats on his feet. And I have hardwood floors. And he’s just walking around with cleats bro. After that, it was over.”
Wilson was the No. 16 player in the country during the 2017 recruiting class. He was ranked as the No. 5 offensive tackle, as well. He eventually picked Georgia and transitioned into a first-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, selected by the Tennessee Titans.
Recruiting is obviously in an exact science. There is no perfect method for every single prospect out there. But it seems like if Harbaugh would have been willing to untie his cleats and leave them by the door, Michigan’s chances at landing Wilson would’ve increased dramatically.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB