Michigan RB Derrick Green Cautionary Tale for Overconfident 5-Star Recruits

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

It happens every year in sports and in every kind of way but what it all adds up to is great talent does not always produce the way fans or general public may expect. If curious, ask any Chicago Cubs or Washington Nationals fan, any Cleveland Browns fan, or any Los Angeles Clippers fan, and especially Philadelphia 76ers fans over the last few years.

Talent, ability, being a high draft pick, or having a 5-star recruiting ranking does not automatically translate into production at the next level in any sport. At the pro level, any first round draft pick that does not live up to being a starter or an all-pro caliber player, depending on the position, is quickly panned as a bust.

Tough to aim the same scrutiny against a college player, but something akin to the like happens in every college football recruiting class on every team every year. It just happens, a couple of recruits on every team just do not pan out for one reason or another.

The story for Michigan Wolverines junior running back Derrick Green is slightly different than most. Green arrived in Ann Arbor as a 5-star recruit and in some corners of the recruiting world considered the best running back in the 2013 class. Rivals even tagged Green as the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation.

Green had a nice high school career, but his numbers playing for Hermitage High School were not overwhelming. During his junior season the 6’0”, 220 pound, athlete rushed for 1,500 yards with 20 touchdowns and followed that up his senior season with 1,350 yards and another 21 scores. He was selected as a first-team Virginia High School Coaches Association Group AAA player after his senior year (2012) was completed racking up other honors in high school that included being a three-time All-District selection (2010-12), a two-time All-Metro and two-time Colonial District Player of the Year (2011-12).

Green had over 30 scholarship offers with seemingly every other top program in the nation after him including UCLA, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami, South Carolina, USC, Clemson, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Auburn among others. Green visited Michigan on Oct. 20, 2012, committing to Big Blue on Jan. 26, 2013.

The die was cast and the future was expected to be nothing but accolades, conference titles, and All-Conference honors for Green but a couple of things happened along the way to slow his roll. The first problem was Green showed up to Michigan at least 20 pounds heavier than during his high school playing days. Out of shape, he suffered a setback with an ankle injury only picking up 270 yards with two touchdowns on 83 carries during his true freshman season, a 3.3 yard per carry average playing in parts of 13 games.

During his sophomore season, Green was off to a promising season rushing for 471 yards off 82 carries in six games but was dealt another setback, a shoulder injury against Rutgers. Green averaged 5.7 yards per carry and had three scores leading fans to believe they were about to witness the talented recruit out of Virginia they were anticipating over the past two years.

Under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, Green did not fare much better than in his freshman season playing in nine games tallying 157 yards off 47 carries with a long of 12 yards and two touchdowns scored. Green has suffered yet another setback, this time missing what will be the final four games of the season after Coach Harbaugh announced his junior tailback would not dress for the Citrus Bowl game against Florida. Harbaugh labeled the decision on the suspension over the last four games of the season stating, “It’s an internal matter.”

The good news for Green, he still has a senior season ahead of him whether with Michigan or at another school should he decide to transfer. Green can always opt for the NFL as an early entry hoping to make a roster at the highest level.

The tale should serve as a notice for any player regardless of the recruiting rankings, nothing is guaranteed in sports or in life, based on hype alone. Showing up for work is half the battle but the other half is full of hard work, determination, and a certain amount of luck along the way.

As a comparison, another Class of 2013 running back had outstanding seasons in 2015 with former 4-star Derrick Henry rushing for a Division-I high 1,986 yards and 23 touchdowns winning the Heisman Trophy Award with Alabama. Ezekiel Elliot, another 4-star, also had a great season finishing fifth in the nation with 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns for Ohio State.

Another 5-star in 2013, Ty Isaac transferred from USC to Michigan in the summer of 2014. Isaac was third on the Wolverines squad with 206 yards on 30 carries in seven games with one touchdown. The only other 5-star running back in 2013 was Thomas Tyner. Tyner was the third leading rusher for the Oregon Ducks in 2013 and 2014 before having to sit out the 2015 season after successful shoulder surgery.

Photo credit: bleacherreport.com; No. 27 Derrick Green.