Heading into the 2022 football season, Michigan has had an interesting spring and summer on the recruiting trail. The 2023 class now has thirteen verbal commitments with the addition of Link, who adds to a class that includes in-state four-stars Amir Herring and Cole Cabana along with four-star defensive linemen Enow Etta and Collins Acheampong.

Michigan and head coach Jim Harbaugh have received some blowback this offseason as Harbaugh described the program’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) approach as a ‘transformational, not transactional experience’ on the recruiting trail. Harbaugh, one of the first proponents in college football for players to make money off of their name/image, discussed how his team is approaching NIL heading into this year.

“It's not something that we're super talking about. I don't think our players really care,” he said at Big Ten Media Day. “They just want to get as good as football as they can possibly get. And they know that they're doing really well in terms of NIL. But that's it. I think they know that it's all gonna be good. Get really good at football, and that's where their focus is.”

On the flip side, Harbaugh noted that players should be among the benefactors for the upcoming Big Ten media deal that will net a ton of money for both the conference and each individual program. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was quoted as saying somewhere around $13 million would be needed to keep the Buckeyes’ roster intact. Harbaugh mentioned bigger goals for the Wolverines.

“My thoughts are that I think we could do more. I think we could maybe double that at Michigan,” he said. “I think that's possible. I think it's going in a terrific direction that way. You know me, I've always been for NIL. I believe players should have a share in the revenues. I think that's something that's really possible at Michigan. I think that's where we're headed.”