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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Predicting Michigan football full 2026 recruiting class
Predicting Michigan football full 2026 recruiting class - June edition There is one more big recruiting weekend left in the late spring official visit cycle, and the Wolverines are hoping to make the most of it. But June 13 was perhaps the pivotal weekend, with so many top targets all on campus at the same time. Michigan football currently has 10 commitments and that number is likely to grow considerably in the coming weeks as prospects weigh their visits across the country. With the maize and blue having made a strong impression on a number of candidates, who is likely to choose to wear a winged helmet? Now that the recruiting board is becoming more clear, here are our predictions as to what the 2026 class will look like in June 2025. Quarterback Player: Newbury Park (Calif.) four-star Brady Smigiel (committed April 2025) Running Back Player: Mineral (Va.) Louisa Country five-star Savion Hiter (officially visited June 13, 2025) Arguably Michigan's biggest overall target, regardless of position. The Wolverines are battling Tennessee (he visits the Vols on June 20), Ohio State, and Georgia. Michigan likely to go all-out to secure his services. Confidence: 7/10 Wide receiver Player: Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal three-star Jaylen Pile (committed October 2024) Player: Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star Travis Johnson (officially visited June 13, 2025) The Wolverines have been long on Johnson and it appears as if they made an even stronger move on his official visit. He's gotten predictions to land in Ann Arbor from all of the major recruiting sites. Confidence: 8/10 Player: Mansfield (Tx.) four-star Zion Robinson (officially visited May 30, 2025) Long linked to the Wolverines, Robinson seems like a likely choice to end up in the class, barring something unforseen. Confidence: 6/10 Player: Miami (Fla.) Northwestern five-star Calvin Russell (set to officially visit June 20, 2025) Probably Michigan's top wide receiver target, it will be a difficult pull for the Wolverines, but they may make a strong NIL play to land him. The southern schools loom large and are likely to win out, but we'll put him in the class knowing that the maize and blue will swing for the fences this weekend. Confidence: 1/10 Offensive line Player: Fruitland (Idaho) four-star OT Kelvin Obot (officially visiting June 20, 2025) Michigan has done an exemplary job recruiting both offensive linemen and the Mountain West region of the U.S. With five-star Felix Ojo likely remaining in the South, it stands to reason that the big land would be Obot in this class. Confidence: 4/10 Player: Cartersville (Ga.) Casss four-star IOL Bear McWhorter (committed Feb. 2025) Player: Fort Worth (Tx.) North Crowley four-star IOL John Turntine III (officially visited May 30, 2025) Michigan has made Turntine a priority throughout the process. A strong official visit could put the Wolverines in an interesting position. Confidence: 4/10 Player: Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha four-star OT Malakai Lee (officially visiting June 20, 2025) Lee has made more visits to Ann Arbor than anywhere else -- impressive considering the distance. The SEC is working hard to get him in the fold, but Michigan gets the final visit, and just one week before he makes his college decision. Confidence: 7/10 Tight End Player: Billings (Mont.) West four-star Matt Ludwig (committed May 2025) Player: Denver (Colo.) Mullen three-star Mason Bonner (committed May 2025) Edge Rusher Player: Chicago (Ill.) Simeon four-star McHale Blade (committed June 2025) Player: Washington (D.C.) St. John's College three-star Tariq Boney (committed April 2025) Player: Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga College five-star Carter Meadows (officially visiting June 20, 2025) Meadows is probably Michigan's biggest priority at edge rusher and this weekend should provide an opportunity for the Wolverines to make a big move for him. Confidence: 5/10 Defensive Line Player: Liberty Hill (Tx.) four-star Alister Vallejo (committed June 2025) Player: Winston Salem (N.C.) Oak Grove three-star Ben Boulware (officially visited June 13, 2025) Boulware hasn't gotten a ton of publicity, but the Wolverines have done a good job recruiting him. The official visit appears to have gone well, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him end up in the class. Confidence: 5/10 Player: St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet four-star Titan Davis (officially visiting June 20, 2025) Michigan is battling Alabama and gets the final visit. It feels like this contest is the Wolverines' to lose. Confidence: 6/10 Linebacker Player: Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh School four-star Nick Abrams II (officially visited June 6, 2025) Abrams has the makeup of a Michigan recruit, and it appeared that the Wolverines knocked it out of the park on his official visit. Feels like a shoo-in, but recruiting is recruiting. Confidence: 7/10 Player: Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Christian Academy four-star Shadarius Toodle (officially visited June 6. 2025) Currently committed to Auburn, it doesn't appear that it will stick. However, it's unlikely that Michigan wins this one out, with Georgia appearing to have the lead. Still, we're including him, thinking the Wolverines could make a late NIL play. Confidence: 1/10 Player: Richmond (Va.) Huguenot three-star Markel Dabney (officially visited June 13, 2025) Currently committed to SMU, Dabney made a secret official visit this past weekend. If Michigan wants him, it could land him. Confidence: 5/10 Defensive Backs Player: Frisco (Tx.) Lone Star four-star S Jordan Deck (officially visited June 13, 2025) Michigan doesn't seem to have many pure safeties on the board, but Deck has been a consistent focus. With a good visit this past weekend, it feels like he'll end up in the class barring something unforeseen. Confidence: 6/10 Player: Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin four-star CB Brody Jennings (committed July 2024) Player: Richmond (Va.) Hermitage four-star CB Andre Clarke (officially visited June 13, 2025) Had a strong official visit to Ann Arbor this past weekend and was predicted by all of the recruiting sites to end up in a winged helmet as a result. Confidence: 8/10 Player: Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield four-star CB Khary Adams It appears to be a Michigan vs. Penn State battle. We have this one at a coin flip at the moment. Confidence: 5/10 Special Teams Phoenix (Ariz.) Sandra Day O'Connor LS Colton Dermer (committed June 2025) Conclusion Of course, some of the players who appear to be likely Ann Arbor-bound will end up elsewhere -- such is the case every year. But same can be said, vice versa, of those who appear unlikely to end up in a winged helmet. We did best guess lists last summer, and of course, none included players like Bryce Underwood or Ty Haywood. NIL can change things in a hurry, for better or worse. Consider this list more of a pulse on recruiting than the most likely outcome.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football to host 5-star WR Calvin Russell for key Victors Weekend recruiting push
Michigan football to host 5-star WR Calvin Russell for key Victors Weekend recruiting push Michigan football is wrapping up its third and penultimate big official visit recruiting weekend, and while there are some heavy hitters on campus this weekend, there are due to be even more the next. This weekend was headlined by 2026 Mineral (Va.) Louisa County five-star running back Savion Hiter, who the Wolverines have long appeared to have the lead for -- but are fending off Tennessee, Ohio State, and Georgia -- but there were other big names on campus, like athlete Salesi Moa, too. But this upcoming Friday-Sunday is 'Victors Weekend,' the final push for some of the top overall targets for the maize and blue. And one elusive prospect, who may be just behind Hiter on the wish list, appears set to make it to Ann Arbor. A top wide receiver set to visit The Wolverines have one receiver committed in the 2026 class in Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal three-star Jaylen Pile. This weekend, Michigan hosted four-star Travis Johnson and had four-star Zion Robinson visit in May. But perhaps the big fish is none other than Miami (Fla.) Northwestern five-star Calvin Russell. And according to The Michigan Insider's Brice Marich, Russell is set to visit Ann Arbor this week. Russell has been setting his visits week by week, so for Michigan to get a visit at this juncture is big news for the Wolverines. Scouting report The scouting report from 247Sports' Andrew Ivins: Hulking wide receiver with above-the-rim athleticism that makes him a uniquely dangerous target, especially down in the red zone. Owns more of a slender build, but has measured over 6-foot-5 multiple times and is blessed with a near 6-foot-10 wingspan. Isn't exactly the most polished route runner at this stage, but creates separation with unexpected suddenness for such a longer strider. Superb body control tends to create even more of a disadvantage for defensive backs as he wins 50-50 battles with timing and positioning. Not going to outrun every tackle, but is quick to hit the gas and can make some dynamic cuts in traffic. Spent much of freshman and sophomore seasons repping as a run first-quarterback out of necessity before settling in as a must-look option in Year 3 for a storied Miami Northwestern program that captured a 3A championship. Will need to add some body armour to a rather wiry frame in hopes of improving play strength and buy into the process at the school of his choice, but should be viewed as a potential impact pass catcher for a College Football Playoff contender that can be positioned all around the field in hopes of creating mismatches. One of those good-at-everything athletes that could legitimately play two spots in college as he's also being recruited by basketball high majors. Russell is rated highest by 247Sports, which has him as a five-star and the No. 21 overall player in the country, regardless of position. He's also the third-best wide receiver and second-rated player from the state of Florida. He's been to Miami the most, and he's coming off of his official there -- his seventh to Coral Gables. He's also visited Florida and Oregon three times. Russell has visited Ann Arbor before, having come to campus on March 17 of this year.
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football aims to flip Georgia's 2026 wide receiver during Ann Arbor visit
Michigan football aims to flip Georgia's 2026 wide receiver during Ann Arbor visit Michigan football already has one commitment in 2026 from a high school north of Atlanta who appeared to prefer an SEC school. Now the Wolverines are working on snagging another from just nine miles away from the other. It was something of a shock when the maize and blue were able to get a pledge from lifelong Alabama fan, four-star interior offensive lineman Bear McWhorter. McWhorter hails from White (Ga.) Cass, which is just nine miles from Cartersville -- the high school that produced Clemson standout Trevor Lawrence. Years removed from Lawrence's tenure, there's a four-star wide receiver committed to another SEC school that the Wolverines are working hard to flip. Georgia-committed wideout set to visit Ann Arbor Michigan is set to host official visitors for the annual spring-summer slate beginning on Friday, and On3's Ethan McDowell confirmed that the maize and blue are pulling something of a coup. 6-foot-1, 183-pound wide receiver Brady Marchese, from the aforementioned Cartersville, has been committed to Georgia since March, but it appears that he'll be on campus in Ann Arbor this weekend, starting on Saturday. Marchese is rated highest by ESPN, which has him as the No. 62 player in the country and eighth-best wide receiver and player from the state of Georgia. He also plans to visit the Bulldogs and Florida officially. Seeking wideouts in 2026 Michigan football already has one wide receiver committed in 2026 in Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal three-star Jaylen Pile, who has been pledged to the Wolverines since fall 2024. But the maize and blue are targeting multiple other big names, with Miami (Fla.) Northwestern five-star Calvin Russell being the biggest target, but the maize and blue are also in a good spot with Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star Travis Johnson, Mansfield (Tx.) four-star Zion Robinson, and Rochester (N.Y.) James Monroe four-star Messiah Hampton. The Wolverines excelled at flipping targets last cycle -- particularly within the SEC -- with Bryce Underwood coming from LSU, Shamari Earls coming from Georgia, Nate Marshall coming from Auburn, and Ty Haywood coming from Alabama.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football named in top 7 by 2026 four-star wide receiver Messiah Hampton
Michigan football named in top 7 by 2026 four-star wide receiver Messiah Hampton Michigan football is looking to improve its wide receiver recruiting as of late, especially considering the pass game is due to take off with Chip Lindsey taking over as the offensive coordinator and with No. 1 overall quarterback in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood, leading the charge under center. Yet, many prospects will believe the Wolverines will have a passing resurgence when they see it, thus, it's been a bit slow on the recruiting front. Still, the maize and blue are in the thick of it with some high-end wideouts, including four-stars Travis Johnson and Zion Robinson, and five-star Calvin Russell. A top-flight receiver puts Michigan football in his top group Another receiver that the Wolverines are in good shape with is 2026 Rochester (N.Y.) James Monroe four-star Messiah Hampton. Listed by On3 as the No. 48 player in the country, regardless of position, the elite wideout is getting closer to closing down his recruitment. Set to make his commitment to his school of choice on June 13, the 6-foot, 170-pound receiver dropped his top seven schools on Sunday, and Michigan football made the cut, along with Ohio State, Penn State, Syracuse, Georgia, Miami, and Oregon. Michigan is not slated to get an official visit from Hampton. He is expected to be on campus at Oregon on June 13, so there's no telling whether the Ducks are the likely destination or if he'll shift things compared to his original plans. The Wolverines currently have one wide receiver committed to the 2026 class in Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal three-star Jaylen Pile.
