The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
156 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY ZACH LIBBY M ichigan entered the summer without a commit in the 2026 class. But on June 18, that all changed with the com- mitment of Top 100 quarterback Brady Hart of Cocoa (Fla.) High. It was a massive recruiting win for the Wolverines. "Michigan just went out and landed one of the premier quarterbacks in the country in the 2026 cycle," Steve Wilt- fong, On3 vice president of recruiting said. "He's a winner. He's a leader. … I think he's a great fit for Michigan. He fits the mold of a Michigan quarterback and guys they've been successful with." From head coach Sherrone Moore on down the line, the new Michigan staff has hit the ground hard and is working to build relationships and set a strong foundation for the future with high- level prospects, as evidenced by the host of top-tier underclass visitors coming through Ann Arbor this spring and sum- mer in addition to Hart. Here is a closer look at Hart along with eight other elite targets that Michigan is heavily focused on landing in the 2026 cycle. Committed Top 100 QB Brady Hart Cocoa (Fla.) High Michigan offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell made Hart a priority, and it paid off. The Top 100 quarterback committed just two days after his first visit to the Michigan campus occurred in mid-June. Notre Dame was an early favorite to land Hart, but once the Fighting Irish got a quarterback commit in early June, the Wolverines took advantage of the opportunity to close the deal. At 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, Hart had a 65.9 comple- tion percentage (288 of 437 passing) for 3,759 yards and 41 touchdowns last season. He led Cocoa to a Florida 2S state championship. He is ranked as the No. 92 overall prospect and No. 9 quarterback nationally, and the No. 15 player in Florida according to the On3 Industry Ranking. While schools like Clemson, LSU, Ohio State and Texas A&M all pushed hard for Hart this summer, the Sunshine State product gave Michigan a verbal pledge soon after his multi-day unofficial visit. "I think this is a big pickup for Michigan and a good first quarterback add in the Sherrone Moore era," Charles Power, On3 director of scouting and rankings. "It's certainly a statement get for Michigan as these quarterback dominoes are starting to fall nationally." Top 100 RB Savion Hiter Mineral (Va.) Woodberry Forest Michigan's running back production over the last few seasons, with Blake Corum, Hassan Haskins, and Donovan Edwards at the forefront, has piqued the interest of several 2026 running back targets, including Hiter, who's the No. 2 overall tailback in the country, per the On3 Industry Ranking. First-year U-M running backs coach Tony Alford has built a relationship with Hiter that goes back to his prior tenure at Ohio State. They reunited in Ann Arbor in mid-April during spring practice when Hiter and his family visited campus for the first time. The No. 31 overall prospect in the junior class and the No. 1 player in Virginia, Hiter was a 2023 Max- Preps second-team Sophomore All-American after rushing for 1,060 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries last season. The 5-foot-11.5, 190-pounder has received strong interest from the Buckeyes, Penn State, Tennessee, Clemson, South Carolina and others. Top 100 OL Gregory Patrick Portage (Mich.) Northern Michigan landed the highest-ranked in-state offensive lineman in the 2025 recruiting class in early May of this year, four-star Birmingham Groves star Avery Gach. Now the Wolverines are after the state's top mauler in the next cycle in Patrick, who resides just outside of Kalamazoo. Patrick is a Michigan State legacy, with his father hav- ing played for the Spartans, but that hasn't impacted the efforts of the Wolverines. Head coach Sherrone Moore and offensive line coach Grant Newsome are leading the way in Patrick's recruit- ment. The No. 74 overall prospect and nation's No. 5 interior offensive lineman according to On3, Patrick has visited Ann Arbor four times, including twice this offseason. He also checked out the U-M win over Rut- gers at The Big House last year. MSU is the projected leader because of his family ties. However, U-M's two Joe Moore Awards as the nation's best offensive line and its success at sending offensive linemen to the NFL has Patrick's attention. The 6-foot-4, 280 pounder, also On3's No. 1-ranked 2026 recruit in Michigan, was named to the 2023 As- sociated Press All-State football team for Divisions 1-2. Top 100 TE Brock Harris St. George (Utah) Pine View Harris is the No. 3 overall tight end nationally and the No. 1 recruit in Utah in the 2026 recruiting class. He publicly reported his U-M offer before the Wolverines brought in Steve Casula to replace Grant Newsome as tight ends coach in February. Casula has been working diligently to get close to Harris and his family, who visited Ann Arbor for the first time in June to attend Michigan's summer camp. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Harris is also the No. 48 prospect in the country according to the On3 Industry Ranking. As a sophomore, he notched 55 receptions for 665 yards and 8 touchdowns, was named to the Deseret News 4A All-State second team and selected as a MaxPreps second-team Sophomore All-American. Harris has accumulated nearly 35 Division I offers from the likes of USC, Miami, Oregon, Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Georgia. Top 100 WR Jabari Mack New Orleans Destrehan The state of Louisiana is one of the primary recruit- ing areas for Michigan wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy. He grew up in New Orleans and has strong ties in the state. Bellamy stopped by Mack's school dur- ing the winter contact period this year and issued him an offer. Mack is On3's No. 40 overall prospect and No. 5 wide receiver in the country, and the No. 5 player in Louisiana in the 2026 cycle. Mack has a teammate in 2025 wide receiver Phillip Wright, who officially visited U-M the third weekend of June. While Mack, at 6-foot, 169 pounds, has yet to visit Ann Arbor, he was impressed with last sea- son's 15-0 mark and national championship. Other notable schools to offer Mack include LSU, Florida State, Texas and Auburn. Top 100 Safety Zech Fort Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy Michigan has signed a number of players from Florida powerhouse IMG Academy through the years, including quarter- back J.J. McCarthy and center Greg Crippen. For the 2026 cycle, six IMG Academy stars hold offers from the Wolverines, including Fort, who's been on three visits to Ann Arbor. His last appear- ance came in-season when he saw Michigan capture its third straight victory over Ohio State. He also flew up twice in the spring of last year. His return visit in the future will include Fort meet- ing new defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan and new defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale. The On3 Industry Ranking lists Fort as the No. 100 overall prospect and No. 10 safety in his class, and the No. 18 player in Florida. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder made 14 total tackles in four games played last season. On300 ATH CJ Sadler Detroit Cass Tech Regarded as the next great in-state prospect to come out of the Detroit area, Sadler received a One Early Commit, Plus Eight Elite 2026 Targets