The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530730
52 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JANUARY 2025 BY EJ HOLLAND W ith the early signing period in the review mirror, Michigan will soon turn its full attention to the 2026 recruiting class. U-M has two players committed al- ready: Brody Jennings, a four-star cor- nerback from Jacksonville (Fla.) Man- darin High, and Jaylen Pile, a three-star receiver from Southlake (Texas) Par- ish Episcopal School. There was a third commit in quarterback Brady Hart but, unsurprisingly, he decommitted after Bryce Underwood flipped to Michigan's 2025 class in late November. The Wolverines have already hosted several top targets for unofficial visits and are working on some of the coun- try's best for next cycle. Here is an early look at U-M's 10 most wanted recruits in 2026 (all player ratings are from On3, unless otherwise indicated): RB SAVION HITER Mineral (Va.) Louisa County The No. 1 running back and No. 20 overall recruit nationally, Hiter is at the very top of the Wolverines' board in 2026. A bruising back between the tackles, Hiter fits in well with Michigan's "smash" mentality. He also has the ability to catch passes out of the backfield and is explo- sive enough to break off long runs. He recently named Michigan among his top five along with Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee. U-M hosted him for three visits this calendar year, including for the Michigan State game Oct. 26. Running backs coach Tony Alford has been recruiting Hiter since he was coaching at Ohio State, and that longstanding relationship is defi- nitely benefiting the Wolverines. RB JAVIAN OSBORNE Forney (Texas) High Hiter isn't the only elite back on the board. Michigan is also making a strong push for Osborne, the No. 5 running back and No. 61 overall prospect. Like Hiter, Osborne has already been to Michigan on three separate occasions this calendar year. His most recent visit came in No- vember against Oregon and really moved the needle for Osborne and his family. Area recruiter J.B. Brown, who has strong ties in the Lone Star State, ex- tended an offer to Osborne in Febru- ary. Since then, Alford has developed a strong bond with Osborne and has the Wolverines high on his mind along with schools like Florida State, Notre Dame, Texas and Texas A&M. WR CJ SADLER Detroit Cass Tech Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is making it a point to keep top in-state talent at home. The Wolverines landed a whale in their own backyard this cycle in five-star-plus quarterback Bryce Un- derwood and are now looking to keep the state's top-ranked prospect at home for the second cycle in a row. Sadler, the No. 16 wide receiver and No. 95 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking (a weighted average of the four major recruiting services), is a dynamic slot receiver who can also be used in various ways offensively as well as a return man. Sadler has visited Michigan more than any other school, but others like Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State are also involved. WR TRAVIS JOHNSON Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith Michigan made it a point to add more size to the wide receiver room, landing Jacob Washington (6-foot-3) and Jamar Browder (6-foot-5) in the 2025 class. The Wolverines will look to keep up the trend in 2026 and have their eyes set on John- son, the No. 20 wide receiver and No. 136 overall recruit nationally. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Johnson is an athletic big- bodied pass catcher who is fluid in and out of his breaks but also serves as an im- pressive red zone target. He shares some similarities with the aforementioned Washington and would keep transform- ing the wide receiver room. Johnson made his first visit to U-M this fall and is planning to make a return trip at some point this offseason. Along with Michigan, Johnson is also high on schools like Auburn, Miami, Penn State, West Virginia, South Carolina and Texas A&M. TE BROCK HARRIS Saint George (Utah) Pine View Michigan lost a pledge from top-100 tight end Andrew Olesh of Center Val- ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK U-M's 10 Most Wanted 2026 Targets Mineral (Va.) Louisa County's Savion Hiter is ranked as the No. 1 running back and No. 20 overall recruit nationally by On3. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND