The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 151 contact period and offered El Paso (Texas) El Dorado's Ryan Estrada, the No. 21 running back and No. 191 overall recruit nationally. That effort resulted in Estrada visiting Michi- gan in early June. Wide Receiver Commits: 1 Need: 4 Michigan is expected to take a larger wide re- ceiver class this cycle and already holds a com- mitment from three-star Dallas Parish Epis- copal prospect Jaylen Pile, the No. 151 wide receiver nationally. Pile committed to Michi- gan last October and has remained locked in. At 6-foot, 178 pounds, Pile is a strong route runner who consistently gets open. He proj- ects as a slot receiver in Ann Arbor. Michigan could bring in another slot receiver in Detroit Cass Tech's CJ Sadler. The No. 12 ath- lete and No. 257 overall prospect nationally, Sadler is a dynamic Swiss army knife who can also make plays in the return game. Michigan has long been considered the leader here, but there are moving parts, and no official visit has been scheduled. Michigan added size to its wide receiver room last cycle and is looking to do the same in 2026. The Wolverines have their eyes set on Miami Northwestern's Calvin Russell (6-5, 190), the No. 12 wide receiver and No. 107 overall recruit nationally. Russell named Michi- gan in his top eight and made his first visit this spring. Russell was slated for an official visit to U-M on Victors Weekend, June 20-22. Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith's Travis John- son, the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 137 overall recruit nationally, is another big body who is at the top of U-M's wish list. Johnson (6-3, 180) made his official visit to Michigan on June 13. The Wolverines are trending in the right direction here but must fight off Penn State, Georgia, South Carolina and a few others. Marietta (Ga.) Walton's Christian Ward, the No. 50 wide receiver nationally, and Mansfield (Texas) High's Zion Robinson, the No. 85 wide receiver in the country, are two three-star prospects who officially visited Michigan on the last weekend of May. The Wolverines are also involved with a handful of other three-star recruits at the po- sition, including Illinois commit Kenyon Alston, the No. 80 wide receiver in the land, and Devin Fitzgerald, the No. 143 wide receiver nation- ally. Neither has scheduled an official visit yet with Michigan. Tight End Commits: 2 Need: 2 Michigan should be done at the tight end position this cycle after landing a pair of top prospects this spring in Billings (Mont.) West's Matt Ludwig and Denver (Colo.) Mullen's Ma- son Bonner. Ranked as the No. 5 tight end and No. 91 overall recruit nationally, Ludwig is Michigan's highest-ranked commit in the 2026 class thus far. He committed to Michigan over fellow finalists Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Ludwig is a do-it-all tight end who should see the field early in his career. On the flip side of the coin, Bonner, the No. 21 tight end nationally, is a tall, athletic pass catcher at 6-foot-6, 200 pounds. Bonner spends most of his time split out wide at the high school level, and will need to add weight to his frame and learn to play in-line. But the three-star prospect has an exciting upside. Offensive Line Commits: 1 Need: 4-5 Michigan holds one commitment along the offensive line in three-star Cartersville (Ga.) Cass prospect Bear McWhorter. Ranked as the No. 45 interior offensive lineman nation- ally, McWhorter committed to U-M over his childhood favorite, Alabama, this winter. He projects as a guard or center at the next level. Michigan would love to add a true tackle — or two — this cycle and is working hard on Fruitland (Idaho) High's Kelvin Obot, who will make his official visit on June 20. Michigan had plenty of success with Idaho native Colston Loveland (a first-round 2025 NFL Draft pick at tight end) and will look to reel in Obot from the obscure state. U-M is right at the top of his list along with Oregon, Nebraska and Utah. With a five-star rating, he is slotted as the na- tion's No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 9 overall prospect. Mansfield (Texas) Lake Ridge's Felix Ojo is another elite target at the position. Ojo, the No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 11 overall re- cruit nationally, has Michigan in his top group along with Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas and a few others. He made his U-M official visit on June 6. Michigan had plenty of momentum with Honolulu (Hawai'i) Kamehameha's Malakai Lee going into the summer. The Wolverines have made Lee, the No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 85 overall recruit in the country, a top pri- ority for years and will host him for an official visit on June 20. However, Alabama, Georgia and Texas are all making runs. Rabun Gap (Ga.) Nacoochee's Wilson Zierer, the No. 18 offensive tackle and No. 188 over- all recruit nationally, is set to make an official Mineral Springs (Va.) Louisa's Savion Hiter is the nation's No. 1 running back and No. 12 overall prospect, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Michigan is in Hiter's final four along with Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee. PHOTO BY CHAD SIMMONS/ON3