The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 41 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ETHAN MCDOWELL M icah Drescher already proved himself as one of the nation's top kickers. He earned an offer from Michigan and committed to the program this summer. When he lined up to com- pete at the Chris Sailer Kick- ing Top 12 Challenge in July, he delivered yet again. The Wolverine specialist pledge cemented himself as the No. 1 kicker in the coun- try that week. A growth spurt, paired with years of technical development, put him in posi- tion to earn a spot in the Navy All-American Bowl. Drescher won the kickoff competition and, on the sec- ond day of the field goal chal- lenge, he showed off his range and poise while competing against a handful of fellow Power Four commits. "He made four to five field goals consecutively between 50 and 67 yards to get the game," Chris Sailer told The Wolverine. That performance was not an anom- aly for the future Wolverine specialist. Sailer has been working with Drescher since his freshman year at Hinsdale (Ill.) Central High. He said the Michigan commit hit his stride at the ideal time. Sailer watched him connect all of the dots. Drescher trains with one of Sailer's instructors, Chris Nendick, weekly in Chicago. He paired that work ethic with consistent coaching and a growth spurt that sprouted him up to about 6-foot-3. "He's tall, he's big, he's strong, he's athletic, he's got technical skill," Sailer said. "He's extremely confident as a player now because he's done all that work, and he was just ready to come this summer to show coaches what he's really all about." Drescher stands out physically when standing alongside other kickers, Sailer explained. That stature translates to the football field. The top-ranked kicker makes attempts from 60 yards and in look routine at this point according to his trainer, and that showed up in front of Sailer when Drescher earned his Top 12 recognition and Navy All-American Bowl invite. "His range is tremendous. He never worries about really falling short," Sailer said. "He nailed it, and he was very de- serving of it." And when he lines up for a kickoff, that's where the Michigan pledge really shines. Sailer thinks Drescher could play that role for the Wolverines tomorrow. "He was able to put a ball about 75 yards with 4.2-sec- ond hang time," Sailer said. "That's at an almost profes- sional level and, even among the best players, that was a cut above. That's where he's really starting to stand out." Sailer trains thousands of kids. Seeing one of them earn a Michigan offer does not hap- pen every day. Drescher vis- ited Michigan in the spring and picked up a scholarship from Northwestern before the Wolverines extended the offer. He committed to U-M June 18 on full scholarship. Sailer was pretty fired up to see him re- ceive that opportunity. " He 's a g rea t s t u d e n t ," Sailer said. "He's humble but confident, and it couldn't h ave h a p p e n e d to a b e t - ter kid, a better young man, and a great family as well. It's been awesome to be part of his journey and to see a young athlete who has earned it reap those rewards. "This is just the start for him. I think he's got the ability and talent to really continue to take it to the next level as well. We're excited for his future." Drescher committed to Michigan as the No. 4 kicker in the 2026 class. Now, he's the No. 1 prospect in the coun- try, per Sailer (No. 9 per Rivals), and he gives U-M a chance to continue its standout specialist tradition. ❑ Micah Drescher, The Nation's Top Kicker, Picks The Wolverines PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: I've got Micah Drescher No. 1 in the country, and there's a reason for that —everything he does is a strength. To be No. 1, you really shouldn't have a weakness. Men- tally, we believe he's going to be strong. That's why we have him there. He's proven it time and time again. He's gifted technically, and he's worked so hard to get there. He's strong on field goals, very consistent. He's got great range on kickoffs and is without question a top-three guy in the country when it comes to the overall hanging distance on his kickoffs. He wins competitions. He steps up against the best players. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: The only weakness he has is he is in high school, and the only improvement in that is how is he going to handle the pressure of playing in front of 100,000 people in nationally televised games against nationally ranked teams as a young athlete? That's the only question mark you ever have because it's uncertain. He hasn't done it. He is a rookie when it comes to that, but, for everything else, he checks every box. PLAYER COMPARISON: Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard. — Chris Sailer, Founder, Chris Sailer Kicking Drescher competed at the Chris Sailer Kicking Top 12 Challenge in July, cementing his status as the nation's No. 1 kicker and earning an invite to the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl. PHOTO COURTESY MICAH DRESCHER