The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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48 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2025 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK The Wolverines had a big need for an immediate impact wide receiver this cy- cle and landed the Rivals300 prospect out of Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith this summer. Johnson picked U-M over fellow finalists Penn State and South Carolina. He has fulfilled the necessary re- quirements to graduate in December and enroll early. "I think enrolling early is going to be great," Johnson said. "It's a jump start for anybody that enrolls early. I think early enrolling will help me a lot. My goal is to play early, and I'm ready to get up there." Johnson added that he has lofty ex- pectations for his freshman year in the Maize and Blue. "I definitely want to start," Johnson said. "I want to make plays my freshman year. Those are my goals." The early signing period is still several months away (Dec. 4-6), which means schools can continue to contact Johnson throughout the process. However, Michigan fans have noth- ing to worry about. Johnson, the No. 17 wide receiver and No. 130 overall pros- pect nationally, is locked in with the Wolverines and is ready for his final high school season. "My recruitment is done," Johnson said. "It's out of the way. Now, I can just focus on my senior season. I'm com- mitted to Michigan. I'm ready to get an- other 15-0 season with my team." Johnson is coming off a strong junior season that saw him haul in 63 recep- tions for 1,053 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to earning first-team all-state honors and leading Oscar Smith to a Virginia state championship. "I want to win another state champi- onship with my team," Johnson said. "I want to break records." Johnson hopes to return to Michigan for a couple of games this fall and is ex- cited to see what the Wolverines can do on the field this season. "I definitely see them going to the playoffs," Johnson said. "Since I'm an early enrollee, I would get to go be there and practice with the team, which would be great." — EJ Holland FIVE-STAR EDGE CARTER MEADOWS REFLECTS ON RECENT COMMITMENT Michigan landed its highest ranked commit of the class this summer in five- star Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga edge Carter Meadows. The Wolverines beat out fellow final- ists Ohio State, Penn State and South Carolina. "Michigan was the right fit for me because it gave me the best of both worlds," Meadows said. "I take academ- ics very seriously. My parents instilled that in me as a kid. I think Michigan can get me to the NFL. The football program and the development are elite. It can set me up for the rest of my life. That's what really made me decide on Michigan." Relationships also played a big role for Meadows. Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito, who has arguably been U-M's best recruiter this cycle, built a bond with Meadows early in the cycle and made him feel like a top priority over the last several months. "What stood out about Coach Espo is he really takes the time to learn about each one of his players," Meadows said. "He builds a special relationship with each of them. He has them over to his house. They cook them food, and they eat together. You see that chemistry on the field. Our relationship took off from the moment I met him, and it's just been growing and growing." Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was heavily involved as well. "Coach Moore does a great job of meet- ing everyone on the team," Meadows said. "He's a great leader of the coaches and the players. He can set an example of how to be a Michigan Man. That's great thing." Meadows' decision to side with Michigan came just a few weeks after his official visit for Victors Weekend. "To be a Wolverine for a couple of days is what really sold it," Meadows said. "I can really see myself in the jersey, in the dorms and on campus. It just felt right." The visit also gave Meadows a chance to envision himself in Michigan's NFL- style scheme under defensive coordina- tor Wink Martindale. "I love what Coach Wink is doing with the defensive ends," Meadows said. "He lets them play aggressively. He's very flexible. He communicates with his players and runs stuff that they love to do. That aggressive play style off the edge is something I want to be a part of." With Meadows in the fold, Michigan had the No. 11 recruiting class nationally as of mid-August. Meadows, the No. 2 edge and No. 5 overall recruit nationally, is thrilled to be part of the group. "I think we have a special class," Mead- ows said. "Titan [Davis], McHale [Blade], Julian [Walker] and Tariq [Boney] were all up there on my official visit. We all ended up committing, which was spe- cial. We're building a great relationship. I've known Tariq since I was younger. I'm glad to be a part of something special." — EJ Holland WHY MICHIGAN'S NO. 1 RECRUIT DAKOTA GUERRANT IS A SPECIAL PROSPECT FOR 2027 Dakota Guerrant established himself as the No. 1 recruiting target in Michi- gan's 2027 class during the past year, and he proved that, beyond his status as the fourth-ranked receiver in the na- tion, he's an elite football player who will do just about anything for his team. The elite pass catcher filled a wide va- riety of roles for Harper Woods (Mich.) High last fall. He racked up 670 receiv- ing yards as a sophomore, took snaps at quarterback at times and intercepted 2 passes as a defensive back. Guerrant finished the year with 1,600 all-pur- pose yards as he picked up all-region and all-state honors. Michigan was the first program to of- fer him, recognizing the 6-1, 190-pound receiver's talents more than two years ago— months before he kicked off his high school career. Sound Mind Sound Body president and founder Curtis Blackwell watched him grow into the elite prospect he is today. "He can play any position on the foot- RIVALS INDUSTRY TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS Rk.* School Commits 1. USC 32 2. Georgia 31 3. Oregon 17 4. Notre Dame 27 5. Texas 21 6. Texas A&M 27 7. Alabama 21 8. LSU 18 9. Ohio State 21 10. Michigan 23 * As of Aug. 19