The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 51 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ETHAN MCDOWELL L ouis Esposito fell in love with Mich- igan while sitting in his friend's basement as a first grader. He watched defensive back Jabrill Peppers fly around the field in the winged helmet, and the future lineman knew he wanted to be a Wolverine one day. That feeling persisted for the next decade and, a little over a month after picking up an offer from U-M, Esposito committed to the program as the first pledge in the 2027 class. He's more fa- miliar with Michigan than any other recruit on the board, and the 6-foot-4, 255-pound offensive lineman from Sa- line (Mich.) High knows exactly what the school has to offer. "I'm really excited," Esposito told The Wolverine hours before making his de- cision public in late July. "It's been my dream for years. I've been a fan of the program my whole life." Esposito is the son of second-year Michigan defensive line coach Lou Es- posito. He spent plenty of time around the program over the past year, but his Maize and Blue fandom stretches back much further than that. "I think I knew where I was going to play as soon as I started loving the game of football," Esposito said. A major growth spurt during his sophomore year gave him that chance. Esposito played last fall at 6-foot-2 before growing three inches and add- ing 40 pounds going into the summer. He picked up offers from Louisville, Pittsburgh, Purdue and others before he earned the Michigan offer at a camp. His father sat in Sherrone Moore's of- fice with tears in his eyes that day. Louis said it was an emotional scene with the elder Esposito, Moore and offensive line coach Grant Newsome sitting together to discuss the life-changing opportu- nity. The offer meant "the world" to the diehard Wolverine. "I've always been taught people make the place. … I've been a Michigan fan since I was growing up," Louis told The Wolverine after earning the scholarship. "It's just a dream come true to be able to say I have a Michigan offer." Louis said he put together one of the best combine and one-on-one compe- tition performances of his life in Ann Arbor. When he walked into Moore's of- fice later that day, the head coach com- plimented him and caught the lineman off-guard with the good news. "It was a total surprise to me," Louis said. "I just showed up hoping for the best. I know I did good, so I feel like I earned it." The future Michigan lineman really ap- preciated the approach his dad took to his recruitment. Lou was a father first ahead of his role as U-M defensive line coach. "He was super proud of me," Esposito said. Louis refined his footwork and tech- nique this offseason and also improved his strength and power while going through a significant growth spurt. That helped him pile up double-digit Divi- sion I offers during the past few months. Michigan's proven history of consis- tent offensive line development appealed to him. This fall, he wants to showcase his athleticism and footwork with his new frame. Esposito wants to dominate. Esposito knew where he needed to be as soon as the staff extended that scholarship. He informed Moore the day before making his decision public, and the whole staff was fired up. "The culture there and the atmosphere is like no other in the country. It's just truly a blessing to receive an offer from and play for a school like that, Esposito said. He is the first U-M pledge in a cycle packed with elite in-state prospects. Esposito plans on helping the Wolver- ines recruit after his early decision. "I'm really excited to lead the class," Esposito said. "It's truly a blessing." ❑ 2027 OL Louis Esposito Will Join His Father At U-M PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: "I would start him off as a three-star prospect, but he definitely has the potential to work his way into the four-star range. Louis Esposito is very physical on tape and knows how to finish blocks. He was listed at 6-foot-3 going into his sophomore year but hit a bit of a growth spurt and still has plenty of room to add weight to his frame." AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: "Overall, he's a versatile offensive lineman with some upside. A lot will depend on how he develops physically over the next year." PLAYER COMPARISON: "Esposito has ex- perience playing both guard and tackle at the high school level. A lot will depend on his development, but it wouldn't be surpris- ing to see him start off as a guard at Michi- gan. Esposito had a thin frame as an under- classmen but is starting to add some good weight — similar to Michigan offensive line- man Blake Frazier a couple of cycles ago. Frazier underwent a massive weight gain toward the end of his high school career and was a riser in the rankings. Esposito could follow a similar trajectory." — EJ Holland Esposito, the son of Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito, became the first U-M commit in the 2027 class. PHOTO BY AIDEN SEN/RIVALS