The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OCTOBER 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 49 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK game, which I was happy to do," Clarke said. "I was glad my teammates were able to make a lot of plays. I just did what I had to do. I want to ball out the rest of the season and get to the state playoffs before I get to college." Clarke committed to Michigan a couple of weeks after his official visit in June and remains locked in with the Wolverines. "Everything is solid," Clarke said. "I love Michigan. I keep in good contact with the coaches. They show me love and dedication. I think Coach [Sher- rone] Moore is going to do some special things with the team and the class that we have coming in." U-M secondary coach LaMar Morgan played a key role in winning over Clarke and is already coaching him from afar. "Coach Morgan is always sending me clips," Clarke said. "He tells me what I need to work on and what I have to do. He wants to keep helping me get better before I even get up there." Clarke is set to graduate in December and will enroll early at Michigan. "It's going to benefit me a lot, espe- cially being in that weight room," Clarke said. "I know I'm going to be on a grind. I can't wait to get up there." Clarke plans to get to at least one Michigan game this fall and has big goals for the Wolverines. "My expectations are for them to blow out everybody and win," Clarke said. "I know they are going to do what they have to do and handle business. Bryce Underwood is a dawg. Shamari [Earls] is a dawg." At 6-foot, 165 pounds, Clarke is ranked as the No. 15 safety and No. 151 overall prospect nationally, per the Ri- vals Industry Ranking. He is also ranked as the No. 5 overall recruit in the state of Virginia this cycle. — Ethan McDowell MICHIGAN O-LINE COMMIT FEELS AT HOME Louis Esposito is more familiar with Michigan than anyone who sat in the re- cruiting section of The Big House in U- M's season opener against New Mexico. But this visit felt a bit different to the three-star junior. It was his first time watching a game as a commit. He's the son of Wolverine defensive line coach Lou Esposito and spends a ton of time around the program. Louis watched U-M take care of business from start to finish and enjoyed the chance to experience another sold-out Michigan Stadium crowd. "The atmosphere of the place is like no other," Louis said. "I feel like every- one at Michigan is like a family, espe- cially with the coaches. The players' parents talked to us on the visit while we were eating. It was a great experience, and I got to get a taste of what Michigan truly was as a commit." He earned an offer from his dream school this summer during a camp. Louis committed a little over a month after picking up that scholarship offer. Those positive feelings about the pro- gram continued to grow during this trip. He's all-in on the Wolverines. The class of 2027 lineman arrived on campus early Saturday to watch the team's walkthrough. He stood in the Maize and Blue end zone as the offen- sive linemen went through warmups and then sat in the front row of the recruiting section. Louis shared his thoughts on the season-opening victory. "They played a good game," Louis said. "Had some ups and downs, but that's always how it goes when playing your first game, especially with a new quarterback. I think the game was great. We came out with a win. The D-line played great, O-line played well. Great running, Justice Haynes had a day." During his Saturday in Ann Arbor, Louis received a unique look at the pro- gram from the Wolverines staff. He val- ues family and the opportunity to share a sideline with his father at the next level. And when he spent time at the family tailgate and saw how U-M gives its play- ers a chance to greet their loved ones, that really resonated with the commit. "I think that's why I felt so at home while I was there," Louis said. Louis met edge commit McHale Blade and cornerback pledge Dorian Barney for the first time when they sat together and watched the U-M victory. He also spent some time chatting with his fel- low offensive line visitors, sharing his pitch for the program. "I've been around Michigan football so much with my dad being a coach, I feel like I really have a better under- standing than everyone else," Louis said. "And that's why I think that Mich- igan is really the place to be, and that's what I tell them." — Ethan McDowell The Rivals Industry Ranking lists Andre Clarke of Richmond (Va.) Hermitage as the No. 15 safety and No. 151 overall prospect in the country. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND Louis Esposito, a 6-4, 255-pound junior inte- rior offensive lineman from Saline, Mich., attended the New Mexico game, his first as a 2027 Wolverine commitment. PHOTO BY ETHAN MCDOWELL