The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543210
46 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2026 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY ETHAN MCDOWELL Michigan went into last fall with a few names left on its offensive line board, including Tommy Fraumann. Former offensive line coach Grant Newsome reached out to the three-star senior, let him know that he was on their mind and established a relation- ship with the legacy recruit. T h e M i a m i (O h i o) co m m i t ke p t things quiet, sharing nothing about his recruitment even as schools like North Carolina and Northwestern started to show interest. Then, U-M called again. And with Fraumann and his family on the phone, the program extended an offer that helped realize a lifelong dream. Holy crap, that was insane. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this is actu- ally happening. Fraumann will continue a genera- tional family legacy in Ann Arbor. He looked back on that pivotal conversa- tion with Newsome and the emotions that filled the room afterwards. His father, Bob, played linebacker for U-M and won a national champi- onship. Tommy's mother, Katie, was a captain of the women's basketball team. Two of his aunts and his grand- mother swam for the Wolverines, his great-uncle ran track, and his grand- father played basketball at U-M with Rudy Tomjanovich. Even Tommy's great-grandparents played football in Ann Arbor. The 6-foot-8 offensive tackle re- ceived plenty of offers throughout his recruitment — he thought he found his collegiate home at one point — but this scholarship from his lifelong favorite school just felt different. "You've been a Michigan fan your whole life, you've had dreams of this and now it's really here," Tommy said. "It's just immediate shock." Katie left that call humbled and ex- tremely happy for her son. Bob said the opportunity came pretty much out of the blue. They took a visit to Michi- gan very early in the cycle but had not heard much from the Wolverines be- fore Newsome turned up the heat late in the year. Continuing the Fraumann legacy at U-M means a lot to them. There aren't many families that can claim this strong of a connection to Michi- gan and its athletics department. Katie can't wait for Tommy to experience it for himself. "I couldn't be happier," she said. "I'm just through the moon excited for him, and the legacy piece is very, very special for our family." Tommy rushed the field with his cousin in 2021 when U-M beat Ohio State for the first time in years and keeps that ticket in his phone case. He covets the memories of the night games he spent in The Big House and his time living in Ann Arbor. Fraumann will return to those roots next year, this time as a part of the football program. "The fact that this dream of mine, playing at Michigan, is coming true is just unbelievable," Fraumann said. "Ever since I was a kid, I've had dreams of playing football there and going to the school." ❑ Legacy Tommy Fraumann Will Play For His Dream School Fraumann's parents, Bob and Katie, were both U-M student-athletes. Respectively, they played football and basketball at Michigan. PHOTO BY ETHAN MCDOWELL TOMMY FRAUMANN OFFENSIVE TACKLE 6-8 • 265 LOYOLA ACADEMY WILMETTE, ILL. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪ 717 57 18 ✪✪✪ — 62 19 ✪✪✪✪ — 26 8 ✪✪✪ — 150 42 STATISTICS • Finished with a 99 percent protection rate over two years at left tackle. • Helped the Loyola offense score over 30 points per game in 2024 and 23.8 in 2025. • As a junior in 2024, blocked for a back that produced nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns. HONORS • Earned PrepStar All-Midwest Region honors in 2025. • A Chicago Sun-Times All-Area selection as a senior. • Preseason 2025 PrepRedZone All-Chicago Catholic League. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan Nov. 7, 2025. • Picked U-M after decommitting from Miami of Ohio. • Also held offers from Western Michigan, Bowl- ing Green and Buffalo. DID YOU KNOW? • Attended Ann Arbor Pioneer High School for his freshman year before transferring to Loyola Academy for his final three years of high school. • Helped the Ramblers' 2024 team finish 12-2 with 11 straight wins, leading to the Illinois Class 8A state championship, the third straight for the program. • Son of Bob and Katie Fraumann. • Father, Bob, played linebacker at U-M from 1997- 2000; part of U-M's 1997 national championship team. • Mother, Katie, played basketball at U-M from 1997-98 to 2000-01 and captained the team as a senior; part of three NCAA Tournament teams. • Born Sept. 10, 2008. THEY SAID IT Fraumann's personal trainer Nate Oquendo: "He definitely was more confident, more aggres- sive as a senior. He wasn't really too worried about the recruiting process anymore because he was already pretty much committed to Miami (Ohio) at the time. He was playing freely. He didn't have really a care in the world, and he knew that. Just watching him play this past season, he was a lot more loose and more agile and just willing to go out there and put it all on the line." 2026 PROJECTION Fraumann is a raw but intriguing tackle. Standing 6-8, 265 pounds, he has the frame to develop into a physically imposing lineman, but he will need time to develop. He will arrive on campus in June and will almost certainly redshirt the 2026 season.