The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MARCH 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 41 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY ANTHONY BROOME Michigan's previous coaching staff at- tacked hard for more center help prior to signing day back in December and found their guy in Adrian "Ace" Hamilton, a three-star prospect out of Maryland who flipped his pledge from Virginia Tech to the Wolverines. Hamilton, a product of St. John's Col- lege in Maryland, had a mostly regional offer sheet, but a strong senior season on film opened the door for U-M to swoop in and grab him out of a familiar and histori- cally fertile recruiting territory. "It is like a dream coming true," Ham- ilton told Rivals' Chad Simmons aer committing to U-M. "Michigan was my dream school. On my official visit, when I was on the field before the game, I just felt it. Then I watched the game, saw what the atmosphere was like, spent time with Coach [Grant] Newsome aer the game, and I knew I wanted to be at Michigan." Hamilton made a visit to the Big House for the 27-9 loss to Ohio State on Nov. 29, but saw the vision of what playing in the largest stadium in North America could be for him. "It was everything I thought it would be," Hamilton said. "I had never been part of an atmosphere like that — 113,000 people were there, and it was rocking. It was a tough loss, but seeing the game, hearing the crowd, and being there made me want to be a part of Michigan. "During the game, I was daydreaming about it. Seeing myself on the field … be- ing a Wolverine. It was awesome taking it all in. "I'm still processing everything and how I'm going to Michigan. It will hit me in the next day or two, and I'll probably get emotional about it." Hamilton chose the Wolverines in large part due to their history of strong trench play and the rushing attack, which should continue under the new coaching staff. "I've always been a fan of Michigan, their offensive line play and their run game over the past years," Hamilton said. "Overall, I was grateful to get an offer from them. It's a big opportunity to play for the Michigan Wolverines. I was ex- cited and happy. I've always thought of Michigan as a great place. It's a big school with great coaching." The Wolverine's EJ Holland saw Ham- ilton a few times on the recruiting trail, citing his strong play against elite com- petition as something to look forward to when it comes to his production. "Hamilton faced some of the best competition nationally," said Holland. "St. John's plays in the WCAC [Wash- ington Catholic Athletic Conference] and consistently takes on elite teams. Hamil- ton looked the part when run-blocking. He can cut some baby fat and add more strength, but he already plays with a ton of aggression. He finishes blocks with authority and loves to get physical. He's not super athletic, but he does play with high-level technique, which obviously helps a lot. … "I think he is comparable to last year's take at the position — Kaden Strayhorn, who has transferred out. Both are shorter, compact centers who win with physical- ity and technique." ❑ Adrian 'Ace' Hamilton Joins As Potential Center Of The Future ACE HAMILTON INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE 6-3 • 295 ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE (MD.) CLINTON, MD. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪ 624 57 4 ✪✪✪ — 34 4 ✪✪✪ — 71 5 ✪✪✪ — 29 5 HONORS • Three-time All-WCAC selection in 2023 (hon- orable mention), 2024 (second team) and 2025 (first team). • Earned 2025 Baltimore Under Armour Next Camp MVP (defensive line) and Co-MVP (offensive line). RECRUITMENT • Committed to Michigan on Dec. 2, 2025, one day before the Early Signing Period for the 2026 class. • Hamilton's offer sheet included Virginia, Vir- ginia Tech, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Duke, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Boston College and Stanford. DID YOU KNOW? • Began his career at Rock Creek High before at- tending St. John's College. • Helped the Cadets offense average 24.5 points per game in 2025, a five-point improvement from the 2024 season. THEY SAID IT 2026 Edge Signee And Future Teammate Tariq Boney: "He's a great guy. He's really strong. He has really good feet. He's just a dawg. You see it on the field." 2026 PROJECTION Hamilton's early enrollment could be a positive for his outlook, given some of the question marks for depth on the interior offensive line. Outside of Jake Guarnera, who is expected to slide over from right guard to center, there are no proven commodities at the position, which could help him compete for a backup job right out of the box at Michigan. Centers do not typically enter the pro- gram with a ton of fanfare, but Kaden Strayhorn's departure opens the door for Hamilton to be a long-term solution in the middle. Hamilton is a three-star center who played for St. John's College in Maryland against some of the nation's best competition in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS