The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544920
JUNE/JULY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 43 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING in an official visit for June 12. The Wol- verines will have to overcome Washing- ton and Utah here, but they certainly caught the No. 50-ranked tackle's at- tention. He checks in at 6-6, 275 pounds and plays for Mesa (Ariz.) Mountain View High. INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE Rivals300 IOL Lincoln Mageo Michigan solidified itself as a con- tender for Mageo during his spring visit, and he will be back on campus June 5. He has always been high on the Wolverines, and the No. 241 recruit and No. 16 inte- rior lineman in the country seems very open with his top schools at this stage of his recruitment. Texas, Washington, Utah and UCLA have also locked in of- ficial visits. Three-star IOL Sidney Rouleau* Rouleau committed to Michigan less than a month after contact picked up between the Canadian offensive line- man and Jim Harding. He took a three- day unofficial visit to Ann Arbor and made up his mind on that trip. Clemson and Tennessee were also contenders. He plays his high school football at The Brook Hill School in Texas. He's the No. 33 interior lineman in the nation per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Three-star OL Louis Esposito* Notre Dame and others continue to push for Esposito, but we'd still slot the 6-6, 290-pound guard prospect from Saline (Mich.) High into Michigan's class. Rivals rates Esposito as the No. 30 interior lineman in the country. DEFENSIVE LINE Top 100 DL Xavier Muhammad Muhammad included Michigan in his top-five list after a multi-day spring visit, and the lead of his recruitment feels within reach for the Wolverines heading into his loaded official visit schedule. Notre Dame, Miami and Vanderbilt have OVs scheduled with the No. 88 recruit (and No. 8 DL) in the country. Defensive tackles coach Larry Black is doing a great job in this recruitment. Rivals300 DL Seth Tillman Black also helped propel Michigan into contention for Tillman — the No. 116 re- cruit (and No. 11 DL) in the country out of Rock Hill (S.C.) South Pointe High. The Wolverines impressed him during a spring visit and locked in what is, at the moment, his second-to-last official visit. Kentucky and Georgia are also in the mix. EDGE Rivals300 EDGE Recarder Kitchen* Kitchen remains solid on his com- mitment to U-M. The Wolverines have watched him work out at Muskegon (Mich.) High. He wants to be a Michigan man regardless of who's coaching him and is very passionate about his love for the program. The 6-5 pass rusher is the No. 155 recruit nationally (and No. 15 EDGE) and a foundational member of this class. Rivals300 EDGE Jayce Brewer* Brewer visited Michigan twice this spring and enjoyed both trips. Indiana was the favorite at one point, but then the Wolverines surged into the lead and earned his commitment on May 9. Tennessee and Purdue rounded out the Indianapolis (Ind.) Franklin Central pass rusher's top group. He's the No. 214 recruit in the country and ranked No. 18 at his position. Three-star EDGE Jag Ioane Michigan could go in a few different directions with the third edge rusher in this class, but we went with Ioane because of his longstanding connection to Lewis Powell and the rest of the staff. He's a 6-3, 190-pound edge who will have to add a lot of weight at the col- lege level, but he's incredibly twitchy and explosive. Michigan is recruiting the Orem (Utah) star as a priority mov- ing forward. LINEBACKER Three-star LB Ethan Hauser Michigan is the team to beat for Hauser. Missouri and Vanderbilt are the other contenders here, but the Wol- verines are surging for the Buford (Ga.) High linebacker who checks in as the No. 73 linebacker nationally per Rivals. A pre-OV decision remains under con- sideration. Three-star LB Brayden Watson Watson, Hauser's teammate and close friend, also holds Michigan in high regard. Rivals rates him even higher, as the No. 36 linebacker nation- ally. Both players will be back for Vic- tors Weekend. He enjoyed a multi-day stay in Ann Arbor this spring. He really likes Pittsburgh, too, but we're confi- dent in this projection. CORNERBACK Rivals300 CB Darius Johnson Michigan looked like the clear favorite for Johnson early this year, and we still like where the Wolverines stand after Cal closed the gap this spring. Gilford was the first coach to offer the No. 203 re- cruit in the country (and No. 25 CB) from Riverside (Calif.) Notre Dame High, and that bond helped U-M move into his top group. Michigan's combination of foot- ball and academics is extremely enticing to the blue-chip corner. Rivals300 S Tavares Harrington Rivals lists Harrington as a safety, but Michigan is recruiting him to play nickel. Notre Dame and Alabama were the teams to beat at one point, but the Wolverines surged into that top group this spring and locked in a Victors Weekend official visit with the Rivals Industry Ranking's No. 124 recruit (and No. 8 safety) in the country out of Chicago Mount Carmel. SAFETY Three-star S Maxwell Miles* Miles popped onto Michigan's radar after an 8-interception junior season. The Las Vegas Centennial High safety committed to the program shortly after picking up his offer during a visit early this spring. He's a rising recruit (ranked No. 60 at his position by Rivals) and one of the best long jumpers in Nevada (cur- rently ranked No. 2 in the state with a leap of 23 feet, 3.25 inches). Three-star S Charles Woodson Jr. Oregon, Kentucky, Louisville and many others offered Woodson, but it's still tough to see him playing anywhere but Michigan. The Wolverines are show- ing him plenty of love, we still like our U-M prediction for the Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona standout. ❑