The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
156 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY ETHAN MCDOWELL M ichigan hopes to sign its second top-10 recruiting class in three years during the 2027 cycle. The new coaches dealt with NCAA recruiting pen- alties from the previous staff, a delayed start and a lack of recruiting momentum due to last year's scandal. Despite all of that, the Wolverines checked in with the No. 4 class in the Big Ten and the No. 12 class nationally through mid-June. Next year, hopes should be sky-high for U-M's 2028 re- cruiting cycle. The state of Michigan is loaded with seven blue-chip recruits, including the No. 2 offensive tackle in the Rivals In- dustry Ranking. Utah, familiar stomping grounds for this staff, also boasts one of its strongest classes in recent memory. Michigan's recruiting footprint will be filled with elite prospects this year, giving the Wolverines a chance to sign a really strong class. Here are 10 recruits from the 2028 class to keep an eye on over the next 18 months. Five-Star QB Jayden Wade The Wolverines are trying to flip the No. 1 rising junior quarterback in the country. Wade com- m i t te d to G e o rg i a last November and remains solid with t h e B u l l d o g s , b u t Michigan is trying to change that. He recently told Rivals that he plans on visiting Ann Arbor soon. The No. 6 overall recruit in the Rivals Indus- try Ranking is from Los Angeles but plays his high school football for IMG Acad- emy in Bradenton, Fla. LSU is also trying to flip the 6-3, 195-pound signal-caller. Michigan spent a ton of time at IMG this spring, and now the staff will have a chance to make a strong in-person im- pression on the second-team MaxPreps Sophomore All-American. Top 100 OT Maui Tonata Tonata is the Rivals Industry No. 1 tackle in the country and the No. 15 re- cruit overall. Michigan offered him this spring, and we expect the Wolverines to play a role in the Orem (Utah) High standout's recruitment. He's a 6-5, 315-pound prospect and the top-ranked recruit in his home state. Michigan has a great connection with his high school pro- gram and continues to recruit several of his teammates. He holds an elite offer list that also includes Notre Dame, Miami, Alabama, Oregon and many others. To- nata keeps his recruitment pretty quiet, but expect a visit to Michigan at some point down the line. Top 100 OT Antijuan Wilkes Jr. Wilkes is Rivals' No. 6 recruit in the country and its top-ranked tackle. Mich- igan built positive momentum with the Detroit Cass Tech standout this spring. The 6-5, 265-pound tackle grew up root- ing for Ohio State and Alabama. Still, U-M always caught his attention be- cause of its proximity to home. A couple of spring visits solidified Michigan as an early top contender for the No. 1 recruit in the state. He returned to campus June 9 to watch his school play in a 7-on-7 tournament, and he continues to build a great connection with the coaching staff. Michigan will be in the mix here until the end, but he will go through a national recruitment before making any deci- sions. Wilkes plans to visit six of his top 12 schools this summer. Top 100 WR Deandre Bidden Bidden is a longtime top target for M i c h i ga n , a n d h e spent a lot of time around the program t h i s pa s t yea r. He a t te n d e d m u l t i p l e game days, a couple of spring practices, t h e s p r i n g g a m e , and he returned to campus for the pro- gram's 7-on-7 event. The electric 5-11, 167-pound wide receiver looks forward to watching the new offense in action this fall, and he has a lot of faith in Michigan's new staff. Notre Dame and Ohio State are a couple of programs to keep an eye on Detroit Cass Tech's Antijuan Wilkes Jr. is rated by Rivals as the No. 6 prospect in the country and the No. 1 offensive tackle and player in Michigan in the 2028 cycle. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS 10 Elite 2028 Prospects To Watch