The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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58 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2026 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ETHAN MCDOWELL M ichigan cornerback commit Mon- sanna Torbert is the highest- ranked Wolverine pledge in the 2027 class so far. He's a 5-foot-10.5 defensive back who plays both sides of the ball at the high school level, and Rivals is very high on his skill set. Torbert ranks No. 70 nationally in the Rivals300 — 32 spots higher than 247Sports at No. 102 and 170 higher than ESPN at No. 240. He's the No. 10 cornerback prospect nationally, and the former Indiana commit now holds an elite offer list from the likes of Notre Dame, Texas and others. Rivals director of scouting and rank- ings Charles Power explained why he remains so intrigued by Torbert's po- tential at cornerback. The Cincinnati (Ohio) Princeton standout played safety and quarterback as a junior. "Monsanna Torbert is a do-it-all athlete on Friday nights and one who is a dynamic two-way player, and he has shown really encouraging upside as a defensive back over the past year," Power said. "I think, for starters, we love the athletic ability. This is a guy who runs in the low 4.4s, high 4.3s in the camp setting, and has outstanding initial bursts and start-stop quickness. He carries that over to the field, most importantly." Torbert finished last fall with 40 total tackles and 3 interceptions, returning two of those turnovers for touchdowns. Offensively, he threw for 1,791 yards and 26 touchdowns, adding 450 yards and 4 more scores on the ground. After the season, he impressed Power at the Navy All-American Bowl at safety and corner. Torbert was consistently active around the ball during scrimmage action and stood out in run support. Matched up against talented receivers at The Opening's Indianapolis regional, he was sticky in man-to-man coverage, which helped Power feel confident in his projection as a corner. "There's less guesswork there, having seen him do that in the camp setting, so I think Monsanna Torbert brings a lot to the table," Power said. "His abil- ity to change directions bodes well as a corner, and I think he has offered some versatility. I could see him being a guy who can play in the slot on defense as a nickel defender, or I think he has the potential also to split out wide and play as an outside corner. Still, I think he has the speed, the ball skills that project well on defense, and then, of course, the dynamic playmaking ability that he shows on offense could also maybe help him make a special teams impact as well." Michigan battled Ohio State, Lou- isville, Notre Dame and others to land Torbert's pledge. Power views him as a quality addition to the 2027 class. "He's a prospect that we've been high on over the past year," Power said. "It's a very competitive group nationally at corner, but I think he's one that the Michigan fans should be excited about adding to the class. … This is a gamer, so I would expect him to come to Ann Arbor looking to make an impact. He's one who really elevates his play in com- petitive settings, so a really nice pickup for Michigan." ❑ Top 100 CB Monsanna Torbert Brings 'Dynamic Playmaking Ability' To Michigan Torbert is ranked as the No. 70 overall prospect and No. 10 cornerback nationally by Rivals. A two- way standout in high school, he comes to Michigan as a defensive back. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Athletic two-way playmaker with high-level instincts that project well as a defensive back. Measured at 5-foot-10.5, 170 pounds before his senior season. Has good length for his size, with 31.5-inch arms. Tests as a plus athlete in the combine setting with some of the best vertical jump numbers in the cycle. Has good top-end speed in the com- bine setting, along with the ability to crack 11.0 seconds in the 100 meters on the track. Operates as a dual-threat quarterback and safety for his high school team. Shows range and instincts in coverage. Jumps passes and has outstanding play speed when taking inter- ceptions the other way. Has fared well as a corner in the camp setting. Shows quick feet and can react and flip his hips off the line of scrimmage. Has the long speed to stay in-phase on vertical routes. Does a nice job of turning to locate the football. Also, an active and willing run defender. Tallied 40 tackles, 3 interceptions (2 pick sixes), along with 2,241 yards and 30 touchdowns on offense as a junior. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: A bit undersized for the position, and will need to continue adding mass to his frame while also honing his technique. Has intriguing upside given his level of skill, despite limited experience as a pure corner. Has the ability to be an impact player at multiple spots in the secondary with the upside to develop into an NFL Draft pick. PLAYER COMPARISON: Former NFL cornerback Lardarius Webb — Monsanna Torbert's combination of size, athleticism, and overall skill set reminds us of Lardarius Webb. Both had nearly identical size and length at the same stage. Like Webb, Torbert is a high school quarterback and defensive back with versatility and instincts as a defender. — Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power