The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2026 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING pledge. He returned to campus for Vic- tors Weekend and spoke highly of the experience. "Oh, it was fun," Harrington said with a laugh. "That was the only OV I took. It was perfect." During that trip, Harrington (6-3, 180) and his high school teammate — Top 100 wide receiver commit Quentin Burrell — helped recruit Top 100 cornerback Mon- sanna Torbert. The elite defensive back ended up choosing the Wolverines over Ohio State a couple of weeks later. "He spent a lot of time with me and Q. We did a great job of talking to him a lot," Harrington said. "With me, him, and Blake [Jenkins], I just feel like our secondary is going to be nice." Michigan now holds commitments from Charles Woodson Jr., Darius John- son, Harrington, Jenkins and Torbert in the secondary. Harrington is very op- timistic about what that group can ac- complish in the maize and blue, espe- cially with the skill set he and Torbert bring to the table. "He has versatility; I have versatility," Harrington said. "Blake, he's coming from Texas. He plays some of the top ball. Everybody's experienced and can play all positions." NO. 1 ATHLETE GRANT BOWEN IS HIGH ON U-M Grant Bowen is one of the nation's elite two-way athletes. The rising ju- nior from Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception High holds offers to play linebacker and tight end from most of the nation's top programs. Michigan offered the No. 22 recruit in the coun- try June 16. The No. 1 athlete in the 2028 class is an Iowa legacy and holds scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and many others. Michigan jumped into the mix later than most, but the recently ramped- up contact from the Wolverines caught Bowen's attention. "I definitely do have a lot of inter- est in their program," Bowen told The Wolverine. Schools like Oklahoma and Oregon have been showing Bowen a lot of love since June 15. Michigan linebackers coach Alex Whittingham is his primary recruiter and has been reaching out consistently to check in with the future four-star prospect. "I think he's a great guy with a lot of experience," Bowen said. "I wasn't really following Michigan football this past year, but I definitely will this year to see how the linebacker room does." Bowen (6-4, 220) believes the Wol- verines are recruiting him to play de- fense. His recruitment is pretty split between schools that want him to line up at linebacker or tight end with a lean toward offense. With that being the case, he said most schools would give him the opportunity to try out both. He caught 34 passes for 731 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall. Defensively, he logged 55 tackles and 2 interceptions. Bowen likes the idea of trying out both positions at the next level. "I think it's great because it gives me a lot of versatility to see how my body de- velops the next year or two or so," Bowen said. He outlined what's important to him at this stage of his recruitment, highlighting winning culture, scheme fit, the coaching staff and the path to the NFL as crucial factors in his decision-making process. Even though the Wolverines offered late, he remains interested in Michigan. "They are a powerhouse program that has been proven to send guys to the NFL at a high rate," Bowen said. Elite Power Four programs all over the country are pushing for his pledge already. Michigan needs to get him on campus, and he said a trip to Ann Arbor remains on the table this fall. "I think it's going to be possible to get up for a visit, and I just want to learn how they execute as a program, see what a game day looks like, see how their preparation is even for a practice," Bowen said. ❑ As a sophomore, Grant Bowen recorded 34 receptions for 731 yards and 11 TDs, 55 tackles and 2 interceptions. PHOTO BY TYLER JAMES/BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED