The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 53 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING as among his leaders. Alston said that he will pick a school that not only feels like a big family but also has a history of NFL development. Alston acknowledged that Michi- gan was a later offer than most but also pointed out that the staff has been re- cruiting him "the hardest." "I love it," Alston said. "It's great. Coach [Kyle] Whittingham and I, both the Whittinghams, talk a lot." Linebackers coach Alex Whitting- ham is Alston's primary recruiter, and Whittingham has also reached out to both Alston and his family, a touch that means a lot to the blue-chip linebacker. He said the entire staff talked to him dur- ing his Michigan visit, just as the staffs at Auburn and South Carolina did. Alston also noted that his entire family likes the Wolverines. "Everybody loves it," Alston said. "My brother was running around the whole time. I think he got lost like twice in that big stadium. He was just running around. He was happy." Alston liked what he saw from Michi- gan's linebackers against UTEP, and ex- plained that the Wolverines compared him to current senior linebacker Troy Bowles. Moving forward, Alston said that he wants to learn more about where he stands on U-M's board and what the linebacker room looks like for the future. Relationships, a path to early playing time, scheme and production will help Alston separate a school from his current top 10. As for now, Alston said Michigan remains high on his list. "For sure in that top-five range," Alston said. TAKEAWAYS FROM MICHIGAN'S BYE WEEK RECRUITING TRAVELS Michigan's coaching staff hit the re- cruiting trail hard during its bye week, maintaining a mix of on-campus work and nationwide travel. The program was able to rebound from consecutive losses while also personally checking in with commits and key targets. That included head coach Kyle Whittingham, who vis- ited the nation's top-ranked 2028 of- fensive tackle, and quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., who extended an in- triguing new offer. Wolverines coaches spent most of their time out on the road with the 2027 commits. Michigan's 2027 class was ranked No. 11 in the country by Rivals in mid-October, and the staff continues to recruit that group like it did before their individual pledges. Coaches technically can't talk to prospects during the fall evaluation period, but they still made their presence felt on the sidelines of various games across America. Working through a rough on-field stretch of the season, Michigan was able to get back in front of its recruiting class and remind them of the relationships that helped them pick the Wolverines to begin with. This class seems really solid right now and making sure they continue to feel love from the program even if the season doesn't turn around will help keep the group intact. Whittingham made a couple of stops Oct. 9, starting with a quick trip to De- troit Cass Tech. U-M offensive line coach Jim Hard- ing and Whittingham were certainly on campus to continue expressing interest in five-star tackle Antijuan Wilkes Jr., the No. 15 overall recruit and No. 2 offen- sive lineman in the 2028 class. Wilkes is one of the program's top targets regard- less of position for the next cycle. He has already been on campus for two game days and is expected back for a third game day this year. The new U-M staff has built some solid relationships with in-state pro- grams during the first nine months of their tenure, including with Wilkes' of- fensive line coach, former U-M offensive lineman David Dawson. There are plenty of connections be- tween Michigan and Cass Tech. The in- state powerhouse should always be one of the Wolverines' top priorities, and it is great to see Whittingham and the rest of the staff showing their coaches and athletes plenty of love. Whittingham and Harding also trav- eled to Kalamazoo, Mich., to see 2027 tackle commit Jakari Lipsey, the No. 97 overall recruit and No. 8 OT in his class. Lipsey is one of the most important pledges in the class, and the raw but su- premely talented and athletic lineman is a player that Harding made a top priority immediately after joining the staff. Detmer visited one class of 2028 quar- terback during the bye week — Traverse City (Mich.) West signal-caller Brayden Tillman — and offered the nation's No. 388 overall prospect that same day. Tillman visited Michigan for the Penn State game Oct. 17. U-M has steadily ramped up its push for the in-state dual- threat quarterback who ranks 28th at his position in his class, and we could see it making an even bigger move after the game-day visit. Michigan State and Wis- consin are a couple programs in the mix for Tillman as well, but U-M is trending in the right direction. ❑ Skylar Alston, the nation's No. 177 overall recruit and No. 14 linebacker in the 2028 class, remains very interested in the Wolverines after visiting Sept. 19 for the UTEP game. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND