Wolverine Digest

Recruiting: Alabama trying to flip Michigan football's top 2025 commit

The Wolverines will have a fight on their hands for this Top 60 prospect with the Crimson Tide making a push...

Matt Lounsberry

Apr 1, 2023; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines helmet on the sideline during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium.
Apr 1, 2023; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines helmet on the sideline during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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College football recruiting is not for the faint of heart.

Michigan scored a big win on the trail in early July when it flipped four-star West Orange (Fla.) safety Ivan Taylor away from regional rival Notre Dame, but the Wolverines are now in a fight of their own to keep the Top 60 national prospect in their class. On Tuesday night, On3 Sports reported that Taylor — the highest-ranked prospect in Michigan's class — will take a visit to Alabama later this month.

"It's Michigan and Alabama who I talk to," Taylor told On3's Joseph Hastings.

Taylor originally committed to Notre Dame on Dec. 1, 2023 before flipping his commitment to Michigan on July 8. The 6-foot, 174-pounder is considered the No. 56 overall prospect, No. 6 safety and No. 8 player from the state of Florida according to 247Sports' Composite rankings. Taylor is one of three Michigan commits ranked in the Top 100, alongside Fulshear (Texas) Katy Jordan wide receiver Andrew Marsh and Center Valley (Pa.) Southern Lehigh tight end Andrew Olesh.

Here's what 247Sports' director of scouting Andrew Ivins had to say about Taylor:

"A high-IQ safety prospect with elite NFL bloodlines and a top-flight testing profile. Measured roughly 6-foot, 170 pounds spring before junior campaign, clocking a 4.5-second effort in the 40-yard dash that day to go along with a 4.25-second short shuttle. Quick-footed with plenty of agility. Has spent most of prep career working in a two-deep system and has shown that he can get where he needs to be. Competitive at the catch point and does a nice job of turning his head to find the football. A sound open-field tackler at this stage that will launch at legs and get ball carries on the ground. However, needs to get a little bit better at getting off blocks and sifting through traffic. Will eventually need to add some mass and improve play strength, but should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter for a top 25 program. Likely to find a home at the third level of a defense, but sticky enough in man-coverage possibly warrant a look as an inside corner on Saturdays."

The state of Alabama has been unkind to the Wolverines already in this current recruiting cycle. In late August, Michigan watched its previously highest-ranked commit — four-star Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwich defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall — flip his pledge from the Wolverines to the Auburn Tigers. Marshall is considered the No. 50 overall prospect in the 2025 class, per the Composite.

Michigan currently has 16 players committed to its 2025 recruiting class, which ranks No. 15 in the country and No. 5 in the Big Ten Conference. The Wolverines' average recruit rating of 91.68 is the 10-best mark nationally and the third-best in the conference.

Michigan Football Verbal Commits, Class of 2025

  • Four-star CB Ivan Taylor; West Orange High School; Winter Garden, Fla.; No. 56 nationally, No. 6 cornerback; No. 8 in state of Florida
  • Four-star WR Andrew Marsh; Katy Jordan High School; Fulshear, Texas; No. 61 nationally, No. 9 wide receiver, No. 13 in state of Texas
  • Four-star TE Andrew Olesh; Southern Lehigh High School; Center Valley, Pa.; No. 94 nationally, No. 4 Tight End; No. 3 in state of Pennsylvania 
  • Four-star S Kainoa Winston; Gonzaga College High School; Washington, D.C.; No. 103 nationally, No. 11 Safety, No. 1 in Washington D.C.
  • Four-star QB Carter Smith; Bishop Verot High School; Fort Myers, Fla.; No. 160 nationally, No. 13 Quarterback, No. 25 in state of Florida
  • Four-star OT Avery Gach; Wylie E. Groves High School; Franklin, Mich.; No. 246 nationally, No. 13 Offensive Tackle, No. 2 in state of Michigan
  • Four-star DL Jaylen Williams; Palatine High School; Palatine, Ill.; No. 249 nationally, No. 29 Defensive Lineman, No. 6 in state of Illinois
  • Four-star WR Jacob Washington; Archbishop Shaw High School; Marrero, La.; No. 261 nationally, No. 35 Wide Receiver, No. 8 in state of Louisiana
  • Four-star RB Jasper Parker; Archbishop Shaw High School; Marrero, La.; No. 273 nationally, No. 20 Running Back, No. 9 in state of Louisiana
  • Four-star EDGE Julius Holly; Alpharetta High School; Alpharetta, Ga.; No. 314 nationally, No. 20 Edge Rusher, No. 42 in state of Georgia
  • Four-star CB Jayden Sanders; Kilgore High School; Kilgore, Texas; No. 316 nationally, No. 30 Cornerback, No. 44 in state of Texas
  • Four-star RB Donovan Johnson; IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla.; No. 321 nationally, No. 26 Running Back, No. 46 in state of Florida
  • Four-star DL Bobby Kanka; Howell High School; Howell, Mich.; No. 430 nationally, No. 44 Defensive Lineman, No. 5 in state of Michigan
  • Three-star TE Eli Owens; Alcoa High School; Alcoa, Tenn.; No. 446 nationally, No. 23 Tight End, No. 15 in state of Tennessee
  • Three-star IOL Kaden Strayhorn; IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla.; No. 462 nationally, No. 28 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 65 in state of Florida
  • Three-star LB Chase Taylor; Stockbridge High School; Stockbridge, Ga.; No. 668 nationally, No. 69 Linebacker, No. 74 in state of Georgia

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Matt Lounsberry
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