Wolverine Digest

Recruiting: Four-star Michigan commit no longer visiting rival Big Ten school

The Wolverines are trying to hold on to one of their top committed prospects in the 2025 recruiting class, and got good news on that front this week...

Matt Lounsberry

Christopher Breiler
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Michigan had a strong summer on the recruiting trail, landing several top targets and flipping others from rival schools, but the Wolverines' momentum in the 2025 class has waned this fall.

Head coach Sherrone Moore's first full recruiting class took a massive hit in late August when Michigan's top committed prospect, four-star Nathaniel Marshall, four-star Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall, flipped to Auburn. The Wolverines are also currently in a battle to hold on to two more of their top three committed prospects, four-star safety Ivan Taylor and four-star tight end Andrew Olesh.

Both Taylor and Olesh are being heavily courted by Alabama, and each visited Tuscaloosa during the Crimson Tide's massive win over Georgia two weekends ago. Meanwhile, Olesh is also being courted by Michigan's new Big Ten recruiting rival Oregon, but the Wolverines may have gotten some good news on that front this week. According to On3's E.J. Holland, Olesh will no longer make a trip to Eugene this weekend when Oregon hosts Ohio State in a huge showdown with massive Big Ten championship implications.

With the 2025 recruiting class' early signing period less than two months away, Michigan is in a real fight to keep its top committed prospect in its class. According to Rivals' Adam Gorney, Alabama has made Taylor a top priority and the Crimson Tide may now be the favorite in his recruitment. Should the Wolverines lose Taylor, it would be the second time their top committed prospect flipped to an SEC school in this cycle.

Michigan has done an excellent job featuring its tight ends in a run-heavy offense over the past decade, and that's something that is appealing to a player of Olesh's caliber. It also gives the Wolverines a strong chance to hold on to his recruitment. As the Wolverines prepare for the second half of their 2024 season following this bye week, how Michigan performs could have a direct impact on how their 2025 recruiting class shapes up.

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Matt Lounsberry
MATT LOUNSBERRY

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