Inside look at Michigan’s push for the No. 1 2026 recruit in Montana
Billings, Montana, isn’t a small town in the Big Sky region of the country, with a population of over 100,000. But it does have a small-town feel, and it’s buzzing about one of its high school football stars, On300 2026 tight end Matt Ludwig, On3’s No. 1 overall recruit in Montana, being gifted the opportunity to play at the next level essentially anywhere he wants, like Michigan.
“He’s really excited, but I’ve been telling him it’s going to be overwhelming, which it is a little bit right now,” Billings West head coach Rob Stanton told The Wolverine. “He just has to make sure that he puts the phone away, spend quality time with his family, and focus on his current teammates. That’s been tough, and it’ll get tougher for him. We’ve never had a recruitment like this, I don’t think, in a long time in the state of Montana. To be frank, not too many times does a national championship football team give you an offer. So, that’s pretty exciting for him, and he’s going to have a ton of opportunities out there, so he’s looking forward to that, too.”
The Wolverines aren’t novices when it comes to finding diamonds in non-typical hotbeds. Jay Harbaugh first embraced rural area recruiting in states like Idaho and Arkansas, credited with landing Colston Loveland and helping the program get in the picture with former targets like Gatlin Bair and Marcus Wimberly.
A characterization of Ann Arbor that these former prospects would harp on following recruiting visits to the campus was how the people and atmosphere held traits similar to those of back home. But then stepping foot in the largest stadium nationwide brings the perspective of representing a team that just won the College Football Playoff, which is being brought to light for Ludwig and his inner circle.
“I’ve gotten caught up in a little bit, too,” Stanton said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh. Michigan offered. I just watched them on TV here not too long ago in the national championship.’ So, that’s been pretty special. I’ve embraced it, too. This is unique. Our city is 120,000. I believe you guys play in a stadium that’s just maybe a little bit smaller with the amount of people. Montana, we have about 1.2 million people here in total. So, it’s unique that there’s a kid that’s getting (a) national recruitment. I think it’s pretty cool.”
Ludwig is the son of a former strength and conditioning coach at Washington and Washington State. His father also played at Purdue. At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, his family and friends call him “Moose.” Individually, Ludwig’s head coach notices that the attention to detail that the sophomore brings on and off the field is what community members strive for from everyone else.
There’s a positive outlook in how Ludwig has carried himself while attacking the sensory overload of recruiting, as he possesses offers from three Power 4 conferences, including six from the Big Ten, such as Oregon, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Washington. In the SEC, Florida, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Arkansas have entered the mix.
Michigan pulled the trigger in late April when new tight ends coach Steve Casula reached out.
“I like a little old-school, and I think (Casula) has that, which is cool,” Stanton said. “I think that’s probably the most important decision that Matt will have to make is that connection with the coach. I think it’s pretty cool that he’s going to come out here knowing Michigan Football, and they put out some pretty good tight ends, and they’ve had some guys in the NFL, a lot of them. That’s one of Matt’s goals, too. He would like to play on Sunday. I think (Michigan) gives him a very good opportunity and a great coach to keep on developing him. Wherever Matt goes, he wants to stay there for four or five years.”
Casula also appeared at Billing West earlier this month to watch Ludwig work out. So did a number of other schools vying for his services. Speed development has been a focus for the four-star this offseason, and continuing to maintain a role as a multi-sport athlete. On the track, Ludwig improved his 100-meter time to 11.4.
In his spare time, Ludwig receives mat time and wrestles. All of these components have led to him being a two-way starter for Billings West, compiling 36 passes for 441 yards, five touchdowns, and 26 total tackles.
“He’s a nice tool to have,” Stanton said. “Our offensive coordinator has done a great job of putting him outside as a wide receiver. We put him as a slot. We put him as an H-back. We put him as a tight end. We put him as a quarterback. So, that gives us a lot of options for him, and he’s a big body out there. He moves very well. He catches the ball extremely well. He’ll be the first one to tell you he needs to work on his blocking. But when you look at the film, he blocks pretty well, too. So, he’s just a good weapon to have. We’re just very excited for him. Obviously, we have two more years with him before anybody else gets him. So, we’re excited about that, too.”
Colleges are taking notice as well, and the increased notoriety has resulted in Ludwig taking the time to figure out what he wants at the next level. As Stanton put it, NIL is not a concern. What will be is comfort with the position coach and the development that a program can provide him. A smaller atmosphere on a bigger scale is intriguing for him, too, which Michigan can issue.
Ludwig also has an Idaho connection with Loveland. Two years ago, the family relocated to Billings from Post Falls, an eight-hour drive to Loveland’s hometown of Gooding and requires passing through Washington and Oregon.
Loveland’s trajectory to becoming a potential first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft and Michigan’s utilization of the position have greatly enticed current tight-end recruits. Ludwig is no different, but his head coach knows that the former is level-headed enough to realize that taking over as a freshman at any school isn’t guaranteed.
“I think he understands the development in the process that’s going to happen, and that’s why I think he’s special,” Stanton said. “He knows the game. I think wherever he goes, he’s going to work really hard. I think he has a good chance to see the field early because he’s also a football junkie. We can sit down and watch film, and he asks a lot of good questions, and he really loves the film part of it. He just loves the whole process of football, and he’s looking forward to all this stuff.”
The qualities of Ludwig that Stanton has relayed indicate the type of recruit Michigan has gone after under the current coaching regime. With Casula building a foundation towards a tight-knit relationship, the next step is for that to happen with head coach Sherrone Moore, whose resume from this past season has been admirable from the perspective of Stanton.
“Obviously, the impression is very high, and I think that’s another connection that Matt will have to make, too,” Stanton said. “He’s done a phenomenal job. I couldn’t imagine the pressure that he was under for those final three games (of last season). Obviously, he did very well. A lot of press and scrutiny. But the impressions are very high.”
On3 also lists Ludwig as the No. 201 overall prospect and No. 16 athlete in the country.
The post Inside look at Michigan’s push for the No. 1 2026 recruit in Montana appeared first on On3.
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