Five Michigan recruiting thoughts on On3’s updated 2026 rankings
On3 released its updated rankings for the 2026 class. Here are five Michigan recruiting thoughts following the release.
1. Plenty of QBs
Michigan landed an early commitment from On300 2025 quarterback Carter Smith, which has allowed U-M quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell to fully focus on 2026 signal-callers. Campbell already has Michigan in the mix with several of the best at the position next cycle — just look at the On300 list. Michigan has scholarships out to Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley’s Faizon Brandon (No. 11), Folsom (Calif.) High’s Ryder Lyons (No. 50), New Lenox (Ill.) Lincoln Way West’s Jonas Williams (No. 115), Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit’s Will Griffin (No. 120), Indialantic (Fla.) Cocoa’s Brady Hart, Lake Mary (Fla.) High’s Noah Grubbs (No. 193) and Newbury Park (Calif.) High’s Brady Smigiel (No. 199). Griffin, Williams, Smigiel and Grubbs have all visited Michigan in the past. The all your eggs in one basket approach is officially dead.
2. Sadler is underrated
I’ve been banging the CJ Sadler drum since he was an eighth grader. Now, Sadler has established himself as the next five-star level prospect in the state of Michigan. Well, not according to On3. Sadler did move up more than 50 spots to the No. 213 overall recruit nationally, but that’s still too low. Sadler had a terrific sophomore campaign for Detroit powerhouse Cass Tech, starring on both sides of the ball. Sadler projects best as a slot receiver, but he’s a Swiss Army knife that can play anywhere on the field. No, he doesn’t have the NFL measureables, but the guy screams Tavon Austin. Michigan has hosted Sadler for several visits early on and is squarely in the mix early on.
3. Lack of in-state talent
It looks like the state of Michigan is in for another down year in 2026. Sadler is elite, in my opinion, and Portage (Mich.) Northern offensive lineman Gregory Patrick checked in at No. 74 overall. However, the only other in-state recruit listed in the On300 was Davison (Mich.) High offensive lineman Ben Nichols, who doesn’t even have an offer from the Wolverines. Patrick and Sadler are certainly priorities for U-M early in the cycle, but outside of that, it’s pretty murky waters. Michigan may only land one or two in-staters in 2025 (depending on if they keep Bobby Kanka), and the same could be true in 2026. There just isn’t a lot of high level talent in U-M’s own backyard.
4. VA is loaded
Transitioning from Zach Libby’s home state to my own home state — well, current one, I suppose — Virginia is absolutely loaded with elite talent in 2026. In fact, Virginia is home to 12 On300 prospects next cycle, which is a little crazy considering the size of the state. Michigan has already offered six of those prospects and is set to host On300 offensive lineman Carter Scruggs for a visit next month. That trip could very well result in an offer to make it seven. Arguably the two most talented recruits of the group are Woodberry Forest (Va.) School running back Savion Hiter and Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher’s offensive lineman Darius Gray. Both visited Michigan this spring and have shown a ton of interest early in the process. Virginia is becoming more and more of a priority for Michigan recruiting, which is great to see.
5. NIL
As you can see, Michigan is in the mix with a number of elite recruits at key positions, but it won’t matter unless the Wolverines adapt on the NIL front. Yes, Michigan can still land a handful of guys on the On300 list, especially in the 100-300 range. Michigan, after all, is the winningest program of all-time, has had success on the field, puts players in the NFL, etc. But at the end of the day, we’re in the NIL era and if Michigan doesn’t have an organized NIL recruiting plan, then landing elite targets will prove to be an uphill battle. If Michigan doesn’t have a plan in place by 2026, I’m not sure the Wolverines will be able to sustain success on the field.
The post Five Michigan recruiting thoughts on On3’s updated 2026 rankings appeared first on On3.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings