When Michigan brought in Kyle Whittingham and DC Jay Hill, it was a recruiting strategy. A decade of Mountain West relationships just packed its bags at Utah and moved to Ann Arbor. And now, that investment is starting to pay off in a big way.

One of Michigan’s top 2027 targets, ATH Peyton Higginson, will be in Ann Arbor for the spring game on April 18. Kyle Whittingham has been pursuing him even while he was at Utah last season. And now, Jay Hill has taken over the primary recruiter role. 

Earlier this month, Hill made a deliberate stop at Salem Hills High School in Utah to see the athlete in person. By the end, he offered Peyton Higginson a scholarship and reinforced a relationship that goes back to his BYU days. In fact, he was the first coach to offer him when he was with the Cougars. 

“I am in talks with coach Jay Hill about dates,” he told The Michigan Insider. “I will be doing an unofficial in the spring and an official in June. I just don’t know the exact dates yet.”

Peyton Higginson didn’t hide his relationship status with Hill. 

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“I have a great relationship with Coach Hill,” he said. “He and I have stayed in contact ever since my offer to BYU. He has come and watched my baseball games, has visited my home, has invited me to their film sessions and practice when he was at BYU. I have stayed very, very close to Coach Jay Hill and respect him a lot.”

Hill’s bond with the 6’2, 175-pound ATH is already very strong. For now, Peyton Higginson is listed as a 3-star prospect by On3, but 247Sports has him as the No. 6 recruit in Utah and the No. 54 ATH nationally in the 2027 class. He’s a three-year varsity player who has produced on both sides of the ball with over 1,000 receiving yards and 17 TDs at WR, plus 100+ tackles and four interceptions at free safety. That versatility is the type of player this new Michigan staff wants.

His visit list shows just how competitive this recruitment is. Starting March 7, he’s hitting UNLV, Oregon State, BYU, Utah State, Yale (virtual), UCLA, Colorado State, Utah, and Michigan. And he made it clear this might not even be the full list. 

“Grateful to get to see so many schools, and will possibly even add a few!” he wrote. 

But continuity is what Michigan can be confident about. Peyton Higginson picked up an offer from Utah when Kyle Whittingham was leading the Utes. That and Hill’s relationships didn’t disappear when the staff relocated. Back in late January, Rivals’ Adam Gorney reported that Michigan had emerged as a legitimate landing spot. 

“That’s for sure in the top of my choices,” he said.

Winning this battle against Utah and BYU in their backyard would show Michigan can go west and come home with the guy. But right now, Kyle Whittingham has another pressing concern regarding his 5-star DL target. 

Kyle Whittingham in competition with SEC teams for Markus Fakatou 

There’s pressure here. Fair or not, people have questioned whether Kyle Whittingham can recruit the Midwest at an elite level. This first full class will answer that. So far, the Wolverines are in good shape with several high-profile targets. None bigger than 5-star DL Marcus Fakatou. He has already narrowed his focus to three schools.

“The three schools I know I’ll officially visit right now are Michigan, Texas and Georgia,” he said. “Those are the three I feel I have the best relationship with and the three I know I’ll visit and I’m still sorting out the rest.”

Texas is pushing hard while Georgia is selling development. 

“Coach Sark is personally recruiting me and that’s crazy,” he said. “When you get that kind of love from a head coach it means a lot.”

“I love their style of defense and how well they develop defensive linemen,” he said of Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs. “They get guys to the League (NFL) and that’s obviously the goal for me.”

That’s SEC pressure at its finest. But Michigan is still a firm contender for the No. 35 overall prospect and the No. 2 defensive lineman in the class.

“I’ve been to Michigan twice so far and loved it there,” he said. “I have a great relationship with the new staff coming in and coach Whittingham is a great head coach and the kind of coach I can see myself playing for.”

If Michigan can win battles like Peyton Higginson in Utah and stay neck-and-neck with Texas and Georgia for Marcus Fakatou, then the narrative around this staff changes fast.