How often does a college football program go this far? Michigan is going all-out to win five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson. To make the biggest impression, the Wolverines connected him with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, one of the greatest boxers ever.

The elite 6-foot-1, 185-pound defender from Hough High School down in Cornelius, North Carolina, recently shook up the recruiting landscape by switching his travel plans. Dobson shattered expectations when he canceled a highly anticipated official visit to SEC powerhouse LSU to spend the June 12 weekend in Ann Arbor instead.

The Wolverines have been surging in recruiting since spring, targeting the nation’s No. 2 cornerback in the country and top-12 overall prospect, and this latest trip gave him an unforgettable weekend. Michigan rolled out VIP treatment, connecting Dobson with legends like Mayweather.

Dobson marveled at Michigan’s network depth, later saying, “Since being recruited, I’ve talked to Charles Woodson, Matt Lester, Floyd Mayweather, and more. The connections at Michigan are endless.”

Getting a personal pitch from an undefeated 50-0 boxing legend like Floyd Mayweather Jr. definitely changed the game for him. Mayweather told him straight up, “Come to Michigan, so I can watch you play.”

Dobson was clearly hyped about the crazy momentum Michigan is building right now, admitting, “Man, it’s something special they are building, and they want me to be a part of it.”

That certainly made his recruiting visit an experience of a lifetime. “The OV was great. They definitely shocked me, and I’m going to have a hard decision.”

Dobson gave major props to the university’s focus on life after sports. “That degree and the true 40-year plan,” he said.

He also praised the coaching staff’s technical pedigree, directly pointing out, “Also, Coach (Kerry) Coombs, he’s the only coach to coach eight (actually seven) first-round corners.”

Michigan competes with Auburn and Texas A&M for Dobson’s commitment. According to ON3’s RPM model, Mike Elko’s Aggies have an 86% chance to lock him down. Then Auburn has 1.8%, and Clemson has 1.3%. He visited Texas A&M last weekend, and many people thought he might commit then and there. Well, he did not. His final official visit is next weekend to South Carolina.

However, Dobson said the Wolverines have risen near the top of his list, with his big July 1 decision date right around the corner. With Michigan holding down the No. 11 recruiting class in the country, stealing him from the SEC’s hands via Mayweather’s influence would easily land them a top-eight recruiting class.

However, more importantly, folks are a bit confused about one thing: “How close are the Michigan Wolverines and Floyd Mayweather? Did he go to Ross?”

 Wolverines and Mayweather Connection

No, he did not go to Michigan’s Ross School of Business. But it makes a lot of sense for Mayweather to help out the Wolverines because he is originally a Michigan native. He was born and raised in Grand Rapids, where he first learned how to box. Even though he has lived in Las Vegas for a long time, he still loves his home state and closely follows its sports teams.

There is also a famous story from back in 2012 that permanently linked his name to the team.

The Michigan Wolverines were scheduled to play the powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide in a huge season opener in Texas. Because Alabama was so good, sportsbooks labeled Michigan as heavy 14-point underdogs, meaning almost nobody expected them to keep the game close.

Just days before kickoff, wild rumors exploded across major sports news websites. Reports claimed that Floyd Mayweather had walked into nine different Las Vegas sportsbooks to spread out a massive $3 million bet. According to the rumors, he was risking his fortune to back his home-state Wolverines, wagering that they would beat the point spread.

The actual game turned out to be a disaster for Michigan, as Alabama crushed them in a 41-14 blowout. Since Michigan lost by way more than 14 points, fans and media outlets immediately started joking that Mayweather had just lost $3 million in a single night. Mayweather denied the bet, posting a $200K pro-football slip as proof. Floyd Mayweather’s account remains unverified.

Today, Michigan uses Mayweather as proof of how powerful its network is for young athletes. When recruits visit campus, the coaches love to show off that their players get to rub elbows with icons like Mayweather and NFL legend Charles Woodson. It is a huge selling point that helps Michigan compete with other top schools for the best players in the country.