Michigan famously pulled off a recruiting feat when it flipped Bryce Underwood from the LSU Tigers just two weeks before the National Signing Day. The Wolverines are keen to do the same in the 2027 cycle, according to reports. This time, their target is five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, who recently committed to the Oregon Ducks.

“It’s still going to be Dakota Guerrant,” Rivals’ Justin Wells told Josh Newberg on the June 24 episode of The Inside Scoop. “I bring him up every time I come on your show, Josh. But you know, number one player in Michigan. He committed to Oregon this summer. That was not a surprise at all. Michigan is going to keep swinging.”

“They always fully expected that his recruitment was going to go to signing day. And you know, he’s right down the road in Harper Woods, and he is, well, maybe the top overall on their recruiting board and always has been. And they’re just going to keep pushing for him, keep doing everything they can to keep him home.”

Dakota Guerrant announced his commitment to Oregon on the Pat McAfee Show last week, picking them over the in-state Wolverines. When asked about his choice, Guerrant said Oregon was his dream school and revealed the close bond he shares with the program’s staff.

“When they started recruiting me, they felt like family from the start. It just kept building with them, and how they do with their receivers and how they’re producing, I’ve just seen myself there from the start,” he said.

However, the Wolverines are not giving up. Kyle Whittingham and his coaching staff are keen on using their proximity advantage to push for his flip. Per Rivals, the Wolverines have the No. 13 class in the 2027 class with 18 commits. Getting their hands on him would not only improve their rankings; it would also see him join Quentin Burrell as another top receiver recruit. After his recruitment last week, the Ducks’ 2027 class was ranked the No. 4 class in the country and the best in the Big Ten, per 247Sports.

Guerrant’s father expressed the kind of love his son has for the Ducks, calling the program his No. 1 school even before they had offered him. Luckily for him, Dan Lanning and Ross Douglas reciprocated this love. To their gain, the Ducks’ efforts were also reinforced by his agent, Brandon Grier, who is also the agent of the Ducks’ quarterback Dante Moore.

However, the Wolverines could go pick up the Underwood playbook and make Guerrant touchdown in Ann Arbor. Underwood was similarly a Michigan native, and the program was able to flip him through a massive NIL deal and a promise to use him as the QB1 in his freshman year. And ultimately, Michigan used the influence of alumnus Tom Brady, who called Underwood and lured him.

Wolverines’ offense could play a role in Guerrant’s flip decision

Despite the difficulty the Wolverines will face in their pursuit of Guerrant, there is something they can do within their power to convince him. Guerrant, like every top offensive player, wants to be a part of a thriving offense that would help him develop better. Hence, the Wolverines can make themselves more attractive to Guerrant with a brilliant offense in 2026.

“And if Michigan’s offense shows improvement, that’s always been the big pivot point that I’ve mentioned here a few times,” the report added. “If the offense shows improvement, if he feels like he can be successful in Michigan’s offense, I think they will have his attention at the very least.”

In his junior season, Guerrant had 58 receptions for 1,100 yards and 27 touchdowns. Guerrant would be hoping to put up even better numbers in his senior season.