Two months ago, first-year Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham surged ahead in the recruitment of an elite 2027 DL. 4-star Jamar Thompson put the Wolverines among his top four alongside Miami, Auburn, and Ohio State. Now as it turns out, he not only canceled his summer official visit but also replaced it with an SEC school. 

“Four-Star DL Jamar Thompson tells @Rivals that Texas is now a top school in his recruitment,” Hayes Fawcett reported on May 20. “The No. 1 DL in Florida was set to visit Michigan June 19-21 but has replaced that with Texas.”

This stings because Jamar Thompson isn’t some random 3-star depth piece. The 6’3 and 305 pound West Boca Raton standout is viewed as the No. 1 DL in Florida for a reason. Last season alone, he posted 42 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and five sacks while leading his school to another Florida Class 6A state championship after a 13-2 finish. 

Michigan originally positioned itself well for Jamar Thompson. The relationship started back in September when then-DL coach Lou Esposito extended the offer. But recruiting relationships are fragile and one coaching change can mess up everything.

Perhaps Lou Esposito leaving for the NFL to join Jesse Minter’s Baltimore staff was part of the reason for this last-minute mind change. Even though Kyle Whittingham replaced him with respected Vanderbilt assistant Larry Black, the momentum shifted. Now Michigan is officially out of the summer visit schedule as Texas entered the picture.

Steve Sarkisian’s staff offered Jamar Thompson back on June 15, 2025. Recruiting insiders already view the canceled Michigan trip as a major indicator Texas has positioned itself extremely well entering the summer decision stretch. Right now, the Longhorns already hold 11 commitments in the 2027 class, currently ranking No. 13 nationally, led by 5-star WR Easton Royal along with 4-stars TE Brock Williams and EDGE Cameron Hall. But this OV change doesn’t mean Texas is the only lock. 

As it stands now, Miami holds the edge in his recruitment at 36.8 percent, per On3 RPM, thanks to the in-state pull and personal connection. Back in January, Thompson openly talked about his relationship with Hurricanes DL coach Damione Lewis being one of the best among all schools recruiting him.

Still, Texas has pure recruiting momentum right now. And Michigan just found that out the hard way. But while the Wolverines lost ground with Jamar Thompson, they landed a massive surprise boost elsewhere on the trail.

Michigan wins Joshua Dobson’s interest in a similar manner

Michigan also handed Lane Kiffin a similar heartbreak in 5-star CB Joshua Dobson’s recruitment. LSU was one of the schools he scheduled for a summer OV while Kyle Whittingham’s program barely even appeared connected to the conversation. Then suddenly, everything flipped. 

As Fawcett reported earlier, “Five-Star CB Joshua Dobson will no longer take an official visit to LSU. He’ll now visit Michigan instead (June 11-13).” 

Joshua Dobson is ranked as the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2027 Rivals300. At 6’1, 185 pounds, with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, he’s one of the most physically gifted defensive backs in the country. And Michigan apparently surprised him during his spring visit.

“They shocked me,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “The academics, alumni network and overall fit really impressed me up there.”

Now Michigan has officially secured the June 11-13 visit, replacing LSU on the schedule. So yes, losing Jamar Thompson hurts for Michigan. But if the Wolverines flip the Joshua Dobson battle in a complete opposite direction, they may end up surviving this recruiting swing better than you’d think.