Before Ohio State and Michigan lock horns at Ohio Stadium in November, the two programs are already involved in a battle. The Wolverines have now joined the race for the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2028 class. While both programs have major attractions for the prospect, there are other programs involved in this race as well.

According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Kyle Whittingham and Michigan are expected to pursue the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle and five-star prospect Antijuan Wilkes Jr. While Michigan’s rival, Ohio State, is also involved in the race, the highly rated prospect is sought after by the Miami Hurricanes, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Georgia Bulldogs, the Florida Gators, the LSU Tigers, and the Missouri Tigers, who have all been listed among his top 12 schools.

Michigan is Wilkes’ home state, where he played at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. With this in mind, the Wolverines could use the proximity advantage to win his commitment. It was the case with Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, who eventually flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan in the 2025 recruiting class.

Before then, the program made him more inclined to stay close to his home and high school, which is about a 30-minute drive from Michigan Stadium — and connected him with NFL legend Tom Brady, who convinced him to join the program. All of these came with a bumper NIL package that made Underwood the highest-paid freshman in college football.

However, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound Wilkes grew up supporting the Crimson Tide and the Buckeyes, which makes Ohio State a very likely destination for him. The Buckeyes have also been well-positioned for players in the 2028 class, as two of the only three Rivals‘ top 100 players to have made commitments have picked Ohio State. The third prospect committed to the Bulldogs, who are known for being a dominant factory for NFL talent.

Michigan State is also involved in the race and was ranked high in Rivals’ prediction of Wilkes’ landing spot. Just like Michigan, the Spartans have the in-state advantage. However, looking at the number of powerhouses involved in the race, it will be a tough going for the program.

The Texas A&M Aggies are also taking a keen interest in the recruitment after securing the commitment of Wilkes’ high school quarterback and fellow 2028 class athlete, Donald Tabron II.

In December 2025, Kyle Whittingham picked up a Michigan team that was in the midst of a crisis both on and off the field. The program struggled to live up to its championship expectations while also dealing with a scandal involving former head coach Sherrone Moore and his assistant Paige Shiver.

Whittingham came in and has been on a revival mission on and off the field, including doing everything he can to make the program a dream destination for top recruits. Going into the 2026 season, the program looks to be in a more stable position. However, the former Utah head coach is also actively working to secure Michigan’s future with high school prospects.

Wilkes on Michigan

The Wolverines are using their proximity advantage to great effect in their pursuit of Wilkes. Similarly, Wilkes has expressed his admiration for the program and their reception. While everything about the program is of great interest to him, he understands the perks of playing for a program in his home state.

“Everything,” Wilkes told Rivals. “It’s my hometown, and the guys treat me right. Just everything stands out for Michigan.”

The Wolverines have just one commitment in the 2028 recruiting class, five-star kicker Ryan Jung. If they are able to win Wilkes’ commitment early enough, then it could give the class a desired momentum.