Kyle Whittingham brings in his strong legacy from Utah, but legacy alone won’t win recruiting battles. Michigan is now ranked No. 19 in the 2027 recruiting class with only three recruits locked in so far. Amidst this, the heat is rising around their coveted 4-star receiver. For the so-called “big fish” in this class, Ohio State has already spread its net. 

“I think Dakota Guerrant is the most important,” said analyst Allan Trieu when Steve Wiltfong asked about Michigan’s top targets this cycle. “Maybe not to the Savion [Hiter], Bryce [Underwood] level, but because of the position that he plays. A receiver is a big need at Michigan. 

“The fact that he’s inside the state and the fact that you have schools like Oregon with some serious momentum, Ohio State wants him.”

According to On3’s crystal ball, Oregon stands at a 90.4% chance, followed by Whittingham’s Michigan at 4.1% chance and Ohio State at 1.9%. Even though the Buckeyes have a lower chance to woo Guerrant, the Wolverines can already feel the pressure because they need to land the wide receiver without fail. 

Guerrant made waves early, earning MaxPreps All-American honors as a freshman and sophomore. He powered Harper Woods to its first-ever Michigan 4A state title, even after missing the first three games of his freshman year. By season’s end, he racked up 1,110 yards and 12 touchdowns on 49 catches. With Michigan’s 2027 class so far limited to just two interior linemen and one edge, he could boost their recruiting ranks. 

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But when it comes to wooing wide receivers, Ohio State surely takes the lead. And in this case, the top-ranked player in the state of Michigan, has already given his verdict. 

“They’re Receiver U,” Guerrant said of Ryan Day’s program last June. “They put guys in the NFL. They win, they’ve got everything. It’s self-explanatory.”

To sprinkle some more fear for the Wolverines, the Buckeyes are now leading the 2027 recruiting trail, sitting at No. 1 with nine recruits locked in. 

“If they can show him that their passing game is moving in the right direction to land him, I think that’s the biggest get Michigan could get,” Trieu said, raising a disclaimer. 

While Ohio State might flex its legacy of holding the reputation for turning wide receivers into NFL talent, the Wolverines might see a silver lining. Guerrant turns out to be the cousin of Michigan defensive back Jacob Oden. But will that be enough? Their past with arch-rival Ohio State in recruiting has led to disappointments. 

In the case of the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry in the recruiting trail, they are already locking horns for the same quarterback.

The Ohio State Buckeyes vs. the Michigan Wolverines battle over a hot quarterback target

The hot target is the No. 4 quarterback, Neimann Lawrence. Lawrence commanded Ransom’s offense in 2024, finishing with 2,777 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. According to On3’s predictions, Miami stands at the top with 36% chances, but Ohio State and Michigan are not going to give up. 

“I am looking forward to getting up there and spending time with the new staff,” he said. “Michigan has a lot of history. That is a school I am high on, too.”

So, apparently, Whittingham must be living in a bubble after losing the commitment of four-star quarterback commit Peter Bourque. But the reality is a lot different, with Ohio State holding a stronger push. 

“They develop quarterbacks,” he said. “They have a long list: Dwayne Haskins, C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, Will Howard, and now Julian Sayin.”

Since 2017, under Ryan Day’s guidance as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, Ohio State has produced quarterback development at a rate that dominates the Big Ten. Ohio State has sent three quarterbacks, Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud (twice), and then Julian Sayin to the Big Apple as Heisman finalists for a total of five times.

So, right now, the Buckeyes might have already robbed Kyle Whittingham’s sleep. Will Michigan come up empty in both the wide receiver and quarterback battles, or can they hang onto at least one of their prized targets?