Though Michigan is yet to reclaim its National Championship glory, it sure is making a mark with its recruiting. Sherrone Moore is going full steam ahead on that front, in the shadow of the NCAA’s impending verdict about the sign-stealing scandal. This is a program that saw Bryce Underwood make his way to Ann Arbor at the last moment. Now, Moore hopes to land a resounding victory by making a huge leap in the recruiting pool. While others are busy scouring the 2026 pool, the HC is shaking things up by looking farther ahead. This strategy involved not one, not two, but five elements.

Michigan is yet to make a mark in the 2026 class. They are still sitting within the Top 20, but are dangerously placed towards the end, currently sitting at No.18. Sherrone Moore has 7 commits in his class, with his best being 4-star QB Brady Smigiel. Rather than dwelling on a slow but steady start, Moore is pivoting toward long-term strategy. His master plan is to lock in five elite prospects across the 2027 and 2028 cycles, a multi-year vision aimed at keeping the Wolverines competitive well into the future. Like they say, there’s no time like now. Moore doesn’t have any to waste, and is going after some great blue-chippers for the future.

On June 6, the Wolverines extended offers to four rising stars: TE Titus Hawk, Eli Johnson, TE Tytan McNeal, and CB Jailen Hill. A day before that, they made an offer to safety Zayden Gamble. All these targets come from 5 major states, too. Oklahoma (Hawk), Texas (Johnson), Florida (Gamble), Washington (McNeal), and California (Hill). McNeal is the youngest of them and comes from the 2028 class. Moore is a little late to begin his recruiting, as all of them have more than 10 offers lined up for their recruitment. Hawk, for example, is already eyeing Notre Dame and Oklahoma right now. Hill, on the other hand, is warming towards USC. Ann Arbor’s front office just got a lot busier, as they step into the waters for these 5 targets.

Michigan is attacking the future classes with its full might, in hopes of securing a strong roster for the coming seasons. Moore scrambled to lead a team during turbulent times, when the program suffered blow after blow. Now, hopes for the Wolverines’ 2025 season are looking up with the inclusion of Bryce Underwood. The HC is ensuring the future of the program stays in good hands by going after big future prospects. OC and QB coach Chip Lindsey is going after targets like Colton Nussmeier, Charles Woodson Jr., and Hank Hendrix – all leaders of 2027’s QB class. Michigan is known to pull some of the slyest moves when it comes to recruitment. On the staffing front, however, Michigan came very close to losing a top member of its machinery.

Sherrone Moore relieved as Michigan wins poaching battle with Navy

When a key figure of a program’s top brass goes to another, it’s bound to fail brutally in recruiting. Michigan was teetering on the edge of losing its GM, Steven Magee, to his former home, the Naval Academy. The school was hoping to rope him in as their Athletic Director. Magee was part of the school’s winning years, and also played for the team himself from 2000-2003. With a productive history going so far back, the Navy seemed primed to land back their former staffer in a new role. But Magee is staying put at Ann Arbor for now.

It comes as a huge relief for Moore and Co., because the Wolverines’ recruiting campaigns can still hold onto their high value with Magee in the mix. On3 reports that he was “instrumental” in flipping Underwood from LSU. When Magee decided to come back to the program after a stint with the Chicago Bears, he told On3 that he did so because Moore “asked him to.” Magee helped construct a top 10 class in 2025. Nobody expected the kind of theatrics that came with Underwood to occur in college football, and Magee did it. He will shape the way Michigan goes about recruiting new talent, that’s for sure.

Magee and Michigan are among the leading players in an NIL-dominated college football landscape. Other programs are only now adapting to this high-stakes environment, whereas Michigan is a seasoned contender already. Magee intends to make Michigan a relevant program once again, given the recruiting spree he is sending his front office to. Now, will the GM be successful in turning these early offers and forward-looking tactics into firm commitments?