At this point, Michigan football has the bulk of its 2026 class intact after a hot recruiting month of June and the start of July. Yes, the Wolverines missed out on two of their top targets this month with five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell choosing Syracuse and four-star offensive lineman John Turntine III committing to Texas. The fun of the past few weeks, where head coach Sherrone Moore would post a pair of eyeballs indicating a commitment was nigh, and that seeming to be an everyday occurrence, is now a thing of the past, as the number of remaining targets is dwindling.
With that in mind, we have four top remaining targets on the board, a few lesser targets, as well as some strategy thoughts that may indicate more of what the class may look like down the line as we inch closer to signing day in December.
Mineral (Va.) Louisa County five-star running back Savion Hiter
Michigan’s likely top overall target in 2026, the Wolverines have been after Hiter for over a year. The Wolverines continue to be in a solid spot for the top running back in the class, but are fending off primarily Tennessee, but also Ohio State and Georgia.
Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh School four-star linebacker Nick Abrams II
The Wolverines looked like exactly the type of school that would appeal to the elite linebacker, who officially visited in June. He had glowing remarks coming out of the visit, but the maize and blue had tailed off, with Abrams telling Rivals they were running fourth. With Abrams set to decide soon, will the Wolverines make a move? They’re battling Alabama, Georgia, and Oregon.
Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill four-star defensive tackle Deuce Geralds
Primarily a Michigan vs. Oregon battle, the Wolverines did not look like the spot a month ago, and Ohio State appeared to have all the momentum. After a midweek visit before the final official visit weekend, the Wolverines surged, but might not have enough momentum to overtake the Ducks, who appear to be in pole position.
Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin
Another Michigan-Oregon battle, little was said coming out of Benjamin’s somewhat surprising official visit in May, but now the Wolverines might be the team to beat. It may be more likely that the maize and blue can win this one compared to Geralds, however the Ducks are in strong position for both. However, given the need for an elite cornerback who can play multiple positions, Michigan may push harder for Benjamin than Geralds — considering that the defensive line group is already pretty great in 2026.
Other options
Ogden (Utah) Fremont four-star athlete Salesi Moa
It’s unclear when Moa is going to make a decision, as he had set a decision date, and it’s come and gone. The Wolverines didn’t put themselves in as good of a position as some others on the board, as Moa wants to play both wide receiver and cornerback at the next level. However, with Calvin Russell choosing Syracuse, does that perhaps open the door for the maize and blue?
Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star linebacker DQ Forkpa
Forkpa has long been on Michigan’s radar, but the Wolverines also went hard after some higher-rated options on the board who ended up choosing other schools. He’s set to decide on Saturday, so the question is did Michigan do enough?
Winston Salem (N.C.) Oak Grove three-star defensive tackle Ben Boulware
Little is known about where the DT is leaning, but as Michigan has chased Deuce Geralds and garnered commitments from Titan Davis and Alister Vallejo, Boulware might feel a little squeezed out.
Flips?
While things might appear relatively set, recall that Michigan really bolstered its 2025 class late in the cycle last year. That’s because the Wolverines are strong on senior season evaluations, which may lead to some targets who weren’t on the radar earlier (look at signees such as wide receiver Jamar Browder and defensive tackle Benny Patterson) while they may also quietly work behind the scenes for a player they truly covet (like Bryce Underwood or Ty Haywood).
It would stand to reason that the Wolverines will end up adding a player or two that they lost out on, while other targets not being talked about emerge later in the cycle.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan’s 2026 recruiting: Key battles for top talent intensify
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
