Meet The Commits: 5-star RB Savion Hiter headlines Michigan 2026 recruiting class

Michigan wrapped up its most important recruiting win of the 2026 cycle Monday morning when Savion Hiter made his commitment public. The five-star running back is the nation’s No. 8 recruit and sat at the top of the Wolverines’ board for a long time.

His pledge helped U-M climb back into the Top 10 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. The Wolverines are extremely close to passing Ohio State in the standings. Here’s an in-depth breakdown of the program’s 23 commits in the 2026 class.

Five-star running back Savion Hiter

Commitment Date: Aug. 19, 2025
Hometown: Mineral, Va.
School: Louisa County High
Height: 5-11.5
Weight: 200 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 8 overall, No. 1 running back, No. 1 in Virginia
Other Notable Offers: Ohio State, Tennessee, Georgia, Penn State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Alabama, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss

How We Got here: Michigan always looked like a top contender for Savion Hiter, but Tennessee kept things very close down the stretch of the top-ranked running back’s recruitment. He kept the process almost entirely private and did not reveal much. Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee made up his final four schools, and he took official visits to all of them. Hiter’s connection with running backs coach Tony Alford helped push U-M over the top.

Five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows

Commitment Date: June 29, 2025
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
School: Gonzaga Prep
Height: 6-6.5
Weight: 225 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 30 nationally, No. 5 edge rusher, No. 1 in Washington, D.C.
Other Notable Offers: Ohio State, South Carolina, Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Miami, Florida State

How We Got here: Michigan identified Carter Meadows early on as one of its top overall targets in the 2026 class. He made several trips to Ann Arbor, most recently traveling to campus June 20 for a Victors Weekend official visit. The elite recruit and his family both put a lot of value on academics, and Michigan offered them the chance to play for a school with a history of defensive line development while attending a prestigious university. Turns out, U-M was the ideal fit.

Rivals300 defensive lineman Titan Davis

Commitment Date: June 23, 2025
Hometown: Saint Louis, Missouri
School: DeSmet High
Height: 6-4
Weight: 262 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 102 overall, No. 10 defensive lineman, No. 2 in Missouri
Other Notable Offers: Alabama, USC, Penn State, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas A&M, Miami, Oregon, Texas, Florida

How We Got here:Titan Davis held a long list of Power 4 offers but narrowed his focus to Michigan and Alabama after a May 30 official visit with the Crimson Tide. At that point, he canceled all other visits except his Victors Weekend trip to U-M. He visited Ann Arbor three times over the past year and, on that most recent trip, Michigan surged ahead of Alabama and secured his commitment.

On300 wide receiver Travis Johnson

Commitment Date: July 4, 2025
Hometown: Chesapeake, Va
School: Oscar Smith
Height: 6-3
Weight: 180 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 121 overall, No. 15 wide receiver, No. 3 in Virginia
Other Notable Offers: Penn State, South Carolina, Miami, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky

How We Got Here: Travis Johnson visited Michigan four times over the course of his recruitment. Michigan needed to land some star power at outside receiver this cycle, and he brings that ability to the class. The Wolverines made him a top priority and, despite pushes from South Carolina and Penn State, U-M felt like the team to beat for most of his decision-making process. Michigan helped wrap things up during his June 13 official visit.

Rivals300 quarterback Brady Smigiel

Commitment Date: April 26, 2025
Hometown: Newbury Park, California
School: Newbury Park High
Height: 6-4.5
Weight: 215 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 140 overall, No. 9 quarterback, No. 17 in California
Other Notable Offers: Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Ole Miss, Miami, Georgia

How We Got here: Brady Smigiel strongly considered Michigan last year before Michigan took another 2026 quarterback, and he picked Florida State. Things came full circle for the signal-caller and the Wolverines when Chip Lindsey joined the staff. They already had an existing connection that built quickly after Smigiel reopened his recruitment. Michigan made him the program’s top target and sealed a commitment shortly after a multi-day spring visit. 

Four-star safety Andre Clarke

Commitment Date: June 30, 2025
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
School: Hermitage High
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Industry Ranking: No. 149 overall, No. 14 safety, No. 5 in Virginia
Other Notable Offers: Tennessee, Miami, Florida State, South Carolina, Washington, Ole Miss, Kentucky

How We Got here: Michigan sat in a solid spot with Andre Clarke for most of this year before surging into first-place during his June 13 official visit. The Wolverines like him at cornerback and prioritized the versatile defensive back. He also took official visits to SMU, Syracuse and Kentucky before ending his travel schedule in Ann Arbor.

Top 100 offensive tackle Malakai Lee

Commitment Date: June 27, 2025
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
School: Kamehameha Secondary
Height: 6-7
Weight: 310 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 152 overall, No. 11 offensive tackle, No. 2 in Hawaii
Other Notable Offers: USC, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Oregon, Nebraska, Missouri, BYU

How We Got here: Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome made Malakai Lee a top priority very early on in this recruiting cycle and, even as teams like USC or Texas made a push for the elite offensive lineman, the Wolverines remained a super consistent contender. The U-M staff made several trips out to Hawaii to meet with him this year, and Lee spent Victors Weekend in Ann Arbor. That trip helped seal a commitment from the Top 100 prospect.

Rivals300 edge rusher Julian Walker

Commitment Date: July 1, 2025
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
School: Dutch Fork High
Height: 6-6
Weight: 240 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 153 overall, No. 21 edge rusher, No. 3 in South Carolina
Other Notable Offers: South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, UNC, NC State, Georgia Tech

How We Got here:Julian Walker’s recruitment heated up quickly early this year. Michigan offered in February and quickly started building a relationship. The edge rusher’s father is a strength coach for South Carolina, so this was going to be a tough recruitment to win. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito did not worry about that and focused on building a genuine connection with the four-star prospect’s family. Walker visited for Victors Weekend and committed soon after that trip.

Top 100 tight end Matt Ludwig 

Commitment Date: May 20, 2025
Hometown: Billings, Montana 
School: Billings West High
Height: 6-4.5
Weight: 240 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 159 overall, No. 9 tight end, No. 1 in Montana
Other Notable Offers: Georgia, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Texas, LSU, Oregon

How We Got here: Matt Ludwig shut down his recruitment before a packed official visit schedule could kick off. Michigan has been the longtime favorite for the talented tight end, and he took a few trips to Ann Arbor leading into this decision. Tight ends coach Steve Casula visited him Sunday, and Ludwig made his commitment public Tuesday. 

Four-star wide receiver Zion Robinson

Commitment Date: June 25, 2025
Hometown: Mansfield, Texas
School: Mansfield
Height: 6-2.5
Weight: 175
Industry Ranking: No. 181 overall, No. 27 wide receiver, No. 25 in Texas
Other Notable Offers: Texas, Notre Dame, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Florida, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Miami

How We Got here:Zion Robinson grew up in Ohio before moving to Texas and actually picked up an offer from Michigan in eighth grade. The Wolverines really ramped up their interest in the explosive receiver early this year and hosted him in the spring before welcoming him back to campus for a May 30 official visits. He took trips to Texas Tech, Miami, Nebraska and Stanford after that, but the Michigan momentum around his recruitment persisted and led to a commitment.

Rivals300 edge rusher McHale Blade

Commitment Date: June 9, 2025
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
School: Simeon Academy
Height: 6-5
Weight: 255
Industry Ranking: No. 209 overall, No. 26 edge rusher, No. 6 in Illinois
Other Notable Offers: Notre Dame, USC, Oregon, Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Miami

How We Got here: Notre Dame looked like the heavy favorite in McHale Blade’s recruitment for a long time, but Michigan always loomed as a very real challenger for the Fighting Irish. The Wolverines the edge rusher to campus last weekend for his official visit, and that trip showed Blade that Ann Arbor was home for him. He committed to U-M Monday morning after returning home from the visit.

Rivals300 defensive linemanAlister Vallejo

Commitment Date: June 10, 2025
Hometown: Liberty Hill, Texas
School: Liberty Hill High
Height: 6-3
Weight: 310 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 227 overall, No. 25 defensive lineman, No. 31 in Texas
Other Notable Offers: Notre Dame, SMU, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Wisconsin, Baylor, Arizona

How We Got here: Michigan offered Alister Vallejo April 15 and prioritized him from there. He’s an underrated interior defensive line prospect, and the Wolverines really pushed for him. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito visited him in Texas during May’s evaluation period. Then, Vallejo made trips to Notre Dame and Kansas. He did not officially visit Michigan before his decision. Turns out, he did not need to.

Four-star cornerback Dorian Barney

Commitment Date: July 5, 2025
Hometown: Carrollton, Ga.
School: Carrollton High
Height: 6-0.5
Weight: 170 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 240 overall, No. 24 cornerback, No. 27 in Georgia
Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Penn State, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ohio State, USC, Tennessee, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas

How We Got here: Michigan started building momentum with Dorian Barney during his first trip to Ann Arbor this spring. He locked in a Victors Weekend official visit that day and even returned for a second unofficial stop on campus for the spring game. Barney built a strong connection with secondary coach LaMar Morgan and fell in love with the program’s culture. Michigan established itself as the team to beat during his OV.

Four-star safety Jordan Deck

Commitment Date: July 16, 2025
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
School: Lone Star High
Height: 6-3
Weight: 180 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 346 overall, No 29 safety, No. 40 in Texas
Other Notable Offers: LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Miami, Colorado, Texas Tech, Auburn, Oklahoma

How We Got Here: Jordan Deck took a full slate of official visits and, going into his June 13 trip to Michigan, the Wolverines looked like the leaders in his recruitment. Baylor changed that the following week during his OV with the home-state school, leading to a surprise commitment. Michigan’s staff never gave up though and, less than a month later, Deck flipped his pledge to the Wolverines.

Three-star tight end Mason Bonner

Commitment Date: May 22, 2025
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
School: Mullen High
Height: 6-6
Weight: 200 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 465 overall, No. 25 tight end, No. 5 in Colorado
Other Notable Offers: Miami, Penn State, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Arizona, Missouri, Kansas State

How We Got here: Michigan offered Mason Bonner late last year and made him a clear priority from that point on. The Wolverines visited him in January and hosted him on his first visit in March. Going into official visits, he narrowed things down to just Michigan and Minnesota, setting official visits with both programs. Then, Steve Casula visited him this spring and helped lock up a commitment.

On300 offensive lineman Marky Walbridge

Commitment Date: June 25, 2025
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
School: St. Sebastian’s
Height: 6-5.5
Weight: 285 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 474 overall, No. 44 offensive lineman, No. 2 in Massachusetts
Other Notable Offers: Ohio State, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Penn State, Boston College, Wisconsin

How We Got here:Marky Walbridge kept his recruitment very low-key, but Michigan always stood out as a real contender. Boston College was the Wolverines’ main challenger in the end as the Eagles battled to keep him home, but U-M won out after a Victors Weekend official visit.

Three-star offensive lineman Bear McWhorter

Commitment Date: February 28, 2025
Hometown: Cartersville, Georgia
School: Cass High
Height: 6-3
Weight: 308 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 485 overall, No. 47 interior offensive lineman, No. 53 in Georgia
Other Notable Offers: Miami, Texas, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida, South Carolina

How We Got here: Bear McWhorter shocked many when he picked Michigan over Alabama early this year. He’s named after Bear Bryant and grew up a fan of the Crimson Tide, but no one recruited the offensive lineman harder than Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome. After taking a January trip to U-M, the Wolverines established themselves as the favorite for the coveted three-star prospect. 

Three-star edge rusher Tariq Boney

Commitment Date: April 26, 2025
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
School: St. John’s 
Height: 6-1
Weight: 230
Industry Ranking: No. 605 overall, No. 58 edge rusher, No. 4 in D.C.
Other Notable Offers: Tennessee, Texas A&M, Washington, Penn State, Wisconsin, Georgia, Marlyland

How We Got here: Tariq Boney picked Michigan over Cincinnati, Tulane and West Virginia. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito prioritized him this spring, and the explosive edge rusher visited in April before pledging to the program. 

Three-star linebacker Markel Dabney

Commitment Date: June 27, 2025
Hometown: Chester, Va.
School: Huguenot High
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 665 overall, No. 52 linebacker, No. 19 in Virginia
Other Notable Offers: South Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida State, Indiana, Miami

How We Got here: Michigan was the favorite in Markel Dabney’s recruitment for a significant chunk of the spring, but he made a fairly surprising commitment to SMU in May. The Wolverines kept pushing for the priority linebacker and hosted him for a June 13 official visit and welcomed him back to campus later that same week for a 7-on-7 camp. Dabney flipped to Michigan soon after those trips.

Three-star running back Jonathan Brown

Commitment Date: June 21, 2025
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
School: St. Francis DeSales
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 678 overall, No. 43 running back, No. 31 in Ohio
Other Notable Offers: Rutgers, Toledo, Kent State

How We Got here: Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford watched Jonathan Brown work out twice this summer, once in Ann Arbor and again at the Sound Mind Sound Body showcase at Wayne State. The three-star rising senior impressed the staff enough to earn an offer, and he did not wait long to commit.

Three-star wide receiver Jaylen Pile

Commitment Date: October 17, 2024
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
School: Parish Episcopal School
Height: 6-0
Weight: 178
Industry Ranking: No. 1,044 overall, No. 157 wide receiver, No. 150 in Texas
Other Notable Offers: Oklahoma, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, Florida State, Auburn

How We Got here: Jaylen Pile is one of the foundational members of this class. He committed last fall and remains locked in with the program. The receiver stopped by Ann Arbor for the Texas Game before making his commitment later in the fall. Pile is probably the most vocal recruiter in the class. 

Three-star kicker Micah Drescher

Commitment Date: June 18, 2025
Hometown: Hinsdale, Illinois
School: Hinsdale Central
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190 pounds
On3 Ranking: No. 2,368 overall, No. 1 kicker, No. 58 recruit in Illinois
Other Notable Offers: Northwestern, UConn

How We Got here:Micah Drescher committed to Michigan over a recent scholarship offer from Northwestern. He visited this spring and decided to shut down his recruitment in June with a full ride on the table from the Wolverines.

Three-star long snapper Colton Dermer

Commitment Date: June 14, 2025
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
School: Sandra Day O’Connor High
Height: 6-1
Weight: 235 pounds
On3 Ranking: No. 2,482 overall, No. 5 long snapper, No. 40 in Arizona
Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Northern Arizona

How we got here: Colton Dermer visited Michigan this spring and picked up an offer from the Wolverines June 13. Fewer than 24 hours later, he locked in his commitment to U-M.