Michigan has just opened up the floodgates as it pertains to the 2026 recruiting cycle, with the first official visit weekend of the late-spring slate officially underway. As the Wolverines work to bring in the future crop of star players, that got us thinking – who have been the most heralded recruits that Michigan has brought in recently?
Relying on modern era rankings (thus starting around 2010), we went back through 247Sports’ proprietary rankings to come up with our own all-time commit list. We used the overall rating and then the overall ranking to come up with the top 25 most recent all-time recruits who chose Michigan football – meaning, no players who started elsewhere and ended up transferring to the Wolverines. That precludes players like quarterback Shea Patterson, running back Ty Isaac, or offensive tackle Myles Hinton – all of whom were five-stars.
With that said, here are the top 25 commits that Michigan has gotten in the past 15 years.
25. OT Andrew Sprague
Class year: 2024
Highschool: Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 68
A freshman just this past year, Sprague was one of the big gets in the 2024 class. Injuries kept him from getting involved early, but he ended up starting at right tackle in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama and managed to hold his own in the process. Slated already to start for the Wolverines at the same position in 2025, he may be Michigan’s best offensive lineman, even as a sophomore.
24. WR Brian Cole
Class year: 2015
Highschool: Saginaw (Mich.) Heritage
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 65
The top player in the state, Jim Harbaugh inherited Cole in his first, truncated recruiting class. A player who could see time at receiver or at cornerback, Cole played in three games as a true freshman, but was dismissed from the team for unknown reasons early in 2016. He ended up transferring to East Mississippi Community College then Mississippi State, where he played well enough to be drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. He played for three teams in two years in the league before taking hold in the CFL, where he still plays.
23. CB Ambry Thomas
Class year: 2017
Highschool: Detroit (Mich.) King
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 62
A standout athlete, Thomas was considering multiple schools, but it appeared to be a Michigan-MSU battle. He ended up choosing Michigan and saw early playing time, initially on special teams. He got into the rotation in 2018 and starred as a kick returner that year. He became the full-time starter at cornerback, opposite Lavert Hill, in 2019. He departed for the NFL after his junior year and was drafted on day two by the San Francisco 49ers.
22. OG Kyle Kalis
Class year: 2012
Highschool: Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 61
A huge fan favorite as a recruit, Kalis was famously committed to Ohio State but made the uncharacteristic move of flipping to Michigan football. It took a few years for him to catch on, but he ended up starting at right guard for two seasons — 2015 and 2016.
21. LB Joe Bolden
Class year: 2012
Highschool: Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 58
Coaching in his blood, Bolden was the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio in 2012, but did not have an Ohio State offer. It worked out for the Wolverines as Bolden ended up being a co-captain for the maize and blue his senior year and was a solid linebacker that season. He became a grad assistant in Ann Arbor in 2016 and has since made coaching rounds, having spent time at Washington State, USC, and Ohio State before getting promoted to coach special teams at Nevada, Tulsa, and now Southern Miss.
20. C Cesar Ruiz
Class year: 2017
Highschool: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 55
One of Michigan’s top targets for several years, Ruiz ended up committing to the Wolverines and started seeing playing time in his first year with the program. Getting his first chance at guard, he ultimately moved even further inside where he starred at center. He ultimately departed Ann Arbor after his junior season in 2019 and was picked in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints.
19. DT Ondre Pipkins
Class year: 2012
Highschool: Kansas City (Mo.) Park Hill
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 51
A fan favorite as a recruit, Pipkins never quite took off in Ann Arbor to the degree that he was adored. He played in 12 games as a true freshman but tore his ACL early in his sophomore season. He ultimately found new life transferring to Texas Tech and played for two years in the NFL with Washington.
18. DT Christopher Hinton
Class year: 2019
Highschool: Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian Academy
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 47
The first commit of the 2019 class, Hinton was a five-star at the time of his pledge. He played early and often as a reserve in his freshman year and was starting just a few years later in his junior season. He departed for the NFL in 2020 and went undrafted. However, he has played for the Los Angeles Chargers since 2022.
17. QB Devin Gardner
Class year: 2010
Highschool: Inkster (Mich.)
247Sports score: 96
Overall ranking: 44
An enigmatic dual-threat, Gardner was supposed to be the answer for the Wolverines after Denard Robinson. While he waited, Brady Hoke converted Gardner to wide receiver in 2012, but when Robinson sustained an elbow injury, Gardner was converted back to quarterback. Despite all of his talent, Michigan appeared to want to make him more of a pocket passer, and the offense continued to be limited. He graduated after the 2014 season, perhaps a year too early with Jim Harbaugh coming in. Gardner coaches Young Go Getters and is a color commentator for Fox Sports.
16. OT Ty Haywood
Class year: 2025
Highschool: Denton (Tx.) Ryan
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 42
Prioritized by Sherrone Moore and his staff last recruiting cycle, Haywood committed to Alabama and appeared solid to the Crimson Tide for some time. However, after Michigan flipped Bryce Underwood, things started heating up again, as NIL became a factor. Haywood decommitted from Alabama shortly after early signing day and took his recruitment the distance. But he ended up committing to the Wolverines on national signing day.
14. RB Zach Charbonnet (tied)
Class year: 2019
Highschool: Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 38
Charbonnet was a big get for Jim Harbaugh at the time and was sorely needed. As a true freshman, he started at running back right away but had some nagging injuries early in his career. Still, he played regularly, splitting time with Hassan Haskins in 2019. However, with a loaded room in 2020, the Wolverines rarely inserted Charbonnet compared to the other backs. He ultimately transferred to UCLA to be closer to home and starred in Westwood. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks.
14. QB J.J. McCarthy (tied)
Class year: 2021
Highschool: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 38
McCarthy famously wanted to go to Ohio State, but the Buckeyes took Kyle McCord instead. So, the competitor he is, he ended up committing to Michigan football. With the Wolverines, he started playing as an alternate QB, often as a runner. But he made some big throws, including two big early-season long touchdowns to transfer Daylen Baldwin. He won the starting job over incumbent Cade McNamara in 2022, precipitating McNamara’s transfer to Iowa. He led Michigan to three wins over Ohio State, two as a starter, three Big Ten championships, three College Football Playoff appearances, a Rose Bowl win over Alabama, and a national championship in 2023. He departed after his junior year and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft but tore his ACL in training camp. He’s expected to start for the Vikings this year.
12. OG Michael Onwenu (tied)
Class year: 2016
Highschool: Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 36
A local product, ‘Big Mike’ got early playing time in year one but started to get traction in his sophomore year playing guard. A multi-year starter, was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2020, but has been a starter for the franchise, playing multiple positions along the line since ariving in Foxborough.
12. EDGE Luiji Vilain (tied)
Class year: 2017
Highschool: Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 36
The Canada native had high expectations but was injured early and often in his career. As a result, he never really rose beyond being a rotational player (starting in 2019) in Ann Arbor. He ultimately transferred to Wake Forest.
11. CB Will Johnson
Class year: 2022
Highschool: Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 35
Despite being a legacy, it appeared as if Will Johnson was intent on going somewhere else. USC and Ohio State pushed hard, but he ultimately committed to the hometown school in January 2021. It didn’t take long for Johnson to earn a starting role as a true freshman in 2022, and though he had a limited resume, thanks to injuries in 2024, he was a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals.
10. QB Brandon Peters
Class year: 2016
Highschool: Avon (Ind.)
247Sports score: 97
Overall ranking: 34
Peters was the first quarterback recruit to commit to Jim Harbaugh, and the future appeared to be bright for the high four-star recruit from neighboring Indiana. However, after he finally got his chance to start late in the 2017 season, injuries precluded him from reaching his potential. Then, the Wolverines went to the transfer portal to bring in Shea Patterson (well, before the transfer portal was actually a thing), and Peters was on the outside looking in, along with 2017 quarterback Dylan McCaffrey. Peters ended up transferring to Illinois and starting in Champaign for multiple seasons.
9. RB Donovan Edwards
Class year: 2021
Highschool: West Bloomfield (Mich.)
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 33
‘Big Game Don’ had an up-and-down career in Ann Arbor. He committed to his hometown school on early signing day in 2020 and started seeing playing time right away in his freshman year. His biggest game that year came in the penultimate regular season matchup at Maryland where he had 10 receptions for 170 yards. However, it was in 2022 that he soared, having a huge game against Penn State and its No. 1 rushing defense before going off for two long touchdowns at Ohio State, sealing The Game that year. But in 2023 he struggled mightily until the Penn State game late in the year. He had two 40-plus touchdown runs in the national championship game that helped the Wolverines jump out to a 14-0 lead over Washington. His struggles continued in 2024 and though he began the year as a starter, he split time with Kalel Mullings. He went undrafted but signed after the draft with the New York Jets.
8. DT Aubrey Solomon
Class year: 2017
Highschool: Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 30
Thought to be a Georgia lean, Solomon shocked the world in the summer of 2016 when he and his high school teammate, Otis Reese, committed to Michigan football. He waffled and decommitted, looking like there was no way that he would end up with the Wolverines when all was said and done. However, he pledged on national signing day. and ended up in Ann Arbor, after all. He got some early playing time as a freshman, but ended up transferring to Tennessee during the offseason.
7. WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Class year: 2017
Highschool: Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 26
The No. 1 wide receiver in the country, Peoples-Jones headed to a Michigan football team that didn’t have a quarterback — at least not after Wilton Speight broke his neck in Week 4. And with the two starters from the year before having departed, he was counted on to start in his freshman year. He never quite reached his full potential, but ended up going to the NFL following his junior year.
6. LB Cameron McGrone
Class year: 2018
Highschool: Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 24
Injuries precluded McGrone from playing in his first year, but the standout from Indy really came alive when he finally got the opportunity to start in 2020. As a result, despite really only having one solid year of play, McGrone departed for the NFL and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts.
5. S Daxton Hill
Class year: 2019
Highschool: Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 23
Pretty much every school wanted Hill to join their team, and though he looked like he could end up at Oklahoma or Alabama, he ended up choosing Michigan shortly after his visit in Week 3 of the 2018 season. However, in December, he flipped to Alabama just before early signing day, only to flip back on signing day. Hill got involved immediately and was the starting nickel for much of the year. He continued to star for the Wolverines but left after his junior season for the NFL, where he was drafted in the first round in the 2022 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
4. OT Andrew Babalola
Class year: 2025
Highschool: Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest
247Sports score: 98
Overall ranking: 10
The five-star took his recruitment relatively late into the process but committed to Michigan football before the MSU game in October 2024. He enrolled early and has been practicing with the team since before the ReliaQuest Bowl. He is in the mix to start at left tackle as a true freshman.
3. ATH Jabrill Peppers
Class year: 2014
Highschool: Paramus (N.J.) Catholic
247Sports score: 100
Overall ranking: 4
Perhaps the most ground-shifting commitment Michigan ever had, Peppers chose the Wolverines live on national TV. He had a season-ending injury in his freshman year, but then went on to star for the maize and blue when Jim Harbaugh took over in 2015, serving multiple roles on defense, special teams, and even offense. He was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns but currently plays for the New England Patriots.
1. DE Rashan Gary (tied)
Class year: 2016
Highschool: Paramus (N.J.) Catholic
247Sports score: 100
Overall ranking: 1
When Jim Harbaugh took over the Michigan program in 2015, there was hype that the Wolverines could land Gary, the No. 1 overall recruit in the country, especially when he hired his former head coach, Chris Partridge, to be the team’s recruiting coordinator. Gary took it to the wire, committing to the maize and blue on national signing day in February 2016 on national TV – after Michigan held its Signing of the Stars event at Hill Auditorium. Clemson famously made a late push. Gary starred immediately, first in a reserve role in his freshman year, then starting in 2017 and 2018. However, he never quite reached the level of stardom in college as anticipated. He has in the NFL after being selected with the No. 12 overall pick by the Green Bay Packers.
1. QB Bryce Underwood (tied)
Class year: 2025
Highschool: Belleville (Mich.)
247Sports score: 100
Overall ranking: 1
No one thought Michigan had a chance to land Underwood when all of a sudden, there was a ton of buzz surrounding the No. 1 overall recruit and the Wolverines. After all, he had been committed to LSU since January 2024. Underwood kept things quiet, even appeared to refute that he had interest in Michigan. Yet, on the Wednesday before the Week 13 game against Northwestern, he made the flip, shocking the college football world. He enrolled early, practiced with the team during bowl prep, and appeared to be the No. 1 quarterback on the roster in spring ball over Jadyn Davis. Underwood is expected to earn the starting job this fall right out of the gates.
Michigan is currently in the mix for multiple players who could end up this list once the 2026 cycle has been completed.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Top Michigan football commits in the modern era ranked