What the signings of Donovan Johnson and Kaden Strayhorn mean for Michigan Football

The IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is one of the best high school football programs in the country.

On Sunday, Michigan football received two commitments from the nationally ranked team. Four-star running back Donovan Johnson was the first to announce his verbal commitment before three-star offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn followed suit later in the evening.

Here’s what their commitments mean for the Wolverines:

– It’s been a remarkable month for Michigan in its search for new players after a tumultuous start to the 2025 cycle. The pressure was on for new head coach Sherrone Moore and his re-formed staff to finally deliver results after the program had just won the national championship, and they did. The Wolverines now have 10 commitments for the 2025 class after starting the month with five. And that doesn’t even include a verbal commitment from four-star quarterback Brady Hart, a top-100 prospect for the 2026 class.

– More than a dozen 2025 recruits ventured to Ann Arbor for official visits this month, and Michigan seemed to make a strong impression on most of them, especially during “Victors Weekend” on June 21 and 22. Johnson and Strayhorn were both on campus for their official visits, and the Wolverines are also in the process of landing a few other prospects: 4-star tight end Andrew Olesh, 4-star receiver Jacob Washington, 4-star offensive lineman Hardy Watts, 4-star defensive lineman Maxwell Roy, 3-star receiver Phillip Wright and 3-star linebacker Chase Taylor.

– They have climbed into the top 30 of the 247Sports Composite national rankings and are now ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten. More importantly, the average rating of their pledges is good for seventh in the country, a big improvement from the previous two cycles. Johnson is ranked as the No. 232 overall prospect, while Strayhorn is No. 435. All 10 pledges are ranked in the top 500.

– Johnson’s ranking could fluctuate the most next year due to his circumstances. He was a top-100 prospect as a sophomore but has fallen significantly after missing his entire sophomore year with a torn ACL. If the 6-foot-4, 200-pound player can get back into shape, he could be a real steal in this class.

– While Strayhorn is rated as a three-star, he is considered one of the best center prospects this cycle. He has an impressive list of offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Texas and Tennessee. He is also a Michigan native and has a Michigan State tradition. Both of his parents were Spartans, and his father, Jason Strayhorn, was a defensive lineman on the football team. MSU was on his recruitment early on, but he has focused on other schools recently. Strayhorn, who began his high school career at Detroit Catholic Central before transferring to IMG before his sophomore year, took an official visit to OSU this month, but Michigan was able to seal the deal during its visit to Ann Arbor.

– After signing five offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle, Michigan doesn’t need to add to the position this year. Strayhorn is the second player from the 2025 class, joining four-star Avery Gach of Birmingham Groves. Both are expected to play interior, so expect Michigan to add at least one tackle this cycle. But they’re also currently the frontrunner for four-star interior lineman Hardy Watts of the Dexter School in Brookline (Mass.), who also visited last weekend. Moore continues to stress the importance of building a team from the front, and that shows in recruiting.

– The Wolverines should be in a good position this cycle at the running back position, as they have two players signed to play that position. New position coach Tony Alford didn’t waste much time signing his guys and pivoted quickly when one of his top prospects, four-star Marquise Davis, committed to Kentucky out of the blue in the spring. Three-star Jasper Parker of Marrero (Louisiana) Archbishop Shaw committed on June 15, so Michigan now has two running backs who are at least 6-foot-4.

– Michigan has had success recruiting at IMG in the past, signing big-name players like Cesar Ruiz, JJ McCarthy, DJ Turner, Greg Crippen and Keon Sabb. The Wolverines may not be done recruiting talent at IMG this cycle. Four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, a top-100 prospect, also took an official visit to Michigan last weekend, while four-star cornerback Alex Graham, a Michigan native, remains in contact with the Wolverines despite committing to Colorado.