Significant recruiting twists in Michigan football’s recent history

Sherrone Moore received great news yesterday when 4-star safety Ivan Taylor switched his commitment from Notre Dame to the Michigan Wolverines for 2025. Taylor – who is ranked No. 50 overall – is the third top-100 player to commit to Michigan this cycle, according to 247Sports’ Composite.

This got me thinking…what have been some of the most significant twists in recent Michigan football history? There have been many over the years, but these are the most significant in my opinion, dating back to the 2022 recruiting class.

Players move to Michigan

Class of 2024: Four-star CB Jo’Ziah Edmond

Edmond was a huge recruiting win, as the Wolverines missed out on several of their other top-priority cornerbacks in this class. Originally committed to Purdue, Edmond was a rising recruit when Michigan made him an offer. He ultimately transferred in August 2023, finishing the cycle as a top-150 prospect. While he may not see much time on the field this fall, his potential is sky-high.

Class of 2024: Three-star DT Deyvid Palepale

This was a very interesting recruitment. Palepale had Michigan on his initial top list and predictions that the Wolverines would sign him came true. However, he decided to commit to USC in July 2023, but then changed his commitment to Michigan just weeks before National Signing Day in December 2023. He will likely redshirt this year, but he could be a player to keep an eye on in a few years.

Class of 2023: Four-star S Brandyn Hillman

That was also really interesting. Hillman, who committed to Notre Dame and signed there in December 2022, actually requested a release from his letter of intent in March 2023. A number of other schools, including Ohio State and Wisconsin, also offered him offers, but Hillman ultimately chose Michigan. He played sporadically as a true freshman, but he should see more of the field in 2024.

Class of 2023: Three-star DL Cameron Brandt

This was another last-minute move for the Wolverines, as Brandt was committed to Stanford for seven months before signing his letter of intent with Michigan in February 2023. Brandt played a total of 14 games last season and is expected to get even more playing time this fall.

Class of 2022: Four-star DL Mason Graham

Graham had actually committed to Boise State before signing with Michigan. He wasn’t the most promising prospect at the time of his initial commitment, but the Wolverines recognized his talent, offered him a contract in August 2021 and brought him to campus for an official visit in September. He transferred to Ann Arbor just six days after traveling and has been a force on the defensive line since his freshman season.

Class of 2022: Three-star WR/CB Amorion Walker

Walker committed to Notre Dame in March 2021, but visited other players during the process, including Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss. He finally changed his mind on National Signing Day and signed to play at Michigan. After a brief move to Ole Miss in the offseason, Walker returned to Michigan and could play a crucial role as a wide receiver this season.

Class of 2022: Three-star QB Alex Orji

The Wolverines managed to sign a number of players from the class of 2022. Orji transferred from Virginia Tech and signed with Michigan on National Signing Day. He played as a backup in Ann Arbor, but Orji is in the thick of the competition for the QB1 position this fall.

Commits move to other schools

Class of 2024: Four-star lead Elias Rudolph

Rudolph was the first of three promising defensive players to transfer from Michigan to another school in his class. He chose Michigan in July 2023 but transferred to Miami just a month later.

Class of 2024: Four-star DL Jacob and Jerod Smith

Recruiting defensive line players in the 2024 cycle was difficult for a while. Not long after Rudolph’s transfer, Jacob and Jerod Smith both transferred to Kentucky in September 2023 and signed their letters of intent with the Wildcats.

Class of 2023: Four-star prospect Collins Acheampong

Acheampong, briefly Michigan’s top-ranked player in the class of 2023, committed in July 2022 and later transferred to Miami in November 2022. After his freshman year at Miami, Acheampong entered the portal and is now at UCLA.

Class of 2022: Four-star lead Ethan Burke

The recruiting gods give and take too. Burke committed to Michigan on December 1, 2022. Unfortunately, his hometown Texas Longhorns offered him an offer just before National Signing Day, so he transferred to stay close to home. That hurts because last season he led the Longhorns in sacks (5.5) and also had 41 tackles and nine tackles for loss. He’s one of the better edge rushers in the country heading into the 2024 season.