Michigan’s big recruiting week: Wolverines sign key players for the 2025 class

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Two teammates from New Orleans, two teammates from IMG Academy and an up-and-coming linebacker helped Michigan’s recruiting class finish in the top 15 for the first time in the 2025 cycle.

Michigan’s biggest recruiting weekend of June brought commitments from offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, running back Donovan Johnson, linebacker Chase Taylor and wide receiver Jacob Washington, a teammate of running back commit Jasper Parker. The Wolverines now have 12 commitments in their 2025 recruiting class, which has climbed more than 35 spots in the 247Sports Composite rankings in just over two weeks.

Here is an overview of all current developments.

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Strayhorns bleed green … and now blue

Jason Strayhorn, a former All-Big Ten center at Michigan State, is preparing for his 19th year as an analyst for MSU radio broadcasts. His son, Kaden, grew up near the press box and sidelines at Spartan Stadium. Father and son both envisioned Kaden on that field, but not quite like this.

Kaden, a three-star offensive lineman who attends IMG Academy, committed to Michigan on his official visit on Sunday. Now, once a year, Jason has to separate his fan interests like different colors in the washing machine.

“I’ll be cheering for you that day,” Jason told Kaden. “But not the Wolverines.”

The decision didn’t come out of the blue. Sherrone Moore began the recruiting process when Kaden was in eighth grade, and when Michigan made Moore the head coach, Jason felt Michigan was the team to beat.

Kaden had originally considered committing later in the summer, but when the family met Moore in his office at the end of the official visit last weekend, a single question was enough to bring Kaden’s true feelings to light.

“He (Moore) asked everyone in the room, ‘How are you feeling?'” Jason said. “It was very simple. It wasn’t a sales job. He didn’t give a speech.”

Kaden looked at his parents and said he was ready to commit. They supported the decision, even though it meant Kaden had to give up his dream of following in his father’s footsteps at Michigan State University.

Kaden visited Ohio State before traveling to Michigan, and it was the Buckeyes, not the Spartans, who finished second. Kaden heard from Michigan State’s new coaching staff after Jonathan Smith was hired in November, but talks didn’t go very far.

“I remember asking him at one point, ‘Hey, how’s State going?'” Jason said. “He said, ‘Dad, I haven’t heard from them.’ I thought that was interesting.”

Kaden’s offer list, which includes Alabama, Georgia and USC, speaks to his potential as one of the best offensive players in his class. Although he played right tackle last year at IMG, Michigan sees him as center, his natural position and the one he wants to play as a senior.

“One question we’ve heard from other coaches is, ‘Does he know how to snap the ball?'” Jason said. “If you do his homework, it’s clear he was born to snap the ball. At IMG, he’s back at home at the center position. He’s really looking forward to playing a full season at that position because he’s so comfortable there.”

Writing my own legacy… #committed 〽️ @Coach_SMoore @grant_newsome pic.twitter.com/dOCUlfNDqJ

— Kaden Strayhorn (@kaden_strayhorn) 23 June 2024

The Louisiana Connection

Embedded in Michigan’s class of 2025 is a history lesson about high school football in New Orleans.

For 19 seasons, Hank Tierney coached at Archbishop Shaw, a Catholic school on the west bank of the Mississippi. He coached some of the best players in New Orleans, including Steelers safety and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, former Broncos coach Vance Joseph and wide receiver Ron Bellamy, who later played and coached at Michigan.

After his controversial departure from Shaw in 2002 over alleged rules violations, Tierney ended up coaching at Ponchatoula High School on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Shaw’s success waned, and in 2022 the school brought Tierney back in hopes of regaining its former glory.

With Tierney back at Shaw, Bellamy has a natural connection with some of the best players in New Orleans. Two of those players, Washington and Parker, transferred to Shaw from New Orleans Jesuit before their junior seasons. Tierney didn’t know much about the two players when they arrived, but in one year they helped Shaw win 10 straight games and advance to the semifinals of the state playoffs.

“Everything is going in the right direction,” Tierney said. “A lot of that is thanks to Jasper and Jacob.”

Parker, a three-star talent and No. 441 in the 247Sports Composite, announced his commitment on June 15. Washington, a four-star wide receiver and No. 320, committed nine days later after visits to Baylor, Missouri and Georgia Tech. Together, they give Michigan a tough runner between the tackles and a big, speedy wide receiver who is just scratching the surface of his potential.

Parker came to Shaw with a reputation as one of the best football players in New Orleans and backed it up with more than 1,000 rushing yards as a junior. He’s 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, and he could easily play at 215 pounds in college, Tierney said, which would make him an ideal big back for Michigan’s offense. With his ability to run people into empty space, Tierney sees Parker as more than just a short-yardage runner.

“I think he’s going to be a great running back because he runs aggressively, but he’s also athletic,” Tierney said. “He can shake you. He can dunk backwards with both hands and all that stuff.”

Washington didn’t start playing football until high school and worked on his technique last season after playing in a run-heavy offense at his previous school. He’s still learning the game, Tierney said, but 6-foot-3 wide receivers who can get past defenders will always be in high demand.

“He’s developed into an extremely talented receiver who can go up and catch the ball,” said Tierney, who coached Michigan wide receiver Amorion Walker in Ponchatoula. “He runs great routes and has all the things you don’t find anywhere else. 6’3″ and 4’2″ don’t grow on a bush.”

GO BLUE https://t.co/hN7vhbBZj5

— Jasper Parker (@jasperparker06) June 16, 2024

A double blow at running back

After Parker announced his commitment, it didn’t take long for Michigan to sign a second running back in Johnson, the most promising talent at No. 233 overall.

Johnson played his freshman season at Calvary Day School in Savannah, Georgia, before transferring to IMG. He’s also a competitive sprinter and likely would have finished higher in the recruiting rankings had a knee injury not sidelined him as a junior. Michigan saw enough before and after the injury to make Johnson a priority for its class of 2025, and Jason Strayhorn can vouch for Johnson’s ability after watching him play at IMG.

“He can do the 100 meters in under 10.7 seconds,” he said. “He’s 6’1″ and he looks for contact. When you watch him play, you think, ‘Damn.’ They got you. Really.”

Taylor rounds off the yield

Michigan’s big recruiting weekend also produced the signing of Taylor, a three-star linebacker from Stockbridge, Georgia, who caught the eye of linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary when Jean-Mary was at Tennessee.

Taylor received an offer from the Volunteers after attending their training camp last summer. Chris Partridge, Michigan’s former linebackers coach, offered him an offer in October, and Jean-Mary continued his recruitment after he joined the Michigan team.

Taylor is considered one of those jacks of all trades who can play multiple positions on defense. At 6’3″ and 200 pounds, he should be able to develop as an inside linebacker without losing the quickness and top end speed he showed in high school. His ability to drop back in coverage and rush from the outside should make him a player that Michigan can move around the field and use in a variety of ways.

With Taylor on the team, Michigan will be keeping a close eye on linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, another IMG talent who visited last weekend. Owusu-Boateng, the No. 75 overall player, included Michigan in his top five on Wednesday alongside Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC and Florida.

(Photo by Sherrone Moore: Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today)