Kyle Whittingham has already impressed this offseason as the Michigan Football head coach, bringing in what should be crucial transfers such as defensive end John Henry Daley, defensive back Smith Snowden and two-way player Salesi Moa.
But what will Whittingham and company’s first recruiting class look like? Here are five names in the 2027 class that they should prioritize moving forward.
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Four-star WR Dakota Guerrant
The Harper Woods, Michigan native is among the top high school players in the Mitten State. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Guerrant has the build and athleticism to become a potential weapon on the perimeter for this Bryce Underwood-led offense.
Beyond the Wolverines’ need for adding elite receiving options, it is crucial that Whittingham — and presumably with significant help from Midwest recruiting guru Tony Alford — retain top in-state players. Whittingham has spent the last several decades building recruiting bases out west, and carrying some of that pedigree into his new home territory could make this staff invaluable on the recruiting circuit.
Five-star edge Chris Whitehead
Back in October, On3’s ($) EJ Holland reported that Michigan had been “investing heavily” in the Virginia prospect. Of course, things have changed since then, but that interest should not dissipate under Whittingham.
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Whitehead — out of Chesterfield, Virginia — already has elite length at 6-foot-5. Once he fills out that 230-pound frame, he could be a high-end option in a variety of defensive fronts. Whittingham’s Utah teams seemingly always had tough, stout play in the trenches, and furthering that in Ann Arbor will be important for him. A player like Whitehead would fit in great at Michigan.
Four-star DL George Toia
Toia, from Trophy Club, Texas, is a top-100 prospect who listed the Wolverines among his top eight schools earlier this week. Fending off the likes of Texas, Oregon, LSU, Texas Tech, Penn State, Oklahoma and Auburn is no easy task, as is to be expected with a recruit of his caliber.
But defensive tackle has always been a strong suit for Michigan, and adding a mauler like Toia in the center of the defense would bolster a unit that has been hit hard by NFL Draft and graduation losses recently. Football runs deep in Toia’s family, too, as his brother Jay plays for the Dallas Cowboys, while his brother Siaki Ika is on the Cleveland Browns and Soane Toia is at San Jose State.
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Four-star TE Anthony Cartwright
Similarly to Guerrant, Detroit Country Day’s Cartwright is a local high schooler who could represent Whittingham’s ability to navigate Big Ten competition in the region, as Ohio State and Oregon (among others) are in on him as well. It can not be stressed enough how crucial it is for Whittingham to establish and maintain a strong base in-state.
Tight end also figures to be a position of priority under Whittingham. His Utah offenses, as well as previous Michigan offenses, have thrived in 11 and 12 personnel. Adding a versatile player like Cartwright, who is more than willing to block and can make plays down the field, would make for a dream pairing.
Three-star LB Blake Betton
A few weeks ago, the Shakopee, Minnesota prospect and one of the top players in his state announced he was re-offered by linebackers coach Alex Whittingham. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, he is really more a safety/linebacker hybrid, and that unique skillset could make for a fun asset for this new staff.
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247Sports’ ($) Steve Lorenz also recently reported Betton “had very high interest in Michigan under the last staff and may have even led for him early on.” Betton continues the theme of bridging the previous regime’s relationships with the new one and would be another nice addition out of the midwest.
