For the longest time in the Michigan Wolverines’ 2027 recruiting class, no recruit has been more closely tied to the program than Charles Woodson Jr. However, judging by his latest weekend trip to Lexington, Kyle Whittingham and the Wolverines might take an L on legacy recruitment.
“I’m excited to learn more about Kentucky. I liked the visit. It’s definitely a school, I think I want to go to, so we’ll see,” Woodson told KSR+ right after his visit to Will Stein’s Kentucky Wildcats.
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Will Stein has turned the Wildcats into an absolute recruiting juggernaut since he left his offensive coordinator gig at Oregon in December 2025. Within almost 4 months of hiring, the first-year SEC head coach has locked in five blue-chip prospects and has also been keeping tabs on five-star recruits.
One of the first things he and corner back coach Allen Brown did was double down to lock in Woodson’s recruit. In fact, the word is, the CB coach took a trip down to Lake Nona (Orlando, FL) to meet him in person. That’s moved the mountain for four-star safety.
“I’ve been in touch with him ever since then. I got in touch with the safeties coach, CY [Josh Christian-Young]. I already knew Coach Jay Bateman from when he was at Texas A&M because I took a visit there last summer, and we spent the whole day there together,” Woodson said.
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“During the visit, I sat in Coach Bateman’s office, and we went over the defense, things he runs, and went over my film. He showed me the things I need to work on. That meeting, overall, was easily my favorite part of the trip. It showed me how much he knows about defenses.”
Specifically, Bateman walked him through how Kentucky uses its safeties in blitz packages and pointed out a tendency in his film where he bites too early on play-action, and then showed him exactly how to fix it.
The Wildcats even offered to play safety or even cornerback. At this point, it seems like the idea of carving out his own legacy in the SEC, rather than living in his father’s shadow in the Big Ten, is becoming a very real temptation for him. Although Will Stein was away during his recruiting visit, the Florida native doubled down and couldn’t contain his excitement for an official visit and to meet the head coach.
Even with Stein missing from campus that weekend, his presence was definitely felt. The first-year head coach has been burning up the phone lines with Woodson, pitching a clear vision of how Kentucky’s defensive scheme will highlight his versatility against elite SEC talent.
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“[Josh Christian-Young] sent me some dates,” Woodson said. “I’m definitely going to take an official visit. I just don’t have a date yet.”
On paper, Woodson Jr. is as good as they come. He’s currently rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 23 safety in the 2027 class by 247Sports. Plus, losing a legacy recruit is always a big stain on the paper, especially the son of a Michigan legend. Whittingham knows exactly what’s at stake here, and he isn’t going down without a fight. He’s been putting in serious miles, personally flying down to Florida to visit Woodson Jr. at Lake Nona High School.
From what is known, Whittingham’s pitch has been straightforward, which is a starting safety role and a chance to be the face of his new defensive rebuild at Michigan, not just a legacy name on the roster. According to On3, Charles Woodson Jr. is planning a visit to Michigan soon.
Following in the footsteps of a Heisman-winning father at Michigan comes with massive expectations. For Woodson Jr., the appeal of carving out his own distinct identity down south might ultimately outweigh the nostalgic pull of playing in the Big House.
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Charles Woodson talks Michigan visit
Charles Woodson Jr. knows the recruiting process is a little stressful, but an exciting process. He understands how special a moment it is in his life, so he is trying to stay calm and enjoy it. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you have to take it day by day,” he said.
Woodson talked about his early thoughts on Michigan and the new coaching staff. “I don’t know too much, but I got to sit down and talk to Coach Stockton… It was a good first impression,” he said. He also mentioned that the coaches are building a strong and traditional culture. “Coach Whittingham is establishing a culture… an old-school culture. I think it’ll be good for Michigan,” he added.
His father has been giving him simple advice throughout this process. Woodson said his dad tells him to enjoy every moment and not rush anything. Right now, Woodson is thinking about making his final decision sometime in the summer, before the season begins.
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When choosing a school, relationships matter the most to him. He wants to feel comfortable with the coaches and build strong connections.
“For me, it’s really the player relationship with the coaches,” he said. He also shared that one coach stands out already. “I feel like I have a good relationship with Coach Bateman (Wildcats DC)… He’s going to be a big factor in where I want to go.”
Judging based on that, the Wildcats right now have the edge. While schools like Florida State, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss have all thrown their hats in the ring with big-time offers, this has truly morphed into a dramatic two-team sprint between the Big House and the Bluegrass. Only time will tell whether Kyle Whittingham fumbles the legacy recruit or not.
