Michigan football had an impressive recruiting class in 2025, headlined (of course) by the No. 1 player in the country in quarterback Bryce Underwood.
But the class wasn’t impressive just because of Underwood. There were multiple other top targets that the Wolverines managed to land.
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Among them was former Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng. Owusu-Boateng chose Michigan despite Notre Dame making a big push, which is where his brother played. Likely atop the Wolverines’ board on the defensive side of the ball, the maize and blue got him in the fold as a commit on signing day, and then got him on campus as an early enrollee.
ESPN is breaking down some of the top recruits from the 2025 class (subscription required) and shared some early thoughts of how Owusu-Boateng may contribute to his newfound college team.
Michigan’s two leading tacklers, Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham, both return for 2025. Owusu-Boateng is a physically impressive player with good length and could develop behind and follow in the footsteps of the versatile Barham.
Owusu-Boateng has good initial burst and range. While he slots in at linebacker, he could also contribute on the edge for the Wolverines, much like Barham is expected to do this season.
Owusu-Boateng has gotten some early mentions from his teammates and coaches as a player who’s making an early impact, along with fellow freshman linebacker Chase Taylor. Will his early showing be enough to get him on the field early? It is one position where the Wolverines have managed to get first-year players on the field, as Junior Colson and Jimmy Rolder both saw substantial playing time even during their freshman campaigns.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: ESPN reveals impressive scouting report of Michigan football freshman
