Michigan football recruiting has been on something of a slow burn, which is to be expected around this time of year. But the Wolverines are still very active behind the scenes.
With official visits slated to commence on Friday, marking the month-long slog toward building the 2026 class with recruits making it to campus, the maize and blue have been doing more than meets the eye. Per social media, Michigan has added two new analysts to the recruiting team, growing the department just as head coach Sherrone Moore had promised he would do when he was hired in January 2024.
An in-state prospect with SEC ties
Originally a recruit in the 2018 class, Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary’s running back Tyler Markray ended up being recruited by (former Michigan secondary coach) Steve Clinkscale and ultimately committed to him at Kentucky. He had limited production in Lexington, with four carries for 62 yards and a touchdown in his career, with the score coming on a 45-yard carry against Tennessee-Martin in 2019.
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Markray made the transition to a behind-the-scenes role, accepting a job with Western Michigan’s recruiting department earlier this year. But the Wolverines hired him away quickly, with Markray announcing he’s joined the Michigan football recruiting department as an analyst.
A former Ohio-based player joins the Wolverines
From the 2019 class, originally from Pittsburgh, Anthony Johnson played defensive end his senior year of high school at Cleveland (Ohio) Heights. He originally committed to Bowling Green, where he appeared in three games but injury sidelined him and he transferred to Youngstown State, where he appeared in 36 games. After the 2023 season, he entered the transfer portal and originally committed to Bret Bielema and Illinois, where he spent spring, but after spring ball, he transferred to Pitt. However, during practice going into Week 2, he suffered a career-ending injury to his spinal column on what appeared to be a routine play.
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Johnson got his degree from Pitt and now he’s starting his career anew with Michigan football in the recruiting department.
Growing the department
Others have joined behind the scenes, including Alabama alum Avery Bean. The Wolverines, under director of recruiting Sam Popper, are continuing to modernize the department, and with name, image, and likeness starting to take hold in Ann Arbor (with recruitments such as Bryce Underwood and Ty Haywood), the maize and blue are starting to look more like other top schools across college football.
Michigan had self-imposed some recruiting restrictions at the beginning of the month to appease the NCAA as it seeks out penalties for the Connor Stalions saga. But that isn’t stopping the maize and blue from growing those who are working behind the scenes, helping identify talent across the country.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football adds two analysts to recruiting department
