Michigan Football has already received commitments from three high school recruits in the 2027 class in four-star edge rusher Recarder Kitchen, and three-star interior offensive linemen Tristan Dare and Louis Esposito.
However, there are still many commitments to be made before all is said and done. Based on the current depth chart and incoming recruits, here are five of the top positions of need for Kyle Whittingham and his staff.
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Quarterback
Four-star Peter Bourque’s decommitment partially strained the nucleus of this class. The Wolverines still have at least another two seasons of Bryce Underwood, and incoming freshmen Tommy Carr and Brady Smigiel, along with transfers Colin Hurley and Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi add much-needed depth.
But without Bourque, quarterback has once again become a top priority, and ensuring there is a solid succession plan for Underwood is paramount.
Offensive tackle
The aforementioned offensive linemen are likely better-suited for interior duties, and though a 2026 group led by four-stars Marky Walbridge, Malakai Lee and Tommy Fraumann is encouraging, we saw this past season that injuries can easily derail the starting unit. Adding as much depth and talent as possible would help maintain the Wolverines’ trench-engrained philosophy.
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Now, this is still a young tackle unit with guys like Blake Fraizer and Andrew Babalola — as well as an interior devoid of a senior — but continuing to ensure steady bookends will ease the transition into the Whittingham era.
Defensive tackle
There is a lot to like with the Wolverines’ young edges, led by Cam Brandt, Nate Marshall, Dominic Nichols and a trio of incoming freshmen in Carter Meadows, Tariq Boney and McHale Blade.
However, the interior is not such a sure bet. Whittingham’s teams have been built on toughness, and on most good football teams, that toughness resides in the most brutal area of the trenches. Getting more bodies on the interior of the defense should be a major focus in the 2027 class.
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Linebacker
The loss of Cole Sullivan hurts…a lot. He looked poised to take over as the guy at linebacker this year, but he is off to Norman to play for the Sooners. The 2026 class features a trio of three-stars in Aden Reeder, Kaden Catchings and Markel Dabney, but banking on lower-rated prospects is not the best plan.
New defensive coordinator Jay Hill loves to run nickel sets, which rely on linebackers doing a little bit of everything. The depth chart in 2027 will not feature much experience, so adding a true MIKE in this class would solve some of those issues.
Nickel
Speaking of Hill’s defense, perhaps no player is more important to operating the 4-2-5 base than a proper nickel. Look at how Nick Emmanwori transformed the Seattle Seahawks’ defense. No, Michigan is not getting a true freshman to play like Emmanwori, but that versatility allows the defense to stop the run with lighter boxes and stay prepared for passing plays.
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This could either be a cornerback or a more mobile safety, but perhaps adding a true athlete whom Whittingham and Hill can mold into their nickel is the most tantalizing option to get this defense back atop the national ranks.
