Michigan’s push for elite 2028 EDGE Asa Burch is entering the kind of stretch that can define a recruitment.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound defender from Warren, Ohio, has long looked like a strong Michigan lean, but Notre Dame has clearly made this one interesting. Burch is a four-star prospect and sits at No. 107 overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings, a climb that tracks with the way his high school career has unfolded. He finished the 2025 season with four sacks after moving to EDGE partway through his prep career, and that switch has helped elevate his profile.
For much of this process, Michigan has been the team to beat. The Wolverines have been projected to land Burch by both the 247 Sports crystal ball and the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine. Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong and other recruiting analysts have also projected him to Michigan, and the RPM gives the Wolverines a 95-percent chance to land his commitment.
Still, the picture is getting tighter.
Burch has taken fall visits to both Notre Dame and Ohio State, though another trip to Columbus does not appear to be on the table. A new report from Ethan McDowell suggests a decision could come soon, possibly as early as November, and the sense is that Burch’s list has narrowed to Michigan and Notre Dame.
The visit count shows how much attention he has drawn. Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State have all hosted him three times. Burch was in South Bend the week before, and he is expected back in Ann Arbor this fall after multiple trips during the spring and summer.
There’s also a family connection that keeps Michigan firmly in the conversation. Alfie Burch, Asa’s father and a Michigan football legacy, reposted McDowell’s report and wrote on X: "The List is getting smaller, and the reasons for a certain school is growing bigger."
Michigan would love for that school to be the Wolverines. The program is also trending with another EDGE target, Major Stokes, who is ranked No. 33 overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings. And Michigan recently picked up momentum with five-star prospect Mataio Fano, another Utah product.
Burch gives Michigan a legacy tie and a major talent to chase, but this one is no longer looking like a simple finish. Notre Dame has made the race real, and the Wolverines still have to close.
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