Michigan is set to welcome one of the biggest names in the 2028 cycle back to Ann Arbor, and this time the Wolverines will get another shot to make a lasting impression.
Five-star cornerback Nasir Richardson plans to return to Michigan this weekend, according to Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine. The Newark, N.J., native from Malcolm X Shabazz is ranked No. 8 overall in the class and sits as the No. 1 cornerback.
Richardson’s first trip to Michigan came for the Oklahoma game, and it didn’t take long for him to connect with cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford. By the time he got home, he was already thinking about coming back.
“The coaches, they was very welcoming,” Richardson told McDowell. “I know they’re supposed to do that, but I really felt it.”
His father, Dominique, left that first visit with a strong impression of his own.
“It showed us real college football up close. The tradition, the fans, the facilities, it was high-level stuff,” Dominique told Steve Wiltfong of Rivals.
Before an October trip to Miami, Richardson had Michigan and Penn State standing out. Miami has since moved into the picture as a top option, which gives the Wolverines another chance this weekend to strengthen the bond Gilford started on that first visit.
Michigan is also waiting on a decision from another major target in the 2028 class. Four-star linebacker Skylar Alston will announce his commitment Sunday, Nov. 8, with Michigan among the six schools still in the mix.
The Raleigh, N.C., product from Cardinal Gibbons is down to Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA. In the Rivals Industry Ranking, he checks in as the No. 171 overall prospect and No. 14 linebacker.
“Now feels like the right time for me to commit,” Alston told Anna Adams of 247Sports. “I have been talking to my family and praying about it, and I’m ready to do it.”
Alston has visited every finalist this season. North Carolina has seen him more than any other program, and Tennessee has also hosted him multiple times. Still, his lone trip to Ann Arbor clearly stuck with him.
“I visited once and it blew me away, just everything they have to offer,” Alston said. “I love the linebacker play.”
If Michigan lands Alston, he would become the first commitment in the Wolverines’ 2028 class after kicker Ryan Jung reclassified to 2027.
The Wolverines are also set to host an in-state offensive lineman who already has a commitment elsewhere. Braden Chaffin, a 2027 senior at Sterling Heights Stevenson, will take an official visit this weekend after Michigan offered him last week, according to Allen Trieu of Rivals.
At 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, Chaffin remains committed to Stanford, but this will be the first other school he has visited since making that pledge. Michigan had originally reached out about a game day visit, and Chaffin expected Jim Harding’s call to be a routine check-in. Instead, the offensive line coach delivered a scholarship offer and said he could see Chaffin fitting on Michigan’s offensive front.
“Every kid from Michigan dreams of playing for the Wolverines, so I personally feel like I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to see what the new staff and university are about,” Chaffin said.
Chaffin had previously committed to Miami (Ohio) before flipping to Stanford after an official visit this summer. He said the two biggest reasons he has stayed with the Cardinal are the relationships he has built with the staff and the education.
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