Michigan’s push for five-star offensive tackle Antijuan Wilkes keeps gaining steam, and another trip to Ann Arbor is now on the calendar.
Wilkes, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound standout from Detroit Cass Tech, is one of the biggest names on Michigan’s 2028 board. He checks in at No. 14 overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings, is the second-ranked offensive tackle in the class and stands as the top player in the state of Michigan.
According to Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider, Wilkes will be back on campus this weekend for the Iowa game.
"Yes, I'm coming back to Michigan. I just missed the Michigan atmosphere," Wilkes told Marich.
That kind of comment matters, especially with Michigan continuing to stack up visits. This upcoming trip will be Wilkes’ fifth to Ann Arbor, giving the Wolverines the lead in his recruitment for total visits with five. Michigan State is right behind with four, and Ohio State remains another major threat, according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.
For Michigan, the appeal goes beyond the logo and the setting. Jim Harding has emerged as a real asset for the Wolverines, particularly when it comes to offensive line development, and that track record is part of why Michigan has moved into a strong spot with Wilkes.
The Wolverines have had a mixed run with in-state recruiting so far. They missed on five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, though there is still hope of flipping him from Oregon. Michigan also came up short with five-star quarterback Donald Tabron, another Cass Tech product, who committed to Texas A&M.
Wilkes, though, feels like a different kind of battle. Quarterbacks move on a different timeline, and Michigan appears to be in a much better place with the elite tackle.
There’s also a bigger picture here. Michigan has a chance to build something special in the 2028 class, and Wilkes could be a central piece of it.
Four-star offensive tackle Mataio Fano recently picked up a crystal ball to Michigan, while the Wolverines are already the established leader for Major Stokes, a Utah EDGE ranked 33rd overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings. Another blue-chip EDGE, Asa Burch from Ohio, is a Michigan legacy.
Michigan is also in the mix for five-star wideout Deandre Bidden, but the clearest path to a home-run class may be in the trenches. If the Wolverines can close on Wilkes and keep building around him, that’s the kind of foundation recruiting classes are built on.
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