Maryland’s decision to move on from Mike Locksley could send a ripple through the roster, and Michigan has a few names worth watching if that shake-up turns into a portal opportunity or a recruiting flip.
The biggest prize on the board is freshman edge rusher Zion Elee. He arrived in College Park as a five-star prospect, the highest-rated commitment Maryland has ever landed, and he’s already shown why so many programs wanted him.
In his first season, Elee has piled up 12 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He’s still only beginning to tap into that ceiling.
Michigan already has depth coming off the edge with Dom Nichols, Tariq Boney, Carter Meadowas, Nate Marshall and others projected to be around for 2027 and beyond, but a player with Elee’s burst and production would only raise the bar. You can never really overload on pass rushers, and Elee looks like one of the fastest-rising ones in the sport.
Another name that makes plenty of sense is linebacker Daniel Wingate. He’s a senior with one more year available thanks to the NCAA’s newly introduced 5-in-5 rule, and he’s been one of Maryland’s most productive defenders.
Wingate leads the Terrapins with 44 tackles this season and has also added an interception returned for a touchdown against Ohio State and a forced fumble. Last year, he led Maryland with 102 tackles, along with 6.5 tackles for loss and another interception.
Michigan is staring at possible losses in the middle of its defense after this season, with Nathaniel Staheling set to depart and Troy Bowles potentially following him. Wingate would fit neatly into that conversation if he decides to keep playing and enters the portal.
If the Wolverines want help inside, Eyan Thomas is the kind of body that jumps out immediately. He checks in at 6-foot-3, 337 pounds and has finally become a factor after waiting his turn early in his career.
Thomas didn’t see the field until the 2025 season, when he started eight of Maryland’s 12 games and posted 27 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback and one forced fumble. This year, he’s already up to 25 total tackles and two sacks.
With Trey Pierce and Enow Etta out of eligibility after this season, Michigan is almost certain to be in the market for interior line help, and Thomas would draw plenty of attention if he makes himself available.
There’s also a recruiting name to keep an eye on: four-star safety Kenaz Sullivan. According to a 247Sports report on Tuesday, Michigan has already been in contact with Sullivan in hopes of flipping him.
That report came before Locksley’s firing, which suggests Tyler Stockton had already started working on the situation behind the scenes after visiting Sullivan during Michigan’s bye week. Ohio State, Florida, Syracuse and Tennessee have also been in contact, and Sullivan just wrapped up an official visit to Virginia Tech.
As a junior at North Stafford High School in Stafford, Virginia, the 6-foot, 195-pound defensive back totaled 85 tackles, four interceptions, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
In Other News...
Bryce Underwood Just Put Michigans Quarterback Future On Edge
Bryce Underwoods status has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points around Michigan, after the Wolverines made the move to bench him in favor of Tommy Carr for the upcoming game. Underwood arrived with enormous expectations and an NIL package reportedly worth more than $10 million, so any shift in his role carries immediate weight for the programs short- and long-term plans.
Underwood has not been confirmed as a portal entrant, but the possibility is enough to send the speculation machine into overdrive given how heavily Michigan invested in him. If he does decide to move on, familiar recruiting ties and roster needs would make places like LSU, Miami, Texas Tech, Georgia, and Kentucky worth watching closely, which is exactly why this situation feels so sensitive for a Wolverines team trying to protect its quarterback future. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Offense Just Took A Turn Fans Need To Watch
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Jeremiah Earby, the former Boise State cornerback, is now officially on the Michigan roster and eligible to play right away, adding another experienced piece to the secondary. The future also got a little brighter when three-star receiver Yuto Kawamura-Johnson flipped his commitment from Toledo to Michigan for the 2027 class, a reminder that the staff is still working to build depth even as the focus shifts to the present. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Just Got A Tough New Bryce Underwood Reality
The quarterback conversation around Michigan has taken another turn, and it comes with a familiar name weighing in. Urban Meyer said on Outkick that Tommy Carr has positioned himself to be the starting quarterback over Bryce Underwood, pointing to Carrs performance and the way his game fits a similar offensive style. It is the kind of evaluation that keeps the focus on fit as much as talent, especially with a player like Underwood already drawing attention.
Meyer also made it clear this is not a knock on Underwoods ability. He described the young quarterback as talented and engaged, while noting that his role in the offense still has to be sorted out. Meyer added that he stays in regular contact with Kyle Whittingham, a detail that only adds to the sense that this is a developing situation rather than a settled one. [Read more 🡒]