Michigan’s latest recruiting win came with a little extra edge attached.
Four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert Jr. has committed to the Wolverines, choosing Michigan over Ohio State and a group of other major programs after originally being pledged to Indiana. Torbert’s flip gives Michigan another high-end addition in the 2027 class and a particularly satisfying one for a staff that beat out two of the biggest names in the mix.
Torbert didn’t hide the mood of his decision when he spoke with Tom Loy. “I guess I'm the villain now. Go Blue,” he said, a line that landed with obvious force given that he’s leaving his home state for Ann Arbor.
The commitment was not a clean sweep from the start. Torbert had previously been bound for Curt Cignetti and the reigning national champs before backing off that pledge, opening the door for several schools to make their push.
Ohio State was firmly in the hunt, and at one point multiple predictions were trending toward Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. Then, as the decision window closed, Steve Wiltfong flipped his pick to Michigan, a sign the Wolverines had taken control.
The 5-11, 175-pound defensive back drew offers from 34 programs during his recruitment, with Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas, Florida State, North Carolina and others all in the mix.
Per the 247Sports Composite, Torbert ranks as the No. 13 cornerback in the country, the No. 5 player in Ohio and the No. 106 prospect overall in the 2027 class. He’s also a Cincinnati product, which made the pull away from Ohio State even more notable, given that Columbus is roughly 90 minutes away.
“Honestly, I chose Michigan because the staff made it feel like home,” Torbert said. “My mom didn't tell me too many places felt like home, but just being around the coaching staff, being around the players (did).
Coach (Kerry) Coombs played a big role in my recruitment. It just helped with him being a Cincinnati guy, an Ohio guy.”
With Torbert in the fold, Michigan’s 2027 class now stands at 20 commitments. He becomes the fourth cornerback in the group, joining Tavares Harrington, Blake Jenkins and Darius Johnson. Safety Charles Woodson Jr. is also committed to the Wolverines.
Since May 1, Michigan has added 16 new pledges, and Torbert is the first to announce for the Wolverines in July. Given the pace of the recruiting run, it would hardly be a surprise if another commitment follows soon.
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What makes the error sting a little more is that it is still sitting there uncorrected, leaving a sloppy impression on a player whose Michigan rsum speaks for itself. Carter was one of the defining receivers of his era, piling up 141 catches, 2,681 yards and 31 touchdowns while earning major conference and national honors, so seeing his name mishandled in a national roundup is the sort of oversight that naturally gets noticed around the program. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan still has reasons to believe it can stay in the national picture. The Wolverines are expected to bring back most of their top players and add a strong recruiting class, even after losing several big men and seniors, so the core of the team remains intact. The bigger question now is how much respect the program can hold onto while the staff situation settles, especially with the season still months away. [Read more 🡒]