Michigan’s recruiting board is starting to take shape in the 2027 and 2028 classes, and the Wolverines are making noise with a few rising names who weren’t necessarily front and center a few months ago.
The biggest move right now involves 2027 three-star safety Alan Blackshere, a UConn commit since June who has suddenly become a real flip candidate for Michigan. His performance at The Opening Finals last month changed the picture fast.
Blackshere turned heads in Beaverton, Oregon, where he picked off two passes and emerged as one of the camp’s standout players, according to 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins ($). That surge has pushed Michigan into the mix in a serious way, and the Wolverines have now lined up an official visit for Sept. 12, when they host Oklahoma.
247Sports’ Zach Blostein ($) believes Michigan has a legitimate shot to pull Blackshere away if that visit goes well. Blackshere, for his part, sounds genuinely energized by the attention.
“I’m interested enough to take an official visit with them,” Blackshere told The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($). “I’ve been watching them since I was little, so it’s really a dream come true.”
Blackshere’s offer list is loaded, too. Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Auburn, Nebraska, Florida State, Florida and others are all in the picture.
Michigan also landed on the radar of 2028 three-star linebacker Siale Reid after his strong showing at the Under Armour Next Maui elite camp. Reid already has a healthy list of offers, but the Michigan one clearly carries extra weight.
“This one really means a lot to me because of how big they are and the history of Michigan,” Reid told 247Sports’ Blair Angulo ($). “It’s just a school I would love to be at I feel like.”
Reid said he’s locked in on his high school season for now, which means there’s plenty of time left in his recruitment. Still, if Michigan wants to stay in the hunt, the relationship piece will matter.
He said SMU and Arizona have “been pushing for me and we’ve been in contact a lot lately.” Vanderbilt, Arizona State, UCLA and San Diego State are among the other schools that have offered him.
Then there’s five-star defensive lineman Kellan Hall, one of the top players in the 2028 class, and Michigan is working to build real traction there as well. Hall told On3’s Ethan McDowell ($) that the communication with Larry Black has been steady and meaningful.
“It’s been good,” Hall said. “Coach (Larry) Black has been reaching out a lot and keeping in touch.
He’s on vacation right now, but he still keeps in touch every day. He just tells me they got a plan for me and that he really likes me, but he definitely thinks there’s things I can clean up, and that’s something I really respect.
A lot of people will praise you, but just to hear that there’s something I can clean up, and he knows he can help me on that and he’s proven to do it is just something that’s special.”
Hall also has some past familiarity with Ann Arbor, and that matters. He hasn’t been to a game in a couple years, but he remembers what it felt like to see The Big House in person. “You hear about The Big House, but just seeing it in person, just seeing the fans and energy that they come up with, 100,000-plus deep every time, and they’re going to show up and show out every time,” he said.
A fall visit is still on the table for Hall, and if he makes the trip, he’s looking closely at the Penn State game.
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