Kyle Whittingham’s first run through Ohio has already paid off once, and Michigan football may be on the verge of cashing in again.
Earlier this month, Whittingham secured a commitment from four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert, one of the top players in Ohio in the 2027 class. It was a significant win for the Wolverines and their first major pickup from the state since Jordan Marshall in the 2024 class.
Now, another Buckeye State prospect is trending Michigan’s way. Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine has projected four-star EDGE Asa Burch to the Wolverines, and the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Michigan a 93 percent chance to land him.
Burch, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound pass rusher from Warren, Ohio, already has an Ohio State offer, though the Buckeyes don’t hand those out to every in-state recruit. That part of the story matters, because it puts him in a different category than most prospects from Ohio. The Buckeyes have been selective with players from the state, just as they were with Rod Moore, another strong Michigan get from the Buckeye State over the past decade.
There’s also a family tie working in Michigan’s favor. Burch is a Michigan legacy, and that appears to be helping the Wolverines in this race. A visit earlier this spring seemed to push Michigan into the lead, and McDowell now favors the Wolverines as Whittingham’s staff shifts more of its attention to the 2028 class.
Burch checked out Michigan twice last fall under the previous coaching staff, then returned in April. Penn State and Ohio State also hosted him in June.
On the rankings side, Burch sits at No. 127 overall in the Rivals Industry Rankings for the 2028 class and is ranked fourth in Ohio. He’s also the second EDGE recruit in the 2028 cycle trending toward Michigan.
Another blue-chip name is already in the mix as well. Major Stokes, a four-star prospect ranked just outside the top 100, has been projected to the Wolverines too. He’s from Utah, giving Michigan a strong early start in 2028.
The Wolverines do have a kicker committed, though that doesn’t really count as the class’s first true commitment. A pledge from Burch or Stokes would change that in a hurry. At this point, Michigan looks like it has a real shot at both, and that would be a big boost for the future of the defensive line and the pass rush.
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