Michigan fans had plenty to celebrate when four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert committed, and the buzz only grew louder after a recruiting insider floated a comparison that will turn heads in Ann Arbor.
Torbert is ranked No. 106 overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings and sits as the 13th-best cornerback in the 2027 class. He’s also rated the fifth-best recruit from Ohio, and the fact that Michigan beat Ohio State head-to-head to land the Cincinnati product made the commitment hit even harder.
That kind of win hasn’t come often for the Wolverines against the Buckeyes in recent years, even with Michigan’s run of four straight victories on the field. The article notes that if Jim Harbaugh had stayed instead of leaving for the NFL, Michigan might have been able to do more damage on the recruiting trail, though Sherrone Moore did sign two quality classes. Michigan was also slow to adjust to NIL.
Still, the program has landed some notable players from Ohio, including Kyle Whittingham’s first-class haul at Michigan, which brought in a major commitment from that state, the biggest since Jordan Marshall. Rod Moore was another strong pickup, though the Buckeyes never offered him.
This one, though, was different. Ohio State was in the mix, so the victory over the Buckeyes carried extra weight. And then Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider added fuel to the fire with a comparison that Michigan fans won’t ignore.
"Might just be me, but Michigan four-star DB commit Monsanna Torbert Jr. and his game kinda of reminds me of another do-it-all superstar... LSU great Tyrann Mathieu. Torbert is a player who can impact the game at a number of spots on the football field, just like Mathieu," Marich posted on X.
Torbert is listed at 5-foot-10.5 and 175 pounds, and he does more than line up at cornerback. He also plays quarterback for his high school team and put up more than 2,000 total yards last season. On defense, he added 40 tackles, three interceptions and three pass breakups.
Some have also mentioned Jabrill Peppers as a possible comp, and the logic is easy to see. Peppers was a former Heisman finalist at Michigan who contributed on offense, defense and special teams. Torbert may fit that kind of mold, too, because he can make plays with the ball in his hands even though cornerback is his primary position.
His size could also point toward some time in the slot, much like Charles Woodson with the Packers or Peppers during parts of his Michigan career. However it plays out, Michigan appears to have landed a defender whose value could stretch well beyond the recruiting ranking attached to his name.
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