Top 2027 Safety Isala Wily-Ava Set to Visit Michigan for Spring Game
Mark your calendars: April 18 isn’t just the date of Michigan’s spring game-it’s also when one of the top defensive backs in the 2027 class will be in Ann Arbor. Isala Wily-Ava, a four-star safety out of powerhouse St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California, is making the trip to check out the Wolverines up close.
Wily-Ava is already a national name in recruiting circles. According to the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as the No. 232 overall prospect in the 2027 class, the No. 24 safety in the country, and the No. 23 player in the state of California. That’s elite company, and it’s no surprise he’s sitting on 29 official offers from programs all over the college football map.
The list of schools pursuing him reads like a who's who of college football: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, USC, Utah, Washington-and now, Michigan is getting its shot to make an impression.
Getting Wily-Ava on campus is a big early win for the Wolverines, especially under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. The longtime Utah coach brings deep ties to the West Coast recruiting scene, and that’s already starting to pay dividends.
Whittingham’s defensive pedigree and track record of developing physical, high-IQ defenders has long resonated with players from the western half of the country. Now, he’s bringing that same blueprint to Ann Arbor.
Michigan’s ability to attract a prospect like Wily-Ava speaks volumes about the program’s national reach. But let’s be clear-this is going to be a battle.
BYU, USC, and Utah all make sense as strong contenders, both geographically and culturally. They're all programs with the potential to contend, and they offer Wily-Ava a chance to stay closer to home.
That said, Michigan has a different kind of pitch: a proven track record in the College Football Playoff, a defensive-minded head coach, and a chance to be part of a program that’s consistently in the national spotlight.
At this stage, Wily-Ava hasn’t named any leaders, and that’s to be expected-he’s still early in his recruiting process. But visits like this matter.
They give prospects a feel for the culture, the coaching staff, the facilities, and the energy around the program. For Michigan, getting Wily-Ava on campus during the spring game is a chance to show off what makes this program special-both on and off the field.
There’s still a long way to go before any decisions are made, but this visit is a key moment in what’s shaping up to be a highly competitive recruitment. If Michigan can make a strong impression, they’ll be in the mix when it really counts.
For now, April 18 can’t come soon enough. Not just for a glimpse of Michigan’s next chapter under Whittingham, but for a chance to host one of the top defensive backs in the country. Keep an eye on this one-Wily-Ava is a name we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the months to come.