Michigan spent plenty of time building momentum with legacy recruits, but one of its biggest 2028 targets may be slipping away.
On Monday, both Rivals and 247Sports logged predictions for Notre Dame to land four-star edge rusher Asa Burch, a development that puts Michigan in a tougher spot after appearing to be the favorite for much of his recruitment. Burch, the son of former Wolverine Alfie Burch, had been a major priority for Michigan, and the program was also in the mix for fellow legacy prospect Marquis Ray.
Burch, who plays at Warren (OH) Harding, is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the No. 86 player in the 2028 class and the No. 12 edge rusher. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds.
The family connection has been a real factor here. Michigan has already landed a pair of legacy prospects in the 2026 class, including starting quarterback Tommy Carr and offensive lineman Tommy Fraumann, and Charles Woodson Jr. is committed to the Wolverines in the 2027 cycle. That made Burch feel like a natural fit for Michigan, especially with his father having played there.
Back in October, Alfie Burch told On3 that his son was getting close to a decision timeline.
“The decision-making process is really narrowing down every visit,” Alfie told The Wolverine. “That’s how this is working. By November-ish, he’s gonna know.”
“He likes Notre Dame, he loves Michigan,” Alfie said. “They’re right there.”
Now Burch is set to be back at Notre Dame this weekend for the Irish’s game against Miami, and that visit could matter. If Notre Dame handles business in a big atmosphere, the Irish may strengthen their hold even more.
Michigan’s 2028 class is still just getting started, with kicker Ryan Jung currently the lone commitment. The Wolverines are still in the hunt for several prospects, including four-star offensive lineman Mataio Fano, safety LaMarcus Army, edge Major Stokes, and Ray. But with Burch trending elsewhere and the program coming off a recent miss on four-star quarterback Levi Kerr, who chose Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels after Michigan had hosted him for the Penn State game, the Wolverines have work to do.
The 2028 cycle is still a long way off, but Michigan needs to keep building those relationships now.
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