Michigan’s 2028 recruiting board is starting to take shape, and the Wolverines are making noise with a few early targets at key spots.
One of the bigger names to watch is four-star linebacker Jay Schnell, a borderline Top 100 player in the class at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds. The Rabun Gap, Georgia native hasn’t locked in a game day trip for this fall yet, but Michigan is firmly on his radar. He said the Wolverines’ matchup with Oklahoma is the one that jumps out most, especially if he can make the noon kickoff.
“I talk regularly with Coach Whitt and we text a lot as well,” Schell told TMI’s Marich ($). “I haven’t scheduled any game day visits yet.
I plan to sit down with my coach after we report back to school for camp on August 3 and work on a fall visit schedule. Hopefully will have a schedule set for September and October visits by mid August.
The Michigan vs. Oklahoma game stands out to me as a great game and weekend to visit if I can get there in time for the noon kickoff.
We have a game the night before.”
Schnell has already been around plenty of major programs, with trips to Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others. That makes the Wolverines’ job tougher, but Michigan linebackers coach Alex Whittingham is clearly pushing hard for one of the class’s top early defenders.
Michigan is also in a good spot with four-star cornerback Zayden Williams, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound Tennessee prospect who picked up an offer from the Wolverines in June after visiting Ann Arbor. Williams said the trip gave him a strong first impression, from the facilities to the staff conversations.
“I went on a visit to Michigan and they toured me around the facilities and I talked to the corners coach and Tyler Markray and a few more coaches,” Williams told The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($). “The corners coach offered me after a conversation with him. I was very excited because Michigan is a huge school.
He came away especially impressed with cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford.
“He’s a great person,” Williams said. “Sounds like he knows what he’s talking about and very confident.”
That relationship has continued to grow, and defensive coordinator Jay Hill has also stayed involved.
“Yes, every now and then multiple of the coaches contacted to check on me,” Williams said. “I just talked to the defensive coordinator the other day. Me and him were just discussing football and just seeing if their defense is right for me.”
Williams said Michigan is already in his early top-10.
At running back, the Wolverines are trying to stay in the mix for 2028 three-star Malaki Davis, though USC is the team setting the pace right now. Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford is working to get Davis on campus for a game and build more of a personal connection.
“They’re trying to get me up there for a game,” Davis told Rivals’ Adam Gorney ($). “Getting a one-on-one with him (Alford) would be big because I’ve never been up there so I want to see what it’s like up there. We’ll see how that goes.”
Davis made it clear USC remains his top school for now, but he isn’t shutting the door on Michigan.
“I’m still open-minded but because SC has been showing so much love, I’m not going to forget about them,” Davis said. “They’re still my top priority.
With everything going on, I’m not going to leave them behind. They’re still my top school.”
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Daleys optimism lands at an interesting moment for Michigan, because the roster looks deep in some places and still unsettled in others. Whittingham has pointed to the defensive front as a clear strength, but linebacker and quarterback remain areas to watch, which is why the tone around this team feels so charged heading into the season. If Daley is right about the ceiling, the Wolverines may have more than just a fresh coaching change on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan Football Suddenly Has A Chance To Change Everything In 2028
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The more interesting part is how many high-end battles still feel alive. Michigan is still pushing for several five-star prospects, and recruiting analysts believe the Wolverines have a real shot to finish with multiple headliners in the class. After missing on some early targets, the question now is whether this surge is the start of something bigger, or just the opening act before the final decisions come down. [Read more 🡒]