Michigan has landed another recruit out of Ohio State territory, and this one comes with a little extra bite.
Four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert Jr. committed to the Wolverines, choosing Michigan over Ohio State and Indiana. The 6-foot, 175-pound defensive back from Cincinnati, Ohio, announced the decision after reopening his recruitment in mid May, and the move gives Michigan another boost in its 2027 class.
Torbert is ranked by Rivals as a top-100 prospect in the country and the No. 10 DB in the 2027 cycle.
He had originally been committed to Indiana, but once that changed, Michigan and Ohio State quickly emerged as the main players. For a stretch, it looked as if the Buckeyes had the edge.
Then Michigan got him on campus for Victors Weekend, and that visit clearly mattered.
“I guess I’m the villain now, GOBLUE”
The Wolverines’ win here is about more than just another addition to the board. Beating Ohio State for a Cincinnati prospect is the kind of recruiting victory that lands with both practical and emotional force, especially when the Buckeyes are involved. And in this case, it also reinforces the momentum Michigan has built in the secondary for the 2027 class.
Torbert fits into a strong group of incoming defensive backs, giving the Wolverines more depth in a class that already looks sturdy on that side of the ball.
Michigan’s success in Ohio is hardly new. Torbert is the first Ohio native in the 2027 class to pick the Wolverines, but he’s not the first recruit from the Buckeye State to end up in Ann Arbor. Jordan Marshall, another Cincinnati native, was a major Ohio State target before signing with Michigan after the work Jim Harbaugh put into his commitment.
Donovan Edwards followed a similar path. A Michigan native with serious ties to Ohio State, he ended up choosing the Wolverines over the Buckeyes as well, another recruiting win Harbaugh delivered that Ohio State would come to regret.
Jabrill Peppers was another one that went down to the wire. A top-four recruit nationally, he was between Michigan and Ohio State late in the process before choosing the Wolverines and going on to a legendary career.
Torbert now joins that list, and Michigan has once again taken a player out of the Buckeyes’ orbit.
In Other News...
Julian Sayin Just Gave Buckeye Fans Another Reason To Feel Disrespected
Ohio States quarterback outlook for 2026 is already drawing national attention, and Julian Sayin is at the center of it. With Jeremiah Smith giving the Buckeyes another elite piece on offense, the conversation around this room is less about whether it can be good and more about how high it can climb if Sayin keeps trending the way people around the sport expect.
Still, a recent CBS Sports ranking left plenty of Buckeye fans scratching their heads by slotting Ohio State fifth nationally. The placement only adds to the sense that Sayin is being viewed through a strange lens, even as he has the kind of profile that could put him in position to chase both a championship and major individual honors in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Landed A Massive Commitment With Familiar Meaning
Ohio States recruiting momentum keeps building across the next two classes, and the Buckeyes have already stacked several key commitments as they look ahead to future depth charts. The board includes five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou in the 2027 class, while Cortez Hankton, who stepped into Brian Hartlines role on the recruiting trail, has quickly helped the staff add another major piece to the offensive pipeline.
The latest win carries extra weight because it comes at receiver, a spot Ohio State has long used as a national calling card. The Buckeyes are also still in the hunt for other targets such as Monsanna Torbert and Monshun Sales, but this latest addition gives the staff another high-end building block and raises the stakes for what could come next in a cycle that already has plenty of familiar appeal. [Read more 🡒]