Behind Enemy Lines: Michigan’s 2026 Class Is Among The Best In The Big Ten

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Behind Enemy Lines is a new BSB series about how Ohio State’s adversaries are doing on the recruiting trail. Up next is Michigan

Although his program was weeks removed from its first national championship in over 25 years when he accepted the head-coaching job, second-year Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t had the easiest job leading the Wolverines. Not only did Michigan have to replace many of the star players from its 2023 national championship-winning team, but the program has been wrapped up in multiple investigations led by the NCAA, including an ongoing one dealing with an alleged improper sign-stealing operation conducted within the program.

Despite trouble with the NCAA and a mediocre 2024 season that saw the Wolverines lose five regular-season games for the first time since 2014, Moore and his staff have used the recruiting trail to lay the foundation of a successful program.

After a fairly slow start for the class of 2025, Michigan found a new gear last fall and winter to sign a class ranked No. 6 in the country by 247 Sports’ composite team rankings.

Michigan has not gotten off to a slow start in the 2026 recruiting class. Instead, the Wolverines are ranked as the third-best class in the Big Ten and the eighth-best class in the country as of July 14.

Unlike other Big Ten recruiting powerhouses like Ohio State, Oregon and USC, Michigan hasn’t gained a commitment from a five-star player. However, the Wolverines have 11 commits ranked inside the top 200. That number is second only to USC, which has 15 of its pledges ranked inside the top 200. The Wolverines’ class is led by Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga four-star defensive end Carter Meadows (6-6, 225) and Newbury Park (Calif.) four-star quarterback Brady Smigiel (6-5, 205), each of whom is ranked inside the top 100.

Meadows, the No. 72-ranked player in the country, is the team’s highest-ranked commit and is a part of a talented defensive line class.

In addition to Meadows, Michigan has gained commitments from top 200 prospects like St. Louis DeSmet four-star defensive lineman Titan Davis (6-5, 270), Chicago, Simeon four-star defensive lineman McHale Blade (6-5, 245) and Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star defensive end Julian Walker (6-6, 252).

The Wolverines’ most recent commit may also be the most notorious one to Buckeye fans. Not only did Carrollton (Ga.) four-star cornerback Dorian Barney (6-1, 180) pick the Wolverines over the Buckeyes and several other programs on July 5, but he also guaranteed he would never lose to Ohio State while at Michigan.

“I will not lose to Ohio State while I’m there,” Barney told On3’s Chad Simmons.

Purposefully or not, Barney’s comments echoed a similar message that Ohio State superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith made a few days prior about Michigan.

“I’m not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,” Smith said in an interview with The Athletic for a story published on July 1. “In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t want to go to Ohio State and lose to that team up north. I just hate them. Just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years.”

In addition to their 12 4-star commits, the Wolverines have seven 3-star prospects committed, including top 600 prospects like Columbus, St. Francis de Sales running back Jonathan Brown (6-1, 200) and Needham (Mass.) St. Sebastian’s offensive tackle Marky Walbridge (6-6, 280),

With 20 total commits, Michigan’s composite score is 262.74, which, as previously mentioned, is the third-best mark in the Big Ten. The Wolverines’ 90.99 average player rating is the fourth-best mark in the Big Ten.