Sherone Moore received the great news yesterday that 2025 four-star safety Ivan Taylor has committed to the Michigan Wolverines from Notre Dame. Taylor is ranked 50th overall according to the 247Sports composite rankings, making him the third player in the top 100 to commit to Michigan this cycle.
So it got me thinking… what have been the most significant turnovers in recent University of Michigan football history? There have been plenty of turnovers over the years, but in my opinion, the most significant dating back to the 2022 freshman class are these.
Players transferring to Michigan
2024 Class: Four-star CB Joziah Edmond
Edmond was a big recruiting win, as the Wolverines missed out on several other top-priority cornerbacks in this class. Originally committed to Purdue, Edmond was on the radar as a recruit when he received an offer from Michigan. He ended up transferring in August 2023 and finished the cycle on the fringe of top-150 prospects. He might not see the field much this fall, but his potential is tremendous.
Class of 2024: 3-star DT David Parepare
This was a very interesting recruit. Parepare initially had Michigan on his top priority list and the Wolverines were expected to land him. However, he committed to USC in July 2023, only to back out just a few weeks before national signing day in December 2023. He'll likely redshirt this year, but could be a player to watch in a few years' time.
Class of 2023: 4-star S Brandyn Hillman
This is also a very interesting story. Hillman committed and signed with Notre Dame in December 2022, but actually requested a release from his letter of intent in March 2023. Many other schools, including Ohio State and Wisconsin, offered him, but Hillman ultimately chose Michigan. He didn't play much as a true freshman, but should play more in 2024.
2023 Class: 3-star DL Cameron Blount
It was another last-minute change of course for the Wolverines, as Blount committed to Stanford for seven months before signing his letter of intent with Michigan in February 2023. Blount played in 14 total games last season and is expected to see even more playing time this fall.
2022 Class: 4-star DL Mason Graham
Graham had actually committed to Boise State before signing with Michigan. Though he wasn't initially rated as a highly-anticipated prospect, the Wolverines saw his talent and offered him in August 2021, then invited him to campus for an official visit in September. He converted just six days after a trip to Ann Arbor and has been a force on the defensive line since his freshman season.
2022 Class: 3-star WR/CB Amorion Walker
Walker committed to Notre Dame in March 2021, but also toured other schools along the way, including Alabama, Louisiana State and Mississippi. He ultimately changed his mind on National Signing Day and signed to play at Michigan. After briefly transferring to Mississippi this offseason, Walker is returning to Michigan and could play a key role as a wide receiver this season.
2022 Class: 3-star QB Alex Orji
The Wolverines have made significant changes to their 2022 class, with Orji transferring from Virginia Tech to Michigan and signing on National Signing Day. Orji has played as a reserve in Ann Arbor but is in the thick of the QB1 competition this fall.
promise to transfer to another school
Class of 2024: Four-star Edge Elias Rudolph
Rudolph was the first of three defensive line prospects to transfer from Michigan to another university in his junior year. He committed to Michigan in July 2023 but transferred to Miami just a month later.
2024 Class: Four-star DL Jacob and Jerrod Smith
The 2024 defensive line recruiting cycle has been tough for a while, with both Jacob and Jerrod Smith committing to Kentucky in September 2023 and signing letters of intent with the Wildcats shortly after Rudolph committed.
Class of 2023: Four-star Edge Collins Acheapong.
Acheapong was Michigan's highest-ranked player for a brief time in the 2023 class, and committed in July 2022 before transferring to Miami in November 2022. After his true freshman year at Miami, Acheapong entered the portal and is currently enrolled at UCLA.
2022 Class: Ethan Burke, a four-star prospect.
The recruiting gods give and they take away at the same time. Burke committed to the University of Michigan on December 1, 2022. Unfortunately, his hometown Texas Longhorns offered him just before National Signing Day, so he decided to stay home. This hurts because he led the Longhorns in sacks (5.5) last season, had 41 tackles and nine tackles for loss. He is one of the best edge rushers in the country heading into the 2024 season.
