Five in-state 2026 recruits that should be at the top of Michigan’s wish list

Some of the best recruits in the 2026 class are in Michigan’s backyard. Here are five in-state recruits that Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines should focus on:

February’s National Signing Day is a few weeks away, and with Michigan’s 2025 class —headlined by five-star in-state quarterback Bryce Underwood — already signed (with a couple potential exceptions), most of Michigan’s focus shifts to 2026.

Some of the best recruits in the country in this cycle come from the state of Michigan, and the Wolverines have had a good track record with in-state recruits over the years. It’s important to keep landing those in-state recruits to keep the cupboard stocked and keep those local pipelines intact.

Here are five 2026 in-state recruits that should be at the top of Michigan’s wish list.

CJ Sadler, four-star ATH, Cass Tech

If the Wolverines manage to land CJ Sadler, they would land the top-ranked recruit in the state two classes in a row. On the 247Sports composite , Sadler is ranked 78th nationally and boasts a few dozen offers.

After leading Cass Tech to a state title, Sadler was named Michigan High School Football Player of the Year by MaxPreps, racking up 51 receptions for 1,043 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior this past fall. He was one of 32 players in the country selected for Nike Next Ones, an NFL Combine-esque showcase.

Like Charles Woodson and Jabrill Peppers, Sadler wants to play offense and defense. He’s a talented enough athlete to give it a try, and he could be a go-to target for Underwood. He last visited Ann Arbor this past fall, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back on campus sooner rather than later.

Gregory Patrick, four-star OL, Portage Northern

Michigan has the infrastructure and track record to mold offensive linemen into NFL people-movers, and Gregory Patrick could be Michigan’s newest ball of clay to mold.

Patrick is a top-150 overall player, a top-15 offensive tackle and the No. 2 player in the state of Michigan on the composite . He told 247Sports’ Allen Trieu in October that his best relationships are with Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Notre Dame.

Here is Trieu’s scouting report on Patrick:

He is a clear Power Four prospect and one of the top junior offensive linemen in the Midwest. He bends well, moves well, and approaches the game in the right way. He is right around 6-foot-5, so schools will have to decide where to play him. He’s currently at tackle with a lot of that coming at left tackle. He may or may not be a college left tackle, but he’s capable of playing any spot on the line in our estimation. But his approach, demeanor and technique all give him a very high floor and his athleticism gives him a higher ceiling.

The Wolverines visited Portage Northern earlier this month as they continue to make him a top priority in the class. However, it’s important to know that Patrick is an MSU legacy, so keep an eye on the Spartans as well.

Tommy Carr, unranked QB, Saline

While Tommy Carr has yet to pick up a offer from Michigan, there’s an obvious connection there with him being the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.

“Yeah, I have interest in whoever has interest in me, so if (Michigan shows) interest, then definitely,” Carr told The Michigan Insider . “Obviously, I have a lot of history there at Michigan. I’ve been there a lot. I like what they’re doing. They have a good recruiting class, so it’s going to be fun to watch them this year and just see the changes and all the new players. It’ll be fun.”

I wouldn’t imagine that quarterback is as high of a priority in this cycle with Underwood locked in, but it’s never a bad thing to have depth at that position.

Khalief Canty, three-star OL, Cass Tech

Many Cass Tech alums have gone on to have illustrious careers at Michigan, and Khalief Canty could be the next one.

Canty has great size at 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds and is rated 31st among interior offensive linemen. He’s got an offer from Michigan, along with other schools like Alabama, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Indiana and more. He was at Michigan’s junior day in 2023 and he visited Michigan State last year .

Michigan has a talented group of 2025 linemen coming in, headlined by five-star Andrew Babalola . However, you can never have enough quality offensive linemen, so it would be advantageous for Michigan to heavily recruit one of the best options in the state for 2026.

Jack Janda, three-star TE, Novi

Ranking just outside the top-500 on the composite , Janda is the third-ranked tight end in the state and is 28th among all 2026 tight ends. The offers keep rolling in for Janda, who was at Kentucky this past weekend and was visited by Michigan State tight ends coach Brian Wozniak.

Marlin Klein will only have one year of eligibility left by the time Janda is in college, and the Wolverines only have one 2025 tight end commit in three-star Eli Owens . While Michigan has some solid young options in Brady Prieskorn and Hogan Hansen, Ann Arbor is still an appealing destination for tight ends.

The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz logged a Crystal Ball for Janda to commit to Michigan last year, but Lorenz recently lowered his confidence in that pick all the way down to a 1. It appears Michigan is heavily pursuing other options at the moment and is keeping Janda on the back burner, so it will be interesting to see how interested Janda would be if the Wolverines swing and miss on their other targets.