One of Michigan’s top QB targets in the 2026 class is officially off the board, he announced on Friday afternoon:
The Michigan Wolverines officially missed out on 2026 three-star quarterback Nathan Bernhard , as he announced his commitment to Appalachian State on Friday afternoon.
From one A to the next. Committed! #GoApp
Thank you to the countless people who helped me get to where I am today. I’m ready to go to work. pic.twitter.com/XnchCtYISK
— Nathan Bernhard (@nbernie26) April 25, 2025
The 6-foot-5, 227-pounder from Ashland, Ohio is a dual-threat quarterback, completing 181-of-299 passes for 2,895 yards, 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions, in addition to 1,221 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. According to his Hudl profile , Bernhard runs a 4.86 40-yard dash, a 4.48 shuttle tine and has a 32-inch vertical.
Bernhard was offered by Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey in early April after an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor. However, this commitment could be due to the Wolverines potentially closing in on a different quarterback in the class — four-star Brady Smigiel .
The California native just visited last weekend for the Michigan spring game. Numerous predictions have been cast by experts — including Steve Wiltfong and EJ Holland on On3 — for the Wolverines to eventually land Smigiel.
“The trip had been great,” Smigiel’s father told Wiltfong after the visit. “We have been all over the country and Michigan stands out with anyone in the country. The combination of academics and athletics is unmatched.
“Brady is a priority and they have made that clear.”
Smigiel is a talented player at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He’s ranked as the No. 7 quarterback and No. 80 overall player in the class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. As a junior last fall, he completed nearly 65 percent of his passes for 3,521 yards, 49 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
With Bernhard officially off the board, it would not be shocking to see Michigan receive some good news in the near future. It’s been a couple months since Michigan got its last commitment, so this would be a welcoming development.
We’ll keep you all updated when/if Smigiel announces a commitment.