Recruiting Roundup: Michigan leading the way for top-100 overall recruit

The Wolverines’ secondary is coming off a very impressive season.

With Jim Harbaugh actively exploring his NFL options, recruiting is at a bit of a standstill at the moment. However, there are still plenty of things to discuss.

In this edition of the Recruiting Roundup, we’ll discuss a few interesting developments in the 2025 cycle for the Michigan Wolverines .

Michigan trending for top-100 defender

A big reason for Michigan’s success this season on defense was thanks to the secondary. Their recent success makes Michigan an attractive destination for some of the best defensive backs in the nation, including 2025 four-star Alex Graham .

The No. 99 player in the 2025 class plays for powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida. He is a good sized prospect at 6-foot-1, 186 pounds. Formerly playing at Cass Tech in Detroit, Graham is very familiar with Michigan.

Graham holds more then two dozen offers, with Michigan and a few other blue bloods being some of the schools he is closest with.

“Penn State, USC, Utah, Michigan, Ohio State , Miami and a couple others,” he told 247Sports’ Allen Trieu ($).

Making the move to IMG allowed for him to get more national recognition, with several major programs regularly passing through to scout recruits.

“There have been a lot of schools,” Graham said. “The schools that I named that have been reaching out, and schools that haven’t offered yet like Georgia, Florida and Colorado.”

It’s still early in Graham’s recruitment, so he wants to keep his options open. He is in no rush to commit, as he plans on waiting until summer to make a decision. And while the Wolverines will have to compete with multiple other major programs in his recruitment, it appears they fit the bill for what he is looking for.

“I look at who they developed and put in the league, the relationship with their players and of course the relationship that me and the coaches built throughout the recruiting process, and the graduation rate plays a big part as well,” he said.

Michigan among top schools for three-star OT

The Wolverines may not have won the Joe Moore Award this past season, but they did win the National Championship. With Sherrone Moore still guiding the group, Michigan continues to get looks from some of the top offensive line prospects in the country each year, including U-M legacy, 2025 three-star Logan Powell .

Powell has been on Michigan’s radar from the start. The Wolverines were his first legit offer, extending it the spring before his sophomore season. While out west recruiting last week, Moore stopped by Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy College Prep to visit him.

“It meant a lot to me that coach Moore (visited my school) and it shows that (Michigan) really wants me there,” Powell told The Wolverine’s Zach Libby ($). “We talked about the new o-line (coming in next season) and everything that’s going on with Michigan and (head coach Jim) Harbaugh.”

Powell has taken two unofficial visits to Michigan so far, including a trip for the game against the Purdue Boilermakers in November. He has been impressed by what Moore was able to achieve as both the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and interim head coach during Harbaugh’s suspension.

During the fall visit, Powell and his family got to sit down with Moore, further developing their relationship.

“I’ve spent individual time with (Moore) a few times and I think we are starting to get to know each other well,” Powell said. “Him winning those games showed me that he is a great leader and that he can lead the o-line and anybody through tough challenges.”

With uncertainty surrounding Harbaugh’s future in Ann Arbor, it is important for Moore to develop these relationships with his top prospects. Should Harbaugh choose to depart for the NFL and Michigan promote Moore to head coach, it does not appear it would have a negative impact on Powell’s recruitment.

“If coach Moore was made head coach, that would change nothing about my opinion on Michigan because I know that coach Moore can bring the team higher and that he will make good decisions,” Powell said. “My opinion won’t change at all. Michigan is still a top-ranked school for me and has been up there for my whole high school career.”

Powell holds offers from over a dozen schools with more likely on the way. Among those pursing the three-star are Washington, USC, Oregon, Tennessee and others.

Michigan makes top-six for four-star WR

A four-star offensive playmaker from the state of Ohio in the 2025 class has put Michigan on his top list — Quintin Simmons Jr.

Also on his top list include Penn State, Kentucky, West Virginia, Syracuse and Cincinnati.

There are currently no predictions for Simmons as to where he is going to land, but it appears Kentucky is leading the way so far in his recruitment. But the Wolverines have taken a lot of players from the state of Ohio in recent memory, so Simmons would likely be a good fit in Ann Arbor.

Simmons is currently listed as the No. 30 wide receiver and the No. 10 player in the state of Ohio, according to 247Sports’ composite.