Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia breaks down the Michigan football class of 2025 recruits who made their commitment to the Wolverines official on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period:

School: Belleville.

Vitals: 6 feet 3, 205 pounds.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Five stars, No. 1 overall, No. 1 QB, No. 1 MI.

The buzz: Simply put, Underwood is the biggest recruit in the history of Michigan football and the highest-rated quarterback recruit since the late Ryan Mallett committed as a five-star and the No. 7 player in the nation in 2007. Underwood starred 20 minutes up the road the past four years at Belleville where he won multiple state titles, was twice Max Preps Player of the Year for his grade and Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior with senior awards still pending. Underwood had been committed to LSU since January, then U-M rallied its name, image and likeness funding, pulled together an eight-figure deal and convinced him to stay home. Underwood is an elite NFL prospect with a big frame, a bigger arm and the type of out-jog-you-while-you’re-sprinting athleticism that reminds of Cam Newton or Terrell Pryor.

The spotlight couldn’t be bigger, but also, the upside couldn’t be much higher. He will be the favorite to start when he steps on campus, unless U-M goes out and signs an elite quarterback in the transfer portal as well. Still, expectations are through the roof.

OT Andrew Babalola

School: Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kansas).

Vitals: 6-6, 280.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Five stars, No. 14 overall, No. 3 OT, No. 1 KS.

The buzz: Somebody has to protect the future of the program in Underwood, and the five-star offensive tackle is a prime candidate to do so on the blind side. He has every measurable teams look for in a tackle including, length, strength and natural athleticism and given the Wolverines’ pedigree for putting offensive linemen in the NFL, the upside feels incredibly high for another freshman who could compete for playing time. “Immensely gifted offensive tackle prospect who’s relatively newer to football and possesses virtually limitless long-term potential,” writes 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks.

“Showing noticeably more block-finishing conviction as a senior…May need a bit more time to develop at the P4 level than more ready-made tackle prospects, but owns a case for the highest-ceiling OT prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle.”

DL Nathaniel Marshall

School: Fenwick (Oak Park, Illinois).

Vitals: 6-4, 265.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 55 overall, No. 8 DL, No. 3 IL.

The buzz: He was the first big-time commit of the Sherrone Moore era when he pledged in April, however when he de-committed in August it was seen as a bit of a gut punch. When he verbally flipped back just 24 hours before signing day, defensive line coach Lou Esposito was likely doing backflips in celebration. Of course, he and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale certainly did the best sell job they could, as they orchestrated U-M’s defensive line to a dominant performance against OSU in Saturday’s 13-10 upset. Marshall becomes an immediate candidate to get on the field in a unit that is losing at least three starters, and perhaps as many as six rotational pieces.

WR Andrew Marsh

School: Katy Jordan (Fulshear, Texas).

Vitals: 6-1, 180.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 70 overall, No. 10 WR, No. 15 TX.

The buzz: The Wolverines have sought a big time wide-receiver prospect for a while and Marsh fits the bill. While U-M targeted (and landed) other larger wideouts in the class, Marsh’s marks in the high jump (6-4) and his 400-meter time (50.24) as a freshman exemplify his athleticism that is among the best in the class at the position. He entered his senior year with more than 2,400 receiving yards, where he continued to show his ability to high-point passes and even returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

When Marsh came to visit for the U-M vs. MSU game, he stopped at the Belleville vs. Howell game, showing he seemingly already has a relationship with Underwood.

DB Shamari Earls

School: Thomas Dale (Chester, Virginia).

Vitals: 6-2, 180.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 86 overall, No. 12 CB, No. VA.

The buzz: A one-time commit to Georgia, Earls flipped to U-M at the beginning of November and is part of one of the best defensive back classes in U-M history. A Virginia Class 6 indoor state champion in the long jump as a junior, Earls is an elite athlete who figures to be able to develop into a handsy cornerback with good ball skills.

“Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Four level with legitimate NFL upside. Frame hasn’t been third-party verified, but appears to be over 6-foot,” Irvins wrote. “More notably, owns elite markers in both the 55-meter dash and the long jump. Likely will need a developmental year or two to adjust to the collegiate game and refine technique, but could be well worth the wait.”

DB Kainoa Winston

School: Gonzaga College (Washington)

Vitals: 5-10, 185.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 110 overall, No. 10 S, No. 1 D.C.

The buzz: Winston isn’t as big as some of the other defensive backs in the class, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed and tenacity. He’s a decorated sprinter who holds the Gonzaga 200-meter record (21.58) and qualified for the New Balance National Indoor meet in the 60-meter (6.90) as a sophomore. An invitee to the Navy All-America Bowl, he’s also the cousin of Penn State defensive back, Kevin Winston Jr., a former four-star recruit in the class of 2022 who played in 12 games as a freshman before he became a starter the past two years (prior to injury this season).

LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng

School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida).

Vitals: 6-0, 205.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 130 overall, No. 14 LB, No. 20 FL.

The buzz: Owusu-Boateng was one of the top remaining uncommitted prospects in the nation, and is the top addition for linebacker coach Brian Jean-Mary. Owusu-Boateng is a Manassas, Virginia native and is of Ghanaian descent. He is the younger brother of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, a standout NFL linebacker who played at Notre Dame (2017-20) before being selected in the second round of 2021 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.

DB Jordan Young

School: Monroe (North Carolina).

Vitals: 6-0, 184.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 150 overall, No. 5 ATH, No. 6 N.C.

The buzz: A former Clemson commit who Michigan flipped over the weekend, there’s clearly a reason he’s listed as an athlete. Young averaged 14.5 points and 3.9 assists a sophomore on the basketball team and nine points and 3.0 assists as a junior according to Max Preps and was a state qualifier in both the long jump and triple jump as a 10th grader where he placed top-four in each. As for the football field, he does a bit of everything. According to his profile in his junior year he had 66 tackles (two for loss) 5 fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles, three pass break ups, an interception and a sack while playing defense. On offense, he caught 34 passes for 812 yards and 8 touchdowns and added a blocked punt and a blocked field goal on special teams for good measure as he was named Big 22 Player of the Year. He’s invited to the Navy All-American Bowl.

DB Elijah Dotson

School: Belleville.

Vitals: 6-2, 180.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 190 overall, No. 13 S, No. 2 MI.

The buzz: The smoke around Underwood really started picking up when Dotson, his friend and high school teammate, flipped his commitment from Pittsburgh to Michigan a week prior. But Dotson is worthy of his own buzz, a long and athletic weapon who lined up at everything from safety and corner to receiver and return man — and even the occasional play as wildcat quarterback — during his time with the Tigers. Some have compared him to New York Giants DB Xavier McKinney and though there was thought for sometime he could be recruited as a wideout, he’s joining the Wolverines to play in the secondary.

WR Jacob Washington

School: Archbishop Shaw (Marrero, Louisiana).

Vitals: 6-3, 180.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 207 overall, No. 25 WR, No. 7 LA.

The buzz: Wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy did not want another year without a big target out wide, so he knew where to go to find one: his old stomping grounds. Bellamy nabbed Washington from his former high school, and the near top-200 wide out would normally be perhaps the best get in the class for U-M at the position. A transfer from New Orleans Jesuit, Washington is an outside receiver who could play the X or the Z.

OT Avery Gach

School: Birmingham Groves.

Vitals: 6-5, 290.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 274 overall, No. 15 IOL, No. 3 MI.

The buzz: This is a guy who reminds folks of Karsen Barnhart. A swing-lineman who isn’t quite big enough to play on the outside full time but has the ability and versatility to lineup anywhere and give reliable snaps. Ironically, his comparison on 247Sports is Ben Bredeson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), a former U-M lineman and older brother of 2024 captain and H-back, Max Bredeson.

“Shows functional strength and pad level in addition to the pure willingness to want to move defenders off the ball, all making for a dominant run blocker,” wrote 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu. High-floor type prospect who will give a high-major school depth at several positions and should be a dependable multi-year starter at the Power (Four) level.”

RB Jasper Parker

School: Archbishop Shaw (Marrero, Louisiana).

Vitals: 6-0, 189.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 299 overall, No. 21 RB, No. 11 LA.

The buzz: While U-M was down at Archbishop Shaw nabbing Washington, it figured it would get the two-for-one special in Parker. While that isn’t really how it happened, it sounds nice. The running back had a star senior season, finishing 1,501 all purpose yards −1,353 rushing and 148 receiving − to go with 22 total touchdowns as he was named District MVP. He’s a sleeper in this class and while 247 has him listed as a three-star, his composite has him top-300 overall and there’s a chance he could be a breakout candidate down the line.

DL Benny Patterson

School: Castle (Newburgh, Indiana).

Vitals: 6-4, 245.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 342 overall, No. 36 DL, No. 6 IN.

The buzz: A one-time Cincinnati Bearcat commit, Patterson is hoping to be one of the next pieces of what U-M hopes is a continued dominant defensive line. Patterson, who had more than a dozen high-major offers in almost every corner of the country (USC, Florida State and Penn State) had 57 tackles, which included a team-high 13 for loss and seven sacks in nine games when he flipped on Nov. 1. He added a 75-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown later that evening.

DL Julius Holly

School: Alpharetta (Georgia).

Vitals: 6-3, 220.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 371 overall, No. 30 edge, No. 51 GA.

The buzz: Holly was a highly-regarded recruit, with Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Penn State and Tennessee all among his two dozen suitors. The defensive lineman who plays just 30 minutes north of Atlanta was named to the 2024 Preseason TCA All State Team, but suffered an injury (per his social media) that ended his season.

RB Donovan Johnson

School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida).

Vitals: 6-0, 205.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 396 overall, No. 27 RB, No. 56 FL.

The buzz: There’s a lot of upside in this former top-50 overall prospect, who averaged 8.1 yards per carry as a freshman and ran for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns on as a freshman at Savannah (Georgia) Calvary Day. He transferred to IMG Academy as a sophomore and missed his entire junior season because of a torn ACL, but remains a high upside prospect. Johnson is a member of 247Sports’ 2025 “freaks list” and a track star who qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics according to his profile. His father, Derrick Johnson, was a quarterback at The Citadel (1994-95).

DL Bobby Kanka

School: Howell.

Vitals: 6-4, 285.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 491 overall, No. 54 DL, No. 7 MI.

The buzz: The Howell standout was one of the first to pledge to U-M’s 2025 class, making his decision on Aug. 1, 2023. Though he comes from a background of tight end, defensive end and offensive line, Kanka has most recently been recruited by U-M defensive line coach Lou Esposito and figures to line up as an interior defensive lineman for the Maize and Blue.

“Plays with tenacity and has really good all around intangibles,” writes Trieu. “We see him as a solid, good all around athlete who plays tough and will help a college team win.”

OL Kaden Strayhorn

School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida).

Vitals: 6-2½, 285.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 491 overall, No. 33 IOL, No. 65 FL.

The buzz: One of more intriguing prospects in the class for the fact his father is Jason Strayhorn, a former Michigan State standout linebacker and current color commentator for MSU’s radio broadcast. Strayhorn, who is one of two commits from IMG Academy, began his career at Novi Detroit Catholic Central and was once a five-star recruit as a freshman, but since plateaued to his current standing. Still, he’s seen as a technically sound future interior lineman (though he played tackle in high school) who could be a future center in Ann Arbor.

TE Eli Owens

School: Alcoa (Tennessee).

Vitals: 6-1, 245.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 541 overall, No. 27 TE, No. 20 TN.

The buzz: Though he’s a three-star prospect, Owens had an offer list that shows his perceived upside. He had a top-nine that also included Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Cincinnati and South Florida before Michigan pulled off the commitment.

LB Chase Taylor

School: Stockbridge (Georgia).

Vitals: 6-3, 201.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 549 overall, No. 58 LB, No. 70 GA.

The buzz: Michigan appears to be targeting a linebacker in the transfer portal as there’s not a lot of reinforcements coming in at the position. That said, Taylor is an intriguing prospect as yet another high-upside athlete. Taylor has 62 tackles his senior year and 10 for loss on defense and has 17 receptions for 292 yards and seven touchdowns on offense. As a junior, Taylor had 73 tackles (six for loss), six sacks and three forced fumbles.

WR Jamar Browder

School: Santaluces Community (Lake Worth, Florida).

Vitals: 6-3½, 205.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 820 overall, No. 120 WR, No. 107 FL.

The buzz: When Michigan said it wanted to target big-bodied wide receivers, this serves as Exhibit A. Browder was a former N.C. State commit before the Wolverines flipped him last month, who pitched to him the ability to make an immediate impact. The Wolverines didn’t have a single receiver even finish with 250 yards through the air in 2024.

“The wide receiver room was, in my opinion, incredibly weaker than NC State’s,” Browder told the Palm Beach Post of his decision. “I see myself as being an impact player at NC State but getting rotated. As for Michigan, I feel like I can be in the whole game, unless it’s a blowout and I’ve got to sit for the second half.”

DL Travis Molten

School: Fern Creek Traditional (Louisville, Kentucky).

Vitals: 6-5, 250.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Three stars, No. 1,385 overall, No. 149 DL, No. 14 Ky.

The buzz: Molten committed to Michigan and signed his national letter of intent on early signing day. The three-star defensive lineman chose the Wolverines over Virginia and Texas Tech. He joins Marshall, Kanka and Patterson as Michigan’s defensive line recruits in 2025. As a senior, Molten recorded 95 tackles, 30 for loss, and 19½ sacks.

Remaining unsigned

TE Andrew Olesh

School: Southern Lehigh (Center Valley, Pennsylvania).

Vitals: 6-4, 215.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 59 overall, No. 3 TE, No. 1 PA.

The buzz: With star tight end Colston Loveland all but guaranteed to be on the way out to the NFL, U-M had to make sure it continues to stock pile its war chest of tight ends. There’s a good chance position coach Steve Casula and company hit the jackpot in Andrew Olesh, even as home-state Penn State did all it could to flip the local product, but U-M held on for another top-60 prospect. Though he’s a bit undersized for the position and there are a number of elite players in room (Marlin Klein, Hogan Hansen and Brady Prieskorn), don’t be surprised if and when Olesh becomes a factor.

“Will need to add some mass in the coming years and keep progressing as an in-line player to reach full potential, but should be viewed as a future multi-year starter at the Power Four level that can elevate a passing attack after a developmental year or two,” wrote 247Sports’ director of scouting Andrew Irvins. “NFL upside given the growth potential and how he moves.”

DB Jayden Sanders

School: Kilgore (Texas).

Vitals: 6-2, 172.

247 Sports’ composite ranking: Four stars, No. 205 overall, No. 20 CB, No. 27 TX.

The buzz: The long, lean defensive back had more than 20 Division I offers, which included home-state schools like Baylor, Houston, SMU, Texas Tech and TCU as well as rival Michigan State. Coaches are excited about his ability to develop considering his impressive bloodlines: he’s the son of Nick Sanders, a former TCU defensive back (2005-09) who was named All-Mountain West first-team selection as a senior during TCU’s 2009 Fiesta Bowl team that finished 12-1. Sanders also plays basketball and runs track & field. “Bona fide Power Four prospect in the secondary,” Brooks wrote. “Owns the developmental potential to become a difference maker in college with NFL Draft upside.”