Michigan jumps into Top 10 of On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after latest commitment

Michigan quickly picked up momentum in the recruitment of Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale four-star cornerback Shamari Earls and has now flipped his commitment from Georgia.

Earls flipped from South Carolina to UGA earlier this cycle, but after a visit and a big push from the Big Ten program, the 6-foot-2 defensive back is now set to head to Ann Arbor.

The No. 65 overall prospect and No. 7 corner in the On3 Industry Ranking, Earls is a major addition for Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines. His pledge bumps U-M’s 2025 class up to No. 10 in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, jumping Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC and Miami.

Michigan is full steam ahead with the Early Signing Period right around the corner. Moore and Co. have their sights set on a top-five class and now have five top-100 prospects in the mix this cycle.

Wolverines add to stacked 2025 class

Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola became the class jewel on Oct. 21. The No. 18 overall prospect and No. 4 OT in the cycle, Babalola chose the Wolverines over Stanford, Auburn, Mizzou and Oklahoma.

“The reason why Michigan won out overall is I believe in coach Moore’s vision. Obviously it’s tough sledding right now, but overall I love that program,” Babalola told On3. “Love the coaches, the players, the recruiting class. It just came down to me believing in coach Moore and believing in Michigan. I can’t wait to be a part of the family.”

Michigan landed multiple big recruiting victories at the end of the summer, landing the likes of Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange four-star safety Ivan Taylor, Center Valley (Pa.) Southern Lehigh four-star tight end Andrew Olesh and Fulshear (Texas) Katy Jordan four-star wide receiver Andrew Marsh.

Taylor, who flipped from Notre Dame on July 8, is the No. 60 recruit and No. 7 safety in the nation. He and Earls now headline an elite defensive back class that also includes Montgomery Village (Md.) Gonzaga four-star safety Kainoa Winston and Kilgore (Texas) four-star CB Jayden Sanders, both of whom are top-200 recruits.

Olesh is the No. 3 TE in the cycle and remains in the mix despite a push from the likes of Penn State and Oregon. He’s one of two tight ends in the class, alongside Alcoa (Tenn.) three-star Eli Owens. Marsh, a top-100 recruit and top-15 WR, is one of two wideouts in the class and is joined by New Orleans Archbishop Shaw four-star Jacob Washington.

Palatine (Ill.) four-star defensive lineman Jaylen Williams, who pledged in June, is one of the top defensive pledges in the class, checking in as the No. 256 overall recruit. Alpharetta (Ga.) four-star EDGE Julius Holly, Marrero (La.) Archbishop Shaw four-star Jasper Parker, Savannah (Ga.) IMG Academy four-star RB Donovan Johnson, IMG Academy three-star offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn and Stockbridge (Ga.) three-star linebacker Chase Taylor also committed in June.