Michigan flips USF LB commit Kaden Catchings

Kaden Catchings flipped his commitment from USF to Michigan Tuesday afternoon, he announced on social media. The three-star linebacker from Jackson (Miss.) Hartfield Academy took a pair of visits to Ann Arbor this year and made his Wolverine pledge official early this week. 

Catchings committed to the Bulls Oct. 23 before flipping less than a month later. He visited Michigan in June originally as a recent Liberty commit and remained solid with the Flames for a few months as he continued to talk about a visit with the Wolverine staff. 

That trip came together Nov. 1. He spent the weekend in Ann Arbor, watched the Purdue game and, after reflecting on the official visit, he decided he had seen enough to make his final decision. 

“It was great,” Catchings told The Wolverine after the visit. “The environment was something I didn’t even expect. It was great being back out there in Ann Arbor. They had a couple of freshman play at linebacker, and it shows me anybody can get on the field and have an opportunity to play. I also got to see the campus and do the photoshoot. It was great.”

Catchings checks in at 6-1, 205 and plays both sides of the ball for his Hartfield Academy squad. Rivals considers him the No. 30 athlete recruit in the country and the No. 44 recruit in Mississippi. Through his first 8 games of the year, Catchings logged 29 total tackles (12 solo, 2 for loss) and 2 sacks. He also racked up 336 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns as a running back. 

He’s the third linebacker pledge of the class, joining three-star prospects Aden Reeder and Markel Dabney. All three commits were flips. 

Michigan now has 24 commits in its 2026 recruiting class — Catchings, Wilmette (Ill.) Loyola Academy offensive tackle Tommy Fraumann, three-star Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier linebacker Aden Reeder, five-star running back Savion Hiter, five-star Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga EDGE Carter Meadows, Top 100 Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha offensive tackle Malakai Lee, Top 100 St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet defensive lineman Titan Davis, Top 100 Billings (Mont.) West tight end Matt Ludwig, Top 100 Newberry Park (Calif.) High quarterback Brady Smigiel, On300 Needham (Mass.) St. Sebastian’s offensive lineman Marky Walbridge, On300 Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith wide receiver Travis Johnson, On300 Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork EDGE Julian Walker, On300 Chicago (Ill.) Simeon EDGE McHale Blade, four-star Richmond (Va.) Hermitage defensive back Andre Clarke, four-star Mansfield (Texas) High wide receiver Zion Robinson, three-star Cartersville (Ga.) Cass offensive lineman Bear McWhorter, three-star Washington (D.C.) St. John’s EDGE Tariq Boney, three-star Denver (Colo.) Mullen tight end Mason Bonner, three-star Liberty Hill (Texas) High defensive lineman Alister Vallejo, three-star Dallas (Texas) Parish Episcopal wide receiver Jaylen Pile, three-star Richmond (Va.) Huguenot linebacker Markel Dabney, three-star Hinsdale (Ill.) Central kicker Micah Drescher, Columbus (Ohio) St. Francis DeSales running back Jonathan Brown and Phoenix (Ariz.) O’Connor long snapper Colton Dermer.