Three takeaways from the road: Pushing for On300 LB Kamar Archie should be a no-brainer for Michigan

Three Michigan recruiting thoughts from my time on the road…

1. Should Michigan take Iverson Howard?

Michigan missed on top running back target Marquise Davis and while the Wolverines, made the final four for Jordan Davison, he seems unlikely to land in Ann Arbor as well. That means new Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford has to press the reset button and blow up/expand the board. On300 Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard running back Iverson Howard is a preexisting target that has favored Michigan for several months now. Michigan is still in a strong position to land him, but it remains to be seen if Alford will go all in to land him. Howard is a versatile back in the same mold as past Mike Hart lands like Micah Ka’apana and Cole Cabana. But it appears Alford has a different taste for his ball carriers. That’s not to say Alford won’t eventually take Howard, who is set to make an official visit next month, but he’s giving himself more options with athletic upside like recent offers Todd Robinson and Shekai Mills-Knight. I don’t disagree with Alford’s strategy. There is no reason to rush things.

2. Work to do with Archie

Michigan has long been a contender for On300 Princeton (N.J.) Hun School linebacker Kamar Archie, but the Wolverines seem to have lost some momentum here. U-M has prioritized guys like Elijah Melendez and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, while Archie has grown more and more interested in programs like Clemson, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Still, the two sides had a meeting last week that involve Archie’s parents and Michigan assistants Grant Newsome and Brian Jean-Mary. There is still an opportunity for Michigan to win over Archie. He is a high academic kid, sees himself in the same mold as former Michigan star Junior Colson and grew up watching the Wolverines as his father is a fan of the program. However, Michigan needs to make Archie feel like a priority and secure an official visit. Right now, Archie has four scheduled and is leaving his fifth option open for U-M. Pushing for Archie is a no-brainer, in my opinion.

3. Little Wafle

Owen Wafle was one of my favorite recruits last cycle. The 2024 Michigan defensive line signee shared some traits with star Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham, and I wrote on numerous occasions that I felt like he was one of the most underrated prospects in the country. Wafle’s younger brother, Luke Wafle, is now a four-star recruit in the 2026 class with a U-M offer. While he’s more highly touted early on than Owen was, I’m still not sure what my evaluation is — the services are all over the place with him. Luke is a bit of a tweener that could be an EDGE or H-Back at the next level. This situation reminds me of Zak Zinter and Preston Zinter. Zak was one of my favorite recruits in the 2020 cycle, while Preston was a tweener that I wasn’t completely sold on. Preston eventually ended up at Notre Dame, and I could see Luke going his own route as well. Michigan obviously has the inside track given the sibling connection, but he’s very much interested in programs like Oklahoma, Penn State and Texas.

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