Five recruits Michigan needs to get on campus before end of spring

Michigan will conclude spring camp with its annual intrasquad scrimmage at The Big House on April 20.

Since the beginning of March, the reigning national champions have hosted a collection of top targets in the 2025 recruiting class and will have more prospects travel to Ann Arbor over the next nine days. But others have yet to schedule a return visit.

The Wolverine take a look at the five 2025 recruits U-M needs to have on campus before the spring ends.

Top 100 EDGE Nate Marshall, Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick, 2025

Industry Ranking: No. 31 Overall, No. 3 Defensive Lineman, No. 1 in Illinois
RPM: Miami (28.9%), Notre Dame (12.9%), Illinois (11.1%), Michigan (9.2%)
Past U-M Visits: 11/25/23, 7/30/23

Nate Marshall recently told The Wolverine that he’s spoken to new Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito a few times since the latter’s hire in late March and that he hopes to set a visit back to campus soon. Marshall’s contact with Esposito indicates that his priority status, issued under the former coaching regime, is intact moving forward this offseason. But the Chicagoland pass rusher has yet to be inside the facilities since the coaching turnover, so it’s crucial that Esposito, head coach Sherrone Moore, and defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale have face-to-face meetings with the junior. Marshall last traveled to U-M for the game against Ohio State and took in the annual late July BBQ at The Big House. He’s coming off trips to Alabama and Auburn, with Miami scheduling an official visit in June.

Top 100 OL SJ Alofaituli, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, 2025

Industry Ranking: No. 62 Overall, No. 2 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 3 in Nevada
RPM: USC (26.6%), Nebraska (23.3%), Michigan (19.9%)
Past U-M Visits: 11/25/23

SJ Alofaituli was eyeing a return to Michigan the same weekend his Bishop Gorman offensive line teammate – Top 100 tackle Douglas Utu – flew with family to see the area for the first time. Plans didn’t come to fruition, but Alofaituli is very interested in what the Wolverines offer for players at his position. He was in attendance for The Game this past November, showing up with 2024 running back signee Micah Ka’apana and four-star guard Alai Kalaniuvalu, and has built a good relationship with Moore. U-M’s head coach and offensive line coach Grant Newsome stopped by the Las Vegas juggernaut during the winter contact period. Another teammate of Alofaituli is expected to be at the spring game in Top 100 wide receiver Derek Meadows. Michigan could bring back Utu for an official visit, which might be the case for Alofaituli as well, with or without a spring return, but a better feel of where things stand would derive from a visit in the coming days and weeks.

Top 100 EDGE Damien Shanklin, Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central, 2025

Industry Ranking: No. 85 Overall, No. 11 EDGE, No. 1 in Indiana
RPM: Notre Dame (88.7%), Tennessee (2.6%), Indiana (1.7%), Texas (1.4%), Michigan (<1%)
Past U-M Visits: 11/25/23

Damien Shanklin has also been in contact with Esposito, who, while in his tenure with Memphis, issued an offer to the No. 1 overall 2025 prospect in the state of Indiana. The unraveling of Greg Scruggs‘ time with Michigan resulted in Esposito quickly laying the foundation for close relationships with pass rushers this cycle. Still, there’s familiarity between him and Shanklin because of the offer. Shanklin told The Wolverine last month that he’s rescheduling an offseason return to Ann Arbor after previously being on the visitors list in late March. U-M had Shanklin at The Big House for the OSU game after offering earlier in the fall. Notre Dame is the heavy favorite on the RPM, Texas, and Tennesse have earned June official visits, and the Buckeyes are Shanklin’s dream school. But he’s fond of the history of Michigan developing NFL-ready edge rushers, so Esposito will take charge in ascending the program into the conversation as a top school.

On300 DB Alex Graham, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, 2025

Industry Ranking: No. 192 Overall, No. 26 Cornerback, No. 28 in Florida
RPM: Michigan (92.2%)
Past U-M Visits: 2/3/24, 11/25/23, 6/13/23, 1/28/23, 10/29/22, 9/10/22, 7/32/22, 6/16/22, 4/25/22

Alex Graham is a month off from publicly releasing his Top 7 list which included Michigan, Penn State, Colorado, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and Utah. Originally from the Detroit area, Graham flew home the final weekend of the contact period for in-depth meetings with Moore. That was before Steve Clinkscale, who was the previous lead recruiter, left for Los Angeles. As the successor of Clinkscale, new defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan has been in contact with Graham and his family. The two getting extended time together at Schembechler Hall is the next step en route to the Wolverines winning out for the legacy prospect who’s nearing double-digit visits to Ann Arbor. PSU welcomed Graham to Happy Valley last month and the junior was recently in Boulder. Official visits are being finalized.

Four-star DL Jaylen Williams, Palantine (Ill.) High, 2025

Industry Ranking: No. 262 Overall, No. 20 Defensive Lineman, No. 6 in Illinois
RPM: Michigan (95.4%)
Past U-M Visits: 11/25/23, 7/30/23

Jaylen Williams hopped on the phone with Esposito earlier this month, and he told The Wolverine that the conversation went well and that he’s eyeing another visit to Michigan soon. Like Marshall, Williams resides in the suburbs of Chicago, an area predominantly recruited by Esposito when he was on the Western Michigan staff. Those ties will surely continue now that he’s with the Wolverines, who’ve signed at least one prospect from the Windy City in every cycle since 2019. Williams is trending significantly to U-M on the RPM, but the loss of Mike Elston to the Chargers has caused the team to lose momentum. He has an official visit slated with Tennessee and Nebraska. Wisconsin is also in the picture. If Williams yields mirrored comfort around the facilities with the new staff as he did when Jim Harbaugh’s assistants were around, that’ll help trigger the same level of confidence in his choosing U-M that was first garnered over the fall.

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