Top 10 overall prospect Ari Watford shares latest on Michigan, potential visit

Ari Watford saw his phone blow up on August 1, the first date college coaches were allowed to directly reach out to prospects in the 2025 recruiting class.

The nation’s No. 2 ranked EDGE out of Norfolk (Va.) Maury, Watford is one of the most wanted recruits in America and heard from just about every top program you can think of.

“That morning, my phone started blowing up,” Watford said. “I had to turn my phone in for our team lock-in. When I got it back, there were messages all over the phone. It was something close to 100.”

Michigan was among the schools that made sure to reach out to Watford.

Staffer Dylan Roney, who works with the U-M pass rushers, has been leading the way in this recruitment and is starting to build a connection with Watford.

“I’ve been talking to Coach (Dylan) Roney,” Watford said. “We’ve been texting, and he’s been updating me on their camp. He tells me how much he likes me and things like that. He’s also sent me some motivation for my season.”

Along with Michigan, Watford has offers in hand from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and a slew of other major programs.

Watford certainly has his pick of the litter. However, Michigan has his attention early on and could establish itself as a major contender moving forward thanks to its recent production at the EDGE position.

“Of course, I love their defense,” Watford said. “You’ve seen guys go to the league from Michigan like David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson. There are plenty of other guys that have gone to the league, too. That’s what really stands out to me.”

The next step for Watford is making his way to Ann Arbor for his first-ever unofficial visit, which he hopes happens at some point in the near future.

“I definitely want to check them out,” Watford said. “I want to see what the city is like. I want to understand how the team really is and what the head coach (Jim Harbaugh) is really about. I want a strong relationship with my position coach and a head coach that knows what he wants out of his program.”

At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Watford is ranked as the No. 2 EDGE and No. 10 overall prospect in the country, per On3. He is also ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Virginia for next cycle.

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