Michigan Football is in excellent shape with elite offensive line prospects

I previously discussed how the Wolverines were doing well in terms of running back recruiting.

The Wolverines have also done well in recruiting the offensive line, which is unsurprising. The offensive line class of 2024 was great, and it should remain elite as long as Sherrone Moore is hired.

Michigan football has been an offensive line factory, creating a plethora of NFL talent while not securing the top prospects. The Wolverines have won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line twice in the last three years, and even though they did not win it last year, they had 5-6 NFL players on that line.

If you’re a starting offensive lineman for Michigan football, your chances of making it to the NFL are fairly good, at least for now. This achievement tends to be reflected more clearly in recruits interested in Michigan.

It’s unclear why the Wolverines haven’t been a significant competitor for top offensive line prospects. This year, things look to be changing, with a number of top lineman coming and seriously considering Michigan. In fact, the Wolverines may be in the lead for a number of them, and they have a lot of momentum with a few of them. With that said, let us take a look at some of the best lineman that Michigan has momentum with.

Five Star Andrew Babaloa (KS)

Andrew Babaloa visited Ann Arbor last week and, by all accounts, had a terrific time. Babaloa is expected to return to Michigan for an official visit later this year. That’s a fantastic sign, and it confirms Michigan football as a real contender.

Personally, I believe this is a very winnable recruitment. Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome are fantastic recruiters and coaches, and it’s evident that the students are making strong connections with them. Babaloa definitely likes Michigan and would be willing to play in Ann Arbor. The only issue I have is if NIL will play a significant role in this.

It’s still unclear whether Michigan is becoming more willing to use NIL to attract recruits. If they aren’t, obtaining Babaloa and other top prospects would remain incredibly difficult. If they are more willing, they have a better chance of being recruited. It appears that the momentum supports Michigan being better with NIL, but this needs to be proven.

Top 100 Douglas Utu (NV)

Douglas Utu was planned to visit Ann Arbor for the first time over Easter weekend. This is a relatively new recruiting, so it will be fascinating to watch where the Wolverines stand; nonetheless, according to ON3, the Wolverines have the third best chance of landing Utu. Stealing a recruit from the West Coast will be challenging, but the Big Ten expansion may make it easier.

Moore visited Utu High School earlier this year, and it’s evident that his message is being received well. Utu was teammates with 2024 Michigan running back signee Micah Ka’apana, so the Wolverines have a connection here.

It will be intriguing to see if the Wolverines can get Utu to make an official visit. The Wolverines are on a roll right now.

Four Star Michael Carroll (PA)

Michael Carroll is a well-known individual. Previously, it was believed that Michigan could be the leader in this area. Carroll was also scheduled to come over the Easter weekend, giving Michigan football the opportunity to extend their lead even more.

This appears to be a struggle between Michigan and Penn State, but the Wolverines appear to have the advantage. While I don’t expect Carroll to commit in the next few days, the staff might schedule him for a summer official visit, at which point I’d expecting for a commitment during the summer.

This is a really winnable recruitment.

Four Star Avery Gach (MI)

On the surface, this appears to be the Wolverines’ most beneficial recruiting situation. Gach is in the state, and Michigan has a lot of momentum. Gach just visited, and by all accounts, he had a terrific time. He’s scheduled to visit Michigan formally this summer, and I believe the Wolverines will definitely land his pledge then.

Gach has declared that he intends to commit after his official visits. Georgia, USC, Wisconsin, and Penn State are some of the competitors for Gach. ON3 rates Michigan as the clear favorite here. Gach has the potential to be a leader in this class, and Sherrone Moore has done an excellent job of putting Michigan ahead of the competition. This is absolutely something to keep an eye on as time passes.

Four Star Jack Lange (MO)

Jack Lange is a relatively recent name to this list. He is now considered a Notre Dame lean, but he planned to visit Ann Arbor. The notion was that a successful visit may flip the tide and put Michigan in a strong position. While there haven’t been many changes, we do know that Lange will officially visit Michigan on June 14th.

That means the Wolverines, who are expected to have made some solid progress during his visit, will have another chance to catch Notre Dame.

With Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome leading the way, this is a highly winnable recruiting. We’re now at the point where top linemen want to come to Michigan and show a strong interest.

This is definitely worth keeping an eye on as the summer approaches. Lange is a fantastic talent who would make an excellent acquisition for Sherrone Moore. The Wolverines are doing well in terms of recruiting linemen, and it will be interesting to see where this class finishes up.