Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham has done a solid job with his first recruiting class in Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines are ranked just outside the top 10 of the 247 Sports composite rankings. There are 15 blue-chip prospects committed. It's been an impressive haul, but the Michigan football coaching staff isn't resting on its laurels.
It has already turned aggressively to the 2028 recruiting class, where the Wolverines have made significant progress with two top-tier targets on the D-line. Asa Burch, a four-star EDGE from Ohio, and Major Stokes, a four-star EDGE from Utah, have each been projected to land with the Wolverines in the 2028 class.
Stokes is 6-foot-5, 240 pounds. He's ranked 74th overall and is the second-highest-rated player in the state of Utah for the 2028 class. Burch is ranked 129th overall in the 2028 class, and the Rivals Recruiting Prediciton Machine favors U-M.
Landing two EDGE players in the top 129 would be massive. Speaking of massive, the Wolverines are trending as one of the favorites in the recruitment of defensive tackle Aedyn Havili. Out of Sammamish, Washington, the 6-foot-2, 320-pounder had 7.5 sacks last season to go along with 33 tackles and 2.5 pass breakups.
Michigan eyes another elite D-line target in 2028, with Ohio State looming
According to Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider, the Wolveriners are among the top five teams in this recruitment. What's even more, is that Havili is planning to take a visit to Ann Arbor, likely for a game in the fall.
That would be critical for the Wolverines. Getting the 300-pound defensive tackle on campus for the fall, then back in the spring would set up Michigan to win this recruitment with an official visit over the summer.
Some recruits aren't waiting that long to make decisions. Havili hasn't put out an official top five, but Washington, Ohio State, USC, and Arizona State are considered the other contenders.
Michigan football offered in June of 2025 under the previous staff. That offer was re-affirmed under Whittingham, who has an affinity for West-Coast defensive lineman after two decades at Utah.
Ohio State joined the mix in May. Oregon, LSU, and Penn State just offered last month, so this recruitment is still picking up. Havili is ranked 98th overall via the 247 Sports composite rankings. The Rivals Industry Rankings have him at No. 50 overall.
Ohio State is the current leader with a 32 percent chance to land his commitment via the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine. Michigan will need to overcome that. The Wolverines strong bond with Havili should help, but Michigan-Ohio State recruiting battles are always interesting.
This is a critical one to watch in 2028.
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