About Trae Taylor
Trae Taylor is a 2027 prospect hailing from Carmel Catholic High School (Lake in the Hills, IL). He stands at 6-1.5 and 170 pounds according to On3. At the next level, he could be expected to put some weight on but that certainly doesn't take away from his already prolific career at the High School level.
In a recent interview for Blitz Sports Media, Taylor said something out of the ordinary that shocked UM fans across the country. He went as far as to say he was "coming to take Bryce Underwood's job," if he joined Michigan football of course. The most surprising part about this segment was the fact that Taylor already has a prebuilt relationship with Underwood, not to mention the Michigan football coaching staff.
The Wolverines are currently seen as the favorite according to On3.com, but my main concern at this point is Trae Taylor electing to stay in his home state of Illinois. The Illini are pushing hard and for good reason. He is seen as the 32nd-best prospect in the country, regardless of position, according to Rivals.
I personally believe the Wolverines will close out this recruitment sometime after March. With the already pre-built relationships along with recent comments, I don't see a world where Michigan isn't in this till the very end. This would add to a class that the Michigan faithful should have high hopes for.
What It Would Mean for Michigan football
The Wolverines should have high hopes for the Class of 2027. Adding a high-profile QB to headline that class would only add to the excitement. The best players in the country want to play with the best players in the country and adding Taylor would make a statement that Michigan football will be dominant for years to come.
If the Wolverines are to close out this recruitment, they need to do two things in my eyes. One is to give Taylor a reason to go out of state. There are a hundred different reasons why he would want to stay in Illinois. He has family and friends, and he would get to stay close to home while also playing in the Big Ten.
Michigan football needs to sell the fact that they are the better program. Show him the championship trophies, and the development of JJ McCarthy. What it truly means to be a Wolverine and how it can shape his future on and off the field.
The second thing that the Wolverines need to do is prevent other schools from getting into the mix. Georgia recently offered and there's a case to be made that they could be in his recruitment till the very end as well. Sparty is seen as the second biggest threat to land Taylor next to the Wolverines, so there are definitely some ties to the state.
While this recruitment could go multiple different ways, I believe that Trae Taylor ends up as a Wolverine. There's far too much tradition, pre-existing relationships, and momentum for Michigan to lose out on this recruitment. Any other outcome other than this one would be a huge letdown for the coaching staff and fans alike.