Michigan football has become a factor in the recruitment of five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, to the point that the top-10 overall recruit was in Ann Arbor on Monday.
The Wolverines recently made the top five of Dobson. Jernaro Gilford has taken on the lead role in this recruitment. An in-person visit after Kyle Whittingham was hired helped Michigan football gain some traction after offering last summer.
Out of Cornelius, North Carolina, Dobson is 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, and ranked ninth overall in the 2027 class, according to the Rival Industry Rankings. Dobson is the definition of an elite corner. He's got great size and has run 10.78 in the 100-meter dash, so he's got elite speed, too.
LSU has been trending as the favorite. The Tigers picked up some expert projections in February and March, including one from Steve Wiltfong. However, Michigan made the top five recently, and knocked it out of the park when Hobson visited the program on Monday.
NEW: Michigan visited 5⭐️ CB Joshua Dobson today. The Wolverines recently surged into the Top 5 for the No. 6 recruit in the nation.
— Ethan McDowell (@ethanmmcdowell) April 27, 2026
“I think, when he got there, he was just in awe..."
His father shared a look into today's meeting why U-M made the cut: https://t.co/4cK736D2Gx pic.twitter.com/O5cdgfMtsg
“I think, when he got there, he was just in awe," Hobson's dad told Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine.
What Michigan football needs to do in order to land five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson
Hobson's On3 profile shows a recent visit to LSU, along with official visits locked in with Auburn and South Carolina. Texas A&M and LSU are also expected to get official visits. That's the next step if Michigan football wants to be a serious contender.
Hobson is expected to take those official visits. A decision will surely come soon after that, so that's something to watch for. LSU feels like the team to beat, and with Lane Kiffin there now, it won't make things any easier.
But Monday's visit was a big positive and it might just be enough to make Michigan a viable contender in this recruitment.
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