It's fair to how how Michigan football will fare when it comes to in-state recruiting under new head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Whittiingham is a West Coast guy. He has recruited heavily out of Utah and California over the years. He's gone beyond those places plenty of times, but in-state recruiting is vital for the Wolverines, as it is with most programs.
The Detroit area always produces NFL talent. Bryce Underwood was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, and is still on track to be a first-round draft pick after an up-and-down freshman season.
The arrow is still pointing up with Bryce, thanks to Whittingham and his staff. Back to the topic of in-state recruiting, though, Michigan football is making progress there, too.
Four-star offensive tackle, Jakari Lipsey was re-offered by the new Michigan football staff. That relationship has continued to grow to the point that the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder, who is ranked No. 82 overall, according to the On3 industry rankings has an official visit scheduled.
Lipsey is ranked as the No. 8 offensive tackle in the 2027 recruiting class. He's also ranked as the second-best recruit in the state of Michigan.
Breaking down where Michigan stands in the recruitment of Jakari Lipsey
Lipsey has been on campus once, according to Rivals. He has also visited Ohio State. The Buckeyes didn't offer, but 23 other programs have. LSU, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are each set for official visits this summer, along with the Wolverines.
The blue-chip could also take a spring visit. That would put Michigan football in an even stronger position heading into the summer.
With Jim Harding and his pedigree of developing draft picks, there is a lot for the Wolverines to sell to Lipsey, who is starting to feel pretty receptive to the idea of being a Michigan football player.
The best players from Michigan go to Michigan.