Michigan football has been building up some solid momentum in the 2027 recruiting class this spring. There haven't been any commitments yet, but you get the feeling some good news is coming.
Since there is an entirely new coaching staff, Michigan football essentially had to hit the reset button in the 2027 class. The Wolverines' prized four-star QB commitment walked away from his pledge, in part because he didn't fit that well in the new offensive system being installed.
Some other quarterback targets have emerged. Some recruiting targets were re-offered. Other new names have emerged on the board. Whittingham is doing a solid job, though, especially when it comes to fortifying the front office, which he did once again on Monday, hiring a former NFL front office assistant with two decades of experience in scouting.
Michigan trending for what could be Kyle Whittingham's first commitment
Michigan fans might be wondering when commitments are going to start rolling in. One that could be on the way is from three-star defensive back Darrell Mattison.
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound safety out of Chicago is ranked 407th overall, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. 247 Sports has him ranked as a four-star. ESPN doesn't have a ranking.
Mattison just visited Michigan football on March 17th. Coming out of that visit, the Wolverines are the clear favorite as multiple experts from Rivals have projected him to commit to Michigan. Allen Trieu, Ethan McDowell, and Josh Henschke have all projected him to U-M, giving Michigan a 98 percent chance to land his commitment via the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.
The talented safety has 10 Big Ten offers. He's also got three offers from SEC programs, as well as some from the Big 12 and ACC. He called his recent Michigan visit, "Mind blowing," according to McDowell.
Last season, Mattison picked off five passes, had three pass breakups, 47 tackles, and one tackle for loss. Could he end up being Whittingham's first commitment?
Whittingham has landed players from the portal and some late adds in the 2026 class, but he doesn't have a true recruiting victory on the trail yet. Some are certainly coming. Mattison could get the ball rolling.