One thing every college sports program never wants to see is in-state recruits going out of state to other programs, especially in the same conference. Michigan has a chance to really bolster its 2027 recruiting class, and it hinges on the recruitment of five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant.
Guerrant, the No. 15 player nationally and No. 2 wide receiver in the Class of 2027 according to 247Sports, has been a priority target for Michigan since the Wolverines first offered the Harper Wood, Michigan native. The biggest challenge in front of the Wolverines is a battle in the Big Ten for Guerrant's commitment against not just fierce rival Ohio State, but fellow conference powerhouse, Oregon, which is currently the favorite.
It won't be easy to beat out the talents of Ohio State and Oregon on the recruiting trail, but Kyle Whittingham isn't fighting this battle alone. Four-star Michigan quarterback commit Kamden Lopati is rolling up his sleeves and working to get a commitment from one of the top pass-catchers in the Class of 2027.
Kamden Lopati makes it clear he is wants Dakota Guerrant at Michigan with him
At the Elite 11 showcase this past weekend, the social media team went around to all the top 2027 quarterbacks asking who is the one player they are all helping their programs recruit. While Lopati wasn't asking directly, once Oregon QB commit Will Mencl named Guerrant as the player he is helping the Ducks land, Lopati quickly jumped in, giving his input on that answer.
"He [Dakota Guerrant] is coming to Michigan," Lopati quickly said. "He is coming to Michigan; Oregon does not need him. He is staying home."
"(Dakota Guerrant) He is coming to Michigan" - Kamden Lopati#GoBlue〽️ pic.twitter.com/NTtIlZ4yoU
— TJ Ronin (@Tj_Ronin) June 3, 2026
Even with Mencl's counters saying that Guerrant is going to be an Oregon Duck, Lopati held his ground, uttering the one thing every fan wants to hear: "he is staying home." That is the biggest weapon Michigan has in this recruitment of Guerrant: that he could stay home and play for Michigan, rather than leaving his home and playing football thousands of miles away.
Michigan still sees an uphill climb when it comes to Dakota Guerrant's recruitment
Oregon is the clear favorite in this battle for Guerrant's recruitment as of right now, but Michigan has made a serious push since Whittingham took the job in Ann Arbor. Now, Guerrant has been very clear that his commitment won't come till early July, giving both teams plenty of time to make their final push.
Guerrant doesn't have an official visit set with Oregon, but he does with Michigan, visiting during the Wolverines biggest recruiting weekend, Victor Weekend. The Wolverines will have their best chance at making one final push for Guerrant before he announces his commitment the next month.
The biggest concern for Guerrant, and what could be holding him back from the Wovlerines, is not knowing how committed the offense is to throwing the ball. Whittingham has always been a run-heavy type of coach, but he also hasn't had the quarterback talent that Michigan has had at Utah.
With quarterbacks like Bryce Underwood and Lopati coming in, there could be more potential for a pass-heavy offense, but that won't be known until the season starts, which is after Guerrant makes his commitment. Now, there is also the possibility of a flip before the Early Signing Period, but with Oregon leading the pack and a pass-heavy quarterback for the future with Dylan Raiola, the Ducks could prevail in this one, but Lopati is showing he won't give up so easily.
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