Kyle Whittingham focused on a 2028 target who will make Michigan fans forget 2027's biggest miss

Michigan football fans have to be pleased with the first recruiting class Kyle Whittingham is putting together as the Wolverines head coach.

The Wolverines didn't land every top target on their board. There were some key misses, such as five-star Joshua Dobson or five-star wideout Dakota Guerrant.

It was a huge bummer to miss out on Dobson. It felt like Whittingham had the Wolverines in a great position to land his commitment. However, stealing four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert out of Ohio was a great consolation prize. That's a commitment that could look even better a few years from now than it looks right now, and it looks damn good right now.

The biggest fish that got away was Guerrant, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound standout from Harper Woods, who would have been a perfect addition to the class. He would have been great to pair with Bryce Underwood, and potentially Tommy Carr in the future.

What made it even worse is that Michigan missed out on him because Oregon, a Big Ten rival, was able to steal him away, along with four-star tight end Anthony Cartwright, another in-state recruit.

Guerrant was blunt about why. He said he didn't trust that Michigan football would throw the ball enough, and that the offense would be good for a wide receiver.

Michigan will have a chance to show this fall that it is willing to throw the ball. Whittingham is going to run the ball, but the offense allowed Devon Dampier to throw 24 touchdown passes in 2025, so Bryce Underwood should shine.

Deandre Bidden is a must-get for Michigan

Looking ahead to 2028, Michigan seems determined not to make the same mistake with Deandre Bidden. Another Harper Woods product, Bidden is 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, and ranked No. 22 overall in the 2027 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. Ethan McDowell of Rivals reports Michigan is "already in the mix" for Bidden, and other 2028 wideouts.

Oregon and Michigan are the two teams listed as "warm" by 247 Sports. Micah Simon is the point guy and he was essential in landing Quentin Burrell, a top-100 wideout from the Chicago area.

That was a positive step. Another would be landing Bidden. That would be a program-changing commitment, especially to get a talent like that at wide receiver.

It's easy to see why Michigan missed on Guerrant, although the Wolverines will aim for a flip. They need to show they are willing to be a receiver-friendly offense, and that, more than anything, might allow Whittingham to avoid another major in-state miss in 2028.

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