Michigan football is the mix for three different running back recruits ranked in the top 150 overall of the 2026 recruiting class. You can add a fourth name to that list now too, as four-star running back Brian Bonner out of California has included the Wolverines in his top eight.
Javian Osborne and Savion Hiter also have Michigan football among their top five. Both of those players are ranked in the top 100 overall. Hiter is now a five-star recruit after getting a rankings bump earlier this week. He's the top-ranked running back in the entire 2026 class.
The Wolverines have momentum with Hiter and Osborne. Both recruits are going to visit over the summer. Yet, the Wolverines are also listed as "warm" according to the 247 Sports profile of Bonner who ranks him 97th overall according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. The 6-foot, 185-pound back who runs the 100-meter dash in 10.65 is ranked seventh among running backs.
Notre Dame, Georgia, UCLA, Stanford, Washington, Penn State, and Nebraska were also among the finalists. UCLA and Nebraska are the top two teams according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine but that's mostly because they have hosted him for the most visits.
The Wolverines also recently made the top group for top-150 running back Deshonne Redeaux. Michigan is trending near the top of the recruitment of Hiter and Osborne. It feels like those two are the top priorities at this point, but if the Wolverines need a backup plan, they have two solid options in Redeaux and Bonner, who is a dynamic runner and receiver.
Michigan football just received a crystal ball and an expert projection from EJ Holland of The Wolverine for the On3 prediction machine to land Osborne. However, it's hard to see Michigan taking more than 1-2 running back in this class, so that's something to keep in mind as the class moves along.