Michigan football faced a tough loss on the recruiting trail on Monday as elite safety Ivan Taylor flipped his commitment from Michigan to Alabama. Taylor was Michigan's second-highest-ranked commit, behind only five-star offensive lineman Andrew Babalola. His loss will definitely be felt, but thankfully the Wolverines have a stacked secondary class, and they're not done adding to it.
Where does Michigan football go from here at Safety?
Luckily, Michigan is in a tremendous spot for another safety recruit. Four-star safety Elijah Dotson, out of Belleville, Michigan, is currently committed to Pittsburgh. Yet, the Wolverines have gained a ton of momentum with him, and have been trending to flip him for a while. With Taylor's flip to Alabama, the intensity is only going to be turned up on Dotson.
Dotson is a local prospect who attends the same high school as top Michigan target Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines were viewed as the leader in his recruitment until Steve Clinkscale left along with most of Michigan's coaching staff at the end of last season. Recently, defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan has made Dotson a priority, and it seems likely that Dotson will end up in Michigan's class. At 6'2, Dotson certainly has the potential to be an impact player.
Obviously in the modern recruiting world, nothing is ever given. It's of course possible that Dotson sticks with Pitt or opts to look elsewhere. But right now, momentum is definitely on Michigan's side. They want Dotson in their class, and it appears that he's open to joining it.
This is one that I expect the staff will try to shut down quickly - both because it could positively impact their pursuit of Bryce Underwood, and because they need to strike while the irons hot. They have the momentum in Dotson's recruitment, and with a new opening at safety, now is the time to get him on board. Keep an eye out for any developments. Go blue.