One of the late additions to the first official visit weekend for Michigan football was four-star wide receiver Brady Marchese, a Georgia Bulldogs commitment.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Cartersville, Georgia, has been committed to the Bulldogs since March. Michigan football offered back in January, when the four-star wide receiver started to see his recruitment take off.
Marchese is ranked No. 351 overall according to the On3 Industry rankings, but he's got an impressive offer sheet (half of the SEC), and after taking an official visit to Ann Arbor this weekend, Chad Simmons, a top recruiting expert for On3.com, said, "Michigan's in play, no doubt about it."
Marchese isn't the only wide receiver on campus for an official visit. Christian Ward is another and he's a 2026 recruit that feels close to a commitment, if Michigan football decides to push.
However, the receiver board is also getting a little crowded. Marchese is a top target but so is Calvin Russell, Travis Johnson, and others.
Michigan moving in the right direction to flip a Georgia commitment
We'll see where things go but it feels like Michigan is moving things in the right direction with Marchese. The same can be said about Davon Benjamin, the top-ranked cornerback in the 2026 class, according to On3, also visited this weekend.
The month of June is critical for the Wolverines. They have over 40 recruits scheduled for official visits, but also need to start closing. Michigan has been wishy washy on NIL -- not giving recruits specific numbers, according to EJ Holland of The Wolverine.
That's not going to work in 2026. Landing Matt Ludwig was a good sign because Texas Tech was heavily involved, and they play the NIL game as well as anyone.
But in order to flip Marchese, and get some other tip-top targets, Michigan will need to hone in on its NIL pitch.