Michigan's new O-line coach is weaponizing NFL success on recruiting trail

Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham knows the importance of an elite offensive line coach. That's why he had Jim Harding on the staff for so many years at Utah.

It's also why he was determined to bring Harding with him when he was hired as the Michigan football head coach back in December.

Harding has coached numerous all-conference selections and NFL draft picks. As it happens, the Michigan offensive line coach is set to have two former pupils selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, both offensive tackles, are projected to go in the first round of next month's NFL draft.

After Harding was hired, he had to convince some current Michigan football offensive lineman to come back, even a couple who had already entered the transfer portal. Yet, after the players were able to meet with Harding, they were all on board. Ty Haywood was the only offensive lineman who transferred.

You can bet Harding used his experience developing NFL talent to sway those players to stay. He's also weaponizing it, as he should on the recruiting trail, according to 4-star offensive lineman who has become a top priority for the Wolverines and Harding, Lincoln Mageo.

"He sent me a picture of him with Spencer and Caleb and told me to watch them on Sunday," said Mageo via Rivals.

4-star eyes Michigan because of Jim Harding

Ranked No. 358 overall in the 2027 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, the 6-foot-4, 280-pounder out of Oceanside, California, visited Michigan last spring. He's got offers from Ohio State, USC, UCLA, Texas, Washington, and he was offered by Harding at Utah.

This feels like a winnable recruitment for the Wolverines, especially with a proven developer of offensive line talent like Harding leading the charge.