Michigan football was hoping to land the commitment of four-star defensive back Marcus Jones on Friday, but unfortunately, that didn't go as expected.
Despite just hosting him for an official visit last weekend, Tennessee's lead proved to be too large to overcome as Jones announced his commitment to the Volunteers on Friday.
Michigan was firmly in the top two. Tennessee hosted him for one official visit, too. However, the Vols won out, leaving the Wolverines with still just one safety pledge in the 2027 class: three-star Charles Woodson Jr.
BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Marcus Jones has Committed to Tennessee, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 26, 2026
The 6’3 190 S chose the Vols over Ohio State, Michigan, and Ole Miss
“It’s great to be a Tennessee Vol 🍊🍊!!”https://t.co/Fo0DzU6V8D pic.twitter.com/G2YAlJAMVO
Michigan has three other defensive backs committed. Tavares Harrington could play some safety, but could also be a corner or a nickel. There are some other targets still on the board at cornerback, but this is another miss from Victors Weekend.
Two other recruits who took official visits during Victors Weekend, Thaddeus Thatcher and Damani Warren have also started trending to other programs. Thatcher is a three-star quarterback, and it can be difficult to land two quarterbacks in one class, so that miss is more understandable, assuming he commits to Oregon State as projected.
6-foot-4 wideout Damani Warren would have been a nice get, especially after the Wolverines missed on five-star receiver Dakota Guerrant. Warren is ranked in the top 500 overall in the 2027 class, but is now trending to Texas A&M.
Mixed results so far from Victors Weekend
The Wolverines did land four-star linebacker Frederrick Ford on Thursday. That was a big get. The No. 224 overall recruit in the 2027 class, via the 247 Sports composite rankings, is also ranked No. 192 in the Top247 and No. 140 via ESPN.
He's 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, and explosive. Michigan football fans are going to like the rangy linebacker who will be a perfect fit for Jay Hill's defense. Ford was the first blue-chip commitment at linebacker in the 2026 or 2027 recruiting class.
On top of that, Michigan also landed three-star tight end Christian Hanshaw. He's ranked No. 518 overall, but is taking a two-year mission, so is more of a 2029 recruit.
Monsanna Torbert started trending with some expert projections after his visit on Victors Weekend. Landing his commitment would make the entire weekend a success. If Ohio State is able to rally and pull it out, though, it will feel like a missed opportunity.
Overall, Michigan is still headed for at least 15 blue-chip commitments, with Lincoln Mageo set to announce a decision on July 11th. Michigan football is the heavy favorite. The class is ranked 10th, according to the 247 Sports Team rankings (composite), but that doesn't mean that the coaching staff is satisfied.
There is still work to do.
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