There are no signs of slowing down on the recruiting trail for Kyle Whittingham and Michigan. The latest major get has people buzzing, as 4-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert Jr. has committed to the Wolverines, doing so over nearby Ohio State and other heavy hitters. This is a monster get for Whittingham.
Previously, Torbert was Indiana-bound, committing to Curt Cignetti and the reigning national champs. However, he decommitted from the Hoosiers, and several other schools jumped in to try and land him instead. Luckily for the Michigan faithful, the Wolverines came out on top. While speaking with Tom Loy to break down his decision, Torbert didn't hesitate in saying, "I guess I'm the villain now. Go Blue," which speaks to him leaving his home state to play for UM. Wow.
BREAKING: #Michigan beats out Ohio State for Top247 CB Monsanna Torbert (@OhThats_UNO) (FREE)
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) July 1, 2026
Massive recruiting win for Kyle Whittingham and his staff.https://t.co/S48IEjEVQL pic.twitter.com/swb3fVbc3m
Kyle Whittingham took down Ohio State and Indiana for 4-star CB Monsanna Torbert Jr.
Those are some strong words from Torbert, and ones that the fanbase will be smiling about for the next few weeks. Everyone in Columbus? Not so much. This wasn't an easy decision for the 5-11, 175-pounder. Not long ago, multiple predictions came in for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes to win this recruiting battle. However, leading up to his announcement, Steve Wiltfong ended up flipping his pick in Michigan's favor.
This raised plenty of eyebrows, but it also provided a big hint that Michigan was in the driver's seat. Throughout his recruitment, Torbert picked up offers from 34 total programs. His long list included Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas, Florida State, North Carolina and many others.
Per the 247Sports Composite, he's the No. 13 cornerback in the country, No. 5 player out of Ohio, and No. 106 prospect nationally for the 2027 class. With Torbert being a Cincinnati product too, this makes things even sweeter for UM, as they were able to pull him away from Ohio State, which is roughly 90 minutes away.
"Honestly, I chose Michigan because the staff made it feel like home," Torbert said. "My mom didn't tell me too many places felt like home, but just being around the coaching staff, being around the players (did). Coach (Kerry) Coombs played a big role in my recruitment. It just helped with him being a Cincinnati guy, an Ohio guy."
Day was prioritizing Torbert for this recruiting cycle, but it was Whittingham who managed to turn his head and land his verbal. With Torbert now on board, the Wolverines are up to 20 commits for the '27 haul. Torbert also becomes the fourth CB with a seat at the table, joining fellow cornerbacks Tavares Harrington, Blake Jenkins, and Darius Johnson. Safety Charles Woodson Jr. will also be playing his college ball for Michigan.
Since May 1 too, Whittingham has been on fire with his recruiting efforts, picking up 16 new pledges. Torbert is the first guy to announce in Michigan's favor in July, but with the way things have been going for Whittingham in recent weeks, it would not be a surprise to see someone else commit in the near future. That's how strong things have been going for the Wolverines.
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