Michigan Football in good standing with Elite O-line recruits
I recently talked about how the Wolverines were doing great in terms of running back recruiting. The other position group that the Wolverines are excelling at recruiting has been the offensive line, which is no surprise. The offensive line haul was elite in the 2024 class and should be elite as long as Sherrone Moore is employed.
Michigan football has been an offensive line factory, producing tons of NFL talent despite not landing the highest-rated guys. The Wolverines have won the Joe Moore award for the top offensive line two of the last three years, and even though they didn't win it last year, they had 5-6 NFL guys on that line.
If you're a starting offensive lineman for Michigan football, the odds that you'll make it to the NFL are pretty high, at least as things currently stand. It appears that this success is being reflected more clearly in the recruits who are interested in Michigan.
It's been a mystery as to why the Wolverines haven't been a serious contender for the top offensive line recruits. This year, things appear to be changing, with a slew of top linemen visiting and seriously considering Michigan. In fact, the Wolverines may have the lead for a couple of them, and they certainly have lots of momentum with a handful of them. With that said, let's look at some of the top linemen that Michigan has momentum with
Five Star Andrew Babaloa (KS)
Andrew Babaloa visited Ann Arbor last week, and by all indications had a great visit. The expectation is that Babaloa will return to Michigan for an official visit later in the year. That's a great sign, and solidifies Michigan football as a legitimate contender.
Personally, I think this is a very winnable recruitment. Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome are tremendous recruiters and coaches, and it's clear that kids are building great connections with them. Babaloa clearly loves Michigan and would be open to playing in Ann Arbor. The only question I have is whether or not NIL will play a big role in this.
It's still unclear whether or not Michigan is becoming more open to using NIL to entice recruits. If they aren't, landing Babaloa and other highly ranked recruits will continue to be extremely challenging. If they are more willing, however, this is a recruitment they have a real shot in. It seems that the momentum favors Michigan being better with NIL, but that remains to be seen.