Michigan football add five-star with 2026 EDGE Carter Meadows commitment to the Wolverines
Michigan football has continued to add to both lines -- offensive and defensive -- in 2026, with players such as four-star offensive tackle Malakai Lee and four-star edge rusher McHale Blade choosing the Wolverines over a litany of top schools across the country. But the latest addition for the maize and blue is about as big as it gets.
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After battling multiple schools, namely Ohio State, for Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga edge rusher Carter Meadows, Michigan ended winning out, with Meadows having announced his commitment to the Wolverines.
Meadows had offers from Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and others.
Scouting report
Here's the scouting report on Meadows from 247Sports:
Spider-like pass rusher with exceptional physical specs, but one where the sack total has yet to match the big-league potential. Can give opposing offensive tackles fits just with his stride length as he can run the arc and right into the quarterback. Has spent much of prep career attacking from a 5-technique in a four-man front. Wins more times than not with his top-flight athleticism as he pairs adequate get-off with slippery inside-outside agility, but further technical development will dictate pressure rate on Saturdays and beyond as he's got the levers to chop and swipe his way around the corner like few others. Makes his fair share of stops in backside pursuit with his closing speed, but has to get better at crushing blocks and holding his turf if he's going to make a living as an every-down defender. Should be viewed as a high-upside edge player that has a chance to develop into an absolute game-wrecker at the Power Four level and then an early-round NFL Draft pick if he can soak up coaching and embrace the weight room. Might be worth a look in a hybrid off-the-ball role as spatial awareness fostered on the basketball court allows him to drop into zones and affect passing lanes.
Junior highlights
The state of the 2026 class
Meadows joins Blade and three-star Tariq Boney as fellow edge rushers in the 2026 class. The Wolverines also have defensive tackles Alister Vallejo and Titan Davis committed, as well.
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Coming in at 6-foot-6.5 and 225 pounds, Meadows is rated highest by On3, which has him as the No. 6 player in the country, regardless of position, and the second-best edge rusher in the nation. 247Sports has Meadows on the cusp of five-star status while Rivals is the outlier, with a ranking of No. 241 overall.
Here is the full class as it stands:
Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga four-star EDGE Carter Meadows (No. 72 overall, 9th EDGE, 1st in D.C.)
Newbury Park (Calif.) four-star QB Brady Smigiel (No. 83 overall, 8th QB, 12th in California)
St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet four-star DL Titan Davis (No. 101 overall, 13th DL, 2nd in Missouri)
Mansfield (Tx.) four-star WR Zion Robinson (No. 132 overall, 18th WR, 19th in Texas)
Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha four-star OT Malakai Lee (No. 137 overall, 10th OT, 2nd in Hawaii)
Billings (Mont.) West four-star TE Matt Ludwig (No. 160 overall, 9th TE, 1st in Montana )
Chicago (Ill.) Simeon four-star EDGE McHale Blade (No. 168 overall, 21st EDGE, 4th in Illinois)
Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin four-star CB Brody Jennings (No. 277 overall, 24th CB, 43rd in Florida)
Cartersville (Ga.) Cass four-star IOL Bear McWhorter (No. 399 overall, 33rd IOL, 48th in Georgia)
Liberty Hill (Tx.) four-star DL Alister Vallejo (No. 413 overall, 44th DL, 54th in Texas)
Needham (Mass.) three-star OL Marky Walbridge (No. 447 overall, 38th OT, 2nd in Massachusetts)
Columbus (Ohio) St. Francis de Sales three-star RB Jonathan Brown (No. 561 overall, 34th RB, 26th in Ohio)
Denver (Colo.) Mullen three-star TE Mason Bonner (No. 602, 30th TE, 5th in Colorado)
Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal three-star WR Jaylen Pile (No. 718 overall, 105th WR, 112th in Texas)
Richmond (Va.) Huguenot three-star LB Markel Dabney (No. 785 overall, 54th ATH, 18th in Virginia)
Washington (D.C.) St. John's three-star EDGE Tariq Boney (No. 807 overall, 74th EDGE, 4th in D.C.)
Hinsdale (Ill.) Central K Micah Drescher (No. 4 K, Chris Sailer Kicking)
Phoenix (Ariz.) Sandra Day O'Connor five-star LS Colton Dermer (No. 6 LS)
All rankings by the 247Sports Composite
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan Wolverines add 5-star EDGE Carter Meadows to 2026 class
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