Michigan football beats out Florida State, SMU, for 4-star safety
Another one for the Michigan football team! The Wolverines have been on a tear on the recruiting trail as of late, and the momentum continued on Monday when four-star safety Andre Clarke announced his commitment to Michigan. Teams like Florida State, SMU and Kentucky were also high on his list, but Clarke found the best fit with the Wolverines. Head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff are loading up in the 2026 class.
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'BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Andre Clarke Jr. has Committed to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits,' Hayes Fawcett said in a post. 'The 6'1 185 S from Richmond, VA chose the Wolverines over Kentucky, Florida State, & SMU.'
Andre Clarke had a short message to share when he committed to the Michigan football program:
'AGTG I'm ready to work #GoBlue,' he said.
Clarke is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He is the #136 player in the 2026 recruiting class, the #11 safety and the #4 player in the state of Virginia. Clarke currently attends Hermitage High School in Richmond, VA. Some top ACC programs recruited him hard, but Michigan got the job done.
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'Clarke is a premier level playmaker in the defensive secondary with the ability to play both cornerback and safety,' Clarke's scouting report reads. 'Very desirable combination of instincts, athleticism, and tackling ability. Clarke can mirror and match receivers in coverage but also play center field safety and read the quarterback with great timing and leaping ability on passes downfield.'
There is a lot of time before Clarke has to think about going pro, but Michigan is definitely getting a player with that type of talent. He should be playing football for a long time.
'Plays heady and aware of down and distance in the passing game but can also come up and lay explosive hits on ball carriers,' the scouting report adds. 'Clarke is more thin-framed but shows more strength and toughness than his size insists. Clarke's playmaking ability and coverage chops project him to a mid to early round NFL draft choice projection.'
The Michigan football team is on a recruiting heater unlike anything we have ever seen from the program. Jim Harbaugh always brought in solid classes while he was the head coach, but Sherrone Moore has been on another level so far. The Wolverines have picked up seven big commitments in the last week, and more are on the way. The 2026 Michigan football recruiting class was barely ranked inside the top-50 not too long ago. Now, the Wolverines have a top-10 class.
Related: 4-star EDGE picks Ole Miss football over Ohio State, Washington
Related: Georgia gets recruiting win over Oregon, USC with 4-star DB
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