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USA Today
12 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan's McHale Blade, new 2026 commit, recruits elite prospects at Victors Weekend
It hadn't even been two weeks since he visited and subsequently committed to Michigan football, but there he was, back on campus again -- this time hunting rather than being the hunted. 2026 Chicago (Ill.) Simeon four-star edge rusher McHale Blade was thought to be a Notre Dame lean, but he shocked the world when he wound up choosing to be in Ann Arbor over South Bend on June 9. Blade took his official visit from June 6-8, but he made it back to campus on June 20 for Victors Weekend -- the recruiting event that had the entire committed class in tow, along with several key top targets remaining on the board. So what was it like for Blade to come back to campus, but as a commit this time? He says he felt 'at home' and that it was a bit more of a relaxing experience. But that doesn't mean that he relaxed. In fact, he was in Ann Arbor to be a sniper, working every room he was in. "I knew a lot of the recruits from just previous visits, so I was kind of just there to kind of hang out with the guys and stuff like that," Blade said. "But yeah, I was really there to help recruit and talk to the guys, and it was pretty cool, hanging out with a lot of the D-linemen there. Titan (Davis) and Carter Meadows and all of those guys that I got to hang out with, so it was pretty cool." Who Blade is recruiting and his pitch If Blade was on campus actively recruiting, then he's got one in the bag, with 2026 St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet four-star defensive tackle Titan Davis having committed on Monday. But there's another prospect he was with during the weekend that he'd really like to join the class in Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga five-star EDGE Carter Meadows, and Blade says that he's about to start working on Mineral (Va.) Louisa County five-star running back Savion Hiter, too. "Obviously, Titan just committed, but I kind of already knew that from speaking with him," Blade said. "And Meadows, I'd like to play with him -- just really all the edges that were there that I met. I'd like to play with those guys; that'd be a very, very solid group. I'm reaching out to those guys. "Also, I know there's a big running back target at Michigan, (Savion Hiter). Yeah, I'd love to try to reach out to him as well. I just want to get a bunch of my guys together, just take over this whole class." With that said, what's his pitch? After all, he was the one being pitched just a few short weeks ago, so there's a strong selling point. He put it simply: "Michigan, it gives us everything we need, and it gives you everything you could possibly ask for, like from a development standpoint," Blade said. "It has everything, which is why I really committed because it kind of just had everything I needed. As a D-lineman, Michigan would be the place that you would want to be." It wasn't all about others Of course, Blade got to have a good time outside of trying to recruit for the class. He got an opportunity to meet former Michigan football defensive lineman and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles star Brandon Graham. While it could have just been a cool meet-and-greet moment, it appears to be more than that for Blade. Because Graham being back on campus after more than a decade away shows just how special Michigan football is to those who stayed. "Oh yeah, man -- that was amazing," Blade said. "He kind of just popped up unexpectedly, and they say that -- a lot of the staff members and coaches, they say that -- all the time, a lot of the older guys, they always just come back. And that also means a lot to me -- that if they're coming back, (that's) saying something. But he just kind of popped up out of nowhere, and I talked it up with him. He even followed me on Instagram and all that, so it was pretty cool to meet him." Blade is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 168 player overall, the 21st-ranked EDGE, and the fourth-best player in the state of Illinois.
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Inside look into Michigan football Victors Weekend: How commits led the recruiting charge
'Victors Weekend' is always the biggest recruiting push that Michigan football has every year (aside from the BBQ at the Big House), as it's the final official visit weekend, and the bulk of the commits come to take their official visits at the same time that the top overall targets also make their way to Ann Arbor. For this Victors Weekend, Michigan had all of its commits on campus while some of the most coveted prospects -- five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell, five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows, four-star offensive tackle Malakai Lee, and several others -- were getting their last look at a school before making their commitments. Official visit weekends usually start on Friday evening and go through Sunday, but it was a little different this year. Arriving in Ann Arbor While most official visit weekends start on Friday evening and go through Sunday, this one started for most on Thursday. Part of it was planned, part of it was due to inclement weather taking place in some regions of the country. So, to play it safe, many made it to campus early -- committed or uncommitted alike. Given that the Wolverines are recruiting a lot of the same regions (Dallas, the DMV), that meant that there were some expanded travel parties, with some outspoken commits getting to take the same flights as uncommitted targets. Wide receiver commit Jaylen Pile was on the same flight as offensive tackle target Zaden Krempin; edge rusher commit Tariq Boney was on the same flight as five-star EDGE target Carter Meadows. So, quite a few of the established class got more time with those who are still considering the maize and blue. The travel parties arrived at the hotel, and the commits then took charge, introducing themselves to everyone, making everyone feel welcome. It was like old friends meeting up, even though all of the current class hadn't even met beforehand -- given that some have recently committed. "We were all like in the ballroom kind of when we walked into the hotel, they had everything kind of set up on that second floor and that's where all the recruiters were," longtime commit Jaylen Pile told WolverinesWire. "All the people were there and it was kind of just cool, seeing all the guys coming in and out, checking in, getting all their stuff, putting it in their room, and then coming back down just to chop it up and seeing everybody and kind of put a face with a name. Because I mean we all, all those commits and all these recruits, we kind of text each other probably on a weekly basis, and finally seeing like that name with a face kind of just made things a lot easier and made us able to start those connections kind of earlier." While the current pledges led the charge, it wasn't just them who got involved in nurturing the environment for those still considering the Wolverines. Families of commits are also taking charge Pile is the second-longest tenured pledge to the 2026 class, so he knows everything that Michigan has to offer. But he's not the only one who's vocal about why Ann Arbor is the best place to play college football. And it's not even the other commits who are pushing, either. In many cases, it's the families. In particular, Pile's family, as well as quarterback commit Brady Smigiel's, have been actively courting the parents of prospects, furthering the ethos of the man at the top of the ladder with the program. "Like Coach Moore said, he doesn't just recruit players, he recruits families, too," Pile said. "And the families recruit the kids the same way, and we and all these parents kind of just saw that this was a safe environment that they could drop their kid off on a random Tuesday during December and not have any second thoughts about it. And they would know that they'll be taken care of, not just by the coaching staff, but by the people around them. And the friends and bonds that they're going to make at Michigan will also be just as strong as the one that he has that the player has with the coaches." In the process, not only are the recruits creating lifelong bonds -- whether or not they all end up in Ann Arbor -- but so are the families. There's an added benefit here: the trust factor. With the players and the families all getting to know each other, they're doing more than just creating friendships. Much like how the 2021 team rebuilt the culture of Michigan football, the parents are coming together and building a culture of their own -- a new family with the entire extended class under one umbrella. The Piles and the Smigiels, and offensive line commit Bear McWhorter's family, all appear to be ringleaders of this movement, but it isn't exclusive to them. It's a growing community that is currently outside of Ann Arbor, but soon will have common (literal) ground in short order. "My parents want me to be around the best, so they're gonna try to get me around the best, and that's all what these people and parents want," Pile said. "They just want the best for their kid and you can really see them taking the step for it and not just kind of sitting back and waiting but actually actively talking to the kids, talking to the parents, creating those relationships like how we, the 2026 commits, have a group chat, all the 2026 parents have a group chat. "So just having those types of bonds and being able to have friends out there like all these kids -- like I said before, coming from different parts of this country and just having like that one kind of central meeting point was good for everybody to really kind of be together. And to have these parents see the type of kids that Michigan recruits and why these Michigan coaches are recruiting their kids so hard, because they see them and view them as Michigan men. And that's just all that we kind of want to show out and show that these families, that we're all these Michigan men that have high character, high standards, and just want to be the best people that we can be and, you know, win." The uncommitted left feeling like they're part of the family There's a growing list of players who know they'll be wearing a winged helmet at this time next year, but, of course, many of the visitors are still trying to decide if it's the best move for them. But this currently committed class isn't making it easy for them to look around. The aforementioned top targets that the Wolverines were working on still have decisions to make, and many will choose their school in the next few weeks or months. They came to Ann Arbor for the official visit, thinking they'd learn more about the program, the university, campus life, and perhaps NIL offers on the table. But most, if not all, left feeling like they were a part of something bigger -- a family. "Well, obviously, you kind of want to dress for the job you want, not the job you have," Pile said. "So having these kids all up there and showing them that this is the type of environment that they're going to be in at all times and make everything easy and friendly for them and seeing how we all treat each other as a family -- even though all the people there weren't commits -- really just kind of showed, and I wanted to put that up front and show, like why being a leader of this class is so important because that's how you get the guys that you see that are those top guys and those ballplayers to be around you. And really get these guys to really buy into what Coach Moore's saying, not just on a football standpoint, but for a life after football standpoint and a friendship point of view." Recruits often say they're looking for a family atmosphere, but the Piles, Smigiels, McWhorters, and more have done a good job of turning that from a concept to a reality. Recent commits who already visited came back to recruit Players like Pile, who have been committed for some time, have been to campus more times than many could count. Most of the official visitors (and their families) have been to campus before at some point in the process, but some more than others. And that includes some of the players who have already taken their official visits. Take McHale Blade, the edge rusher who appeared Notre Dame-bound but committed just days after his official visit to Ann Arbor the weekend of June 6. He made it back to campus for an unofficial visit, not just to bond with this future teammates, but to help add new ones to the class. Alister Vallejo was also considering Notre Dame, but ended up pledging to Michigan football just before his June 13 official visit. He also made it back to campus. It was a good opportunity for the newer pledges to grow closer to players like Pile, who have been touting all things maize and blue for months now. Pile says that he got some extra face time with the unofficial visitors who already had their officials. Strengthening the bonds is one thing, but given that those prospects have already been through the official visit process and made their decision to commit, it gave them a perspective to share to those who are still on the fence about why Michigan is the place to be. "It's always good to see these guys coming back even after official visits, taking those unofficial visits and maybe not going through all the same stuff that they've gone again -- you know, because of the NCAA regulation -- but still being able to see them outside of after all of our schedule stuff and just chilling with them," Pile said. "Like me and Alister played golf when I had a break in my OV schedule since he was on his unofficial. And just creating those connections. Like all these guys, we want to be the best, and we want to recruit the best. So being around those types of guys and seeing how much they want to pour back into the team -- even though they've already done their part and committed -- and just seeing how they want to add more and be better, just really makes everything worthwhile. And I think a lot of the parents and a lot of the other players see that, that they're taking the time to really come back and show other people why they fell in love with this place so much. "And it's just a great feeling, as one of the long-time commits, seeing this class kind of come together, and it's just an amazing feeling." Targeting players at the same position Coming out of the weekend, you could see a lot of unselfishness on display. Whether it was Bryce Underwood hanging out with Brady Smigiel, Jaylen Pile hanging out with Calvin Russell, or Tariq Boney courting Carter Meadows and Julian Walker, everywhere you looked, you saw a current player or a current commit telling someone from the same position group, 'Hey, come be a part of this.' Pile says that the bulk of the class all have the same mentality: iron sharpens iron, competition breeds success. Michigan is a better team if you're on it. "Well, to be quite honest with you, like none of the people that are recruited here are afraid of competition. We've all had to go and take somebody's spot at some point or another during our high school time, middle school time, any type of football, or just in life in general, we've had to take somebody's spot," Pile said. "So just having those elite recruits isn't really scaring us off of our position, and we're not going to be the hater type to try to only save us. "Like we got to start looking at the big picture, like the best is going to play. Coach Moore had us down in the commit meeting. He said, 'I see a lot of you that could possibly play their freshman year. Not all of you, but some of you could play.' And that's just something that keeps us going. Like we're all fighting for a spot, and it's going to be like that in the NFL, and we all want to be at that next level. And this is just a little precursor for it. "And just being around like those top recruit guys and, you know, trying to get them to come to Michigan is never really anything that we do like, 'Oh, we, we don't want you here because that's my position.' Like, no, that's not what they recruited us here for. And that's not what they believe in. And like I said before, he wants Michigan men, and Michigan men don't run from competition. We embrace it, and just having another person at that position that's just as good or even better than you at the time can kind of really push you more." At the moment, Pile is the only wide receiver commit that Michigan has. It would benefit him to be a part of a smaller class at the position, as it could lead to more reps and playing time. But, still, he wants Miami (Fla.) Northwestern five-star wideout Calvin Russell in a winged helmet. In sharing more about Russell's recruitment, Pile notes that they technically wouldn't have the same role with the Wolverines, but he shared some insight as to how Michigan would use both (as well as other receiver targets) at the same time. "Me and Calvin aren't really playing the same position. They kind of talked to him like more as a true X, like big body that could still run routes and take on a lot of the single side stuff as they see me playing more of like the slot and kind of the Z kind of," Pile said. "So Coach Bellamy kind of views me as being able to be like a unicorn that has the body type to go inside and play slot, run all those short routes, block the linebackers, but still be able to go outside and kind of beat press. So that's kind of where they're just talking about putting me in, had a meeting about, positioning, and stuff like that. "So, still a lot of those guys coming in for the same position, but they like to spread us out a lot and anybody can play anywhere. Because we recruit diverse people and not just one-trick ponies. We like having the whole thing. And if you're good, you'll figure out a way on the field, and all of us aren't really worried about that because we know we're going to have our time to play." Thus far, Michigan has gotten one commitment coming out of Victors Weekend, with defensive tackle Titan Davis pledging on Monday evening. The Wolverines have also gotten a prediction that they'll land Carrollton (Ga.) four-star cornerback Dorian Barney following his time in Ann Arbor this weekend. There's still a lot of time to go before signing day, but given the bonds that have been established between the recruits, the parents, and the uncommitted prospects, it's only a matter of time before the class grows.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State Gets Good News on Highly Touted Star
Ohio State Gets Good News on Highly Touted Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The best official visits end with high school prospects leaving campus dreaming about playing for that college football program. Based on the latest recruiting news, the Ohio State Buckeyes achieved that goal with five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows. Advertisement Meadows shared with On3's Mick Walker that he can picture himself with the Buckeyes. 'My favorite part was definitely learning about the culture of 'Fight' that I can definitely see myself fitting in with,' said Meadows. Walker portrayed the edge rusher as needing more time to make his final recruitment decision. But Walker also described the Buckeyes as "well-positioned" for Meadows. 'They are definitely high on my list and for good reason,' added Meadows. Meadows is among the top-rated players in the 2026 recruiting class with On3 giving the pass rusher a five-star rating. Ohio State Buckeyes football head coach Ryan Day© Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Before Ohio State, Meadows visited the South Carolina Gamecocks and Penn State Nittany Lions. Advertisement This weekend, the edge rusher will meet with the Michigan Wolverines. On3 has Meadows ranked very high in the 2026 recruiting class. In fact, On3's rankings placed Meadows at No. 2 among edge rushers and sixth overall in the entire class. The 247Sports Composite rankings considers Meadows an elite prospect as well. However, he's a four-star recruit on the site's ratings. On both lists, Meadows is the top 2026 recruit in the District of Columbia. Ohio State is trying to add Meadows to its growing list of recruiting success stories in the mid-Atlantic. In the 2017 recruiting class, the Buckeyes landed No. 1 Maryland recruit and seventh-overall prospect Chase Young. Advertisement Young eventually became the No. 2 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Related: Historic College Football Program Now Trailing in Latest Rankings This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State Battles Michigan to Land Highly Touted Star
The rivalry between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines doesn't take a break, even in the offseason. Both programs are heating up on the recruiting trail, each making big splashes as they build their future defenses. While Michigan secured several key defensive pieces in recent cycles, Ohio State remains aggressive under its revamped recruiting staff. Now, the battle is on for one of the nation's most coveted prospects, five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows. Meadows, who stars at Washington (DC) Gonzaga, is ranked as On3's No. 2 edge rusher and the No. 6 overall player in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-6½, 230-pound pass rusher has narrowed his choices down to four: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State Nittany Lions, and South Carolina Gamecocks. Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day holds the College Football Playoff trophy during the Ohio State Buckeyes National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Jan. 26, 2025. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Official visits are set, with Meadows heading to Columbus on June 13 and Ann Arbor on June 20, making it a head-to-head showdown between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. Advertisement 'The official visits are definitely big,' Meadows said per On3. 'These are the four highest on my list and I want to see myself there and get as much information as I can to make my decision.' "Their dedication to upholding their standard of winning. Coach Johnson's ability to produce high-level talent," Meadows said regarding Ohio State. Meanwhile, Michigan appeals to him with its strong culture and coaching connections. 'Their overall team culture is great and my overall connection with Coach Espo, Coach Wink and Coach Moore is strong and I also like Coach Wink's NFL experience.' Meadows, a standout in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA, plans to major in business. With June visits on the horizon, all eyes are on where this rising star will land. Related: Buccaneers Make Emeka Egbuka Announcement on Friday
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football makes top group for five-star EDGE Carter Meadows
Michigan football makes top group for five-star EDGE Carter Meadows Michigan football has a small window where recruiting the 2026 class isn't taking center stage, but it's about to pick back up with official visits starting at the end of the month. One top target for the maize and blue this cycle is Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows, who the Wolverines have long made a priority. Michigan has the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine edge for Meadows at the moment, with a 40% chance it lands him. But now it knows for sure it's in a strong position. On Friday, Meadows revealed his top four schools through On3's Hayes Fawcett, and Michigan football made the cut. The other finalists are Ohio State, Penn State, and South Carolina. The Wolverines get the final visit for Meadows on June 20, but he will see the other three schools in the preceding weeks. The scouting report via On3: Rangy EDGE prospect with a rare combination of frame and movement skills. One of the most physically impressive prospects in the 2026 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-6, 225 pounds as a junior. Has vines for arms that measure around 35 inches to go with large hands. Could easily be a 280-pounder before it's all said and done. Pairs the great frame with impressive functional athleticism A fluid, flexible athlete who has excellent bend. Has the natural tools to develop into a dangerous pass rusher down the line. Length pairs with good play strength to result in an effective edge setter. Also shows his athleticism in tracking down plays in pursuit. Doubles as a good high school basketball player while playing top competition on the hardwood. Will need to continue progressing as a pass rusher while upping his production. Pure physical upside is among the highest in the 2026 cycle. Michigan took just one edge rusher in 2025 in Rivals five-star Nate Marshall. The Wolverines have five commitments thus far in 2026, including one edge rusher in fellow D.C. area pledge Tariq Boney.
