SEC school trying to flip 4-star recruit committed to Michigan Football

Welcome to the Recruiting Roundup, our twice-per-week series breaking down the latest developments on the recruiting trail for the Michigan Wolverines. We’ll keep you up to date on the top targets, the visits they take, the predictions that analysts make, and everything in between. Here’s what you need to know today…

Ole Miss making a push for Michigan commit

Michigan has a recruitment to watch closely in its secondary, as flip predictions have been entered favoring 2027 four-star defensive back Tavares Harrington to flip to Ole Miss.

The Chicago Mount Carmel prospect committed to Michigan on May 22, choosing the Wolverines over a group of finalists that included the Rebels. Ole Miss has continued to pursue the 6-foot-3 defender and now appears to be a serious threat to pull him away.

Harrington remains committed to Michigan, but losing him would be another setback in the secondary after four-star safety Darrell Mattison flipped from the Wolverines to Ole Miss back in May.

The development comes as Kyle Whittingham’s staff works to reassure commitments following offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s dismissal. Whittingham said he and the staff reached out to every recruit and received positive responses.

“We got on the phone with every recruit (Sunday) night,” Whittingham said. “And they seemed to be very receptive and positive. Nobody was panicking.”

The Wolverines have work to do with Harrington. The predictions don’t make the flip official just yet, but they give fans reason to keep a close eye on this one.

Four-star edge commit remains solid despite Tennessee visit

Another Michigan commitment visited an SEC school over the weekend, but the circumstances should ease concerns about his future. According to Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine, 2027 four-star edge commit Ifeanyi Emedobi planned to return to Ann Arbor before a family obligation prevented the trip.

Instead, the Fort Wayne Northrop prospect joined a group from Traction Athletic Performance, where he trains, for Tennessee’s game against Kentucky. The Volunteers have not offered Emedobi and were not actively recruiting him at the time of McDowell’s report. Tennessee took his measurements and indicated the staff might reach back out to him, but he had not heard from the program afterward.

Even while in Knoxville, Emedobi was keeping tabs on Michigan’s game against Michigan State. A source close to his recruitment put it simply to McDowell:

“Ife loves Michigan.”

His relationships with defensive line coaches Lewis Powell, Larry Black and David Denham remain a major reason he feels comfortable with his pledge.

“Communication’s been great,” Emedobi said earlier this fall. “We talk every day of the week.”

Emedobi still plans to enroll at Michigan in January. McDowell’s assessment is that a coaching change along the defensive line would be the development that could give the Wolverines something to worry about. For now, the Tennessee trip doesn’t appear to have changed his plans.

Boston College DL commit impressed with Michigan

While working to retain its commitments, Michigan is also pursuing 2027 three-star Boston College defensive line pledge Jayden Paulino. According to 247Sports’ Brian Dohn ($), Paulino came away impressed with his visit for the Michigan State game after receiving a Michigan offer the previous week.

“It was a great experience,” Paulino said. “The staff was welcoming and amazing.”

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound New Jersey prospect looked beyond the loss, pointing to the campus atmosphere, facilities and the program’s potential under Whittingham. Michigan’s defensive performance also caught his attention, as did Black’s coaching style.

“Coach Black is a tough, energetic guy, and those are some characteristics I want any coach to have,” Paulino said.

Paulino remains committed to Boston College, which secured his pledge June 17, but he is exploring his options. Penn State is scheduled to host him for an official visit this weekend, while Missouri recently offered and Miami is showing interest.

A return visit to Michigan for the Nov. 21 UCLA game is also in the works, giving the Wolverines a potential opportunity to build on a strong first impression.