Meet new Michigan DB target Trennedy Whatley, the biggest sleeper recruit in America

While most recruits around the country are posing for photos on official visits and releasing fancy graphics for top schools, Trennedy Whatley is spending his weekends working hard at his local Publix supermarket.

Ranked as the No. 765 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, Whatley might very well be the biggest sleeper recruit in the entire country. When you turn on his tape, it’s not hard to see why.

At 6-foot-3, 175 pounds with impressive track times, Whatley is quite the impressive athlete. What makes his film even more intriguing is the fact that last season was his first year playing football.

“This all happened by circumstance,” said Fayetteville (Ga.) County assistant head coach Adrian Steele. “His mom never let him play football because she was afraid he would get hurt. He’s been an AAU track guy since he was eight years old. He played a little football in middle school, but they pulled him out and really pushed track. Last year, he did really well in track. He went to state and placed in the 200m with a 21.5. He was on my state runner up 4×4 team. He got his 100m time down to a 10.80 as a sophomore.”

Steele takes pride in being a track coach at Fayette County, but he also loves being a football coach. He just couldn’t get the idea of Whatley putting on pads and using his athletic gifts to his advantage on Friday nights out of his head.

Heading into Whatley’s junior season, Steele knew he had to put the wheels in motion.

“I had to make a deal with his mom,” Steele said. “I said ‘look, he’s 6-foot-3, 175 pounds and would probably run a 4.3 if we timed it, so let him play football.’ She said ‘if my baby gets hurt, I’m going to kill you.’ I’m his track coach, so I don’t want him to get hurt. I said ‘let’s make a deal… we’ll play three games and if he doesn’t do well and if he doesn’t enjoy it, I’ll let it go.’”

And boy, did it go well.

Whatley scored two touchdowns in his first-ever varsity game. He followed that up by notching a pick six in his second contest. That resulted in an offer from Texas Tech. From there, it was a bit of a snowball effect.

Cal, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, West Virginia and others all jumped in the mix with scholarships of their own.  

“It’s been crazy ever since,” Steele said. “He didn’t even have a Twitter. When Texas Tech offered, he couldn’t even post it. I had to get my defensive line coach to create a Twitter for him and teach him to use it. He’s such a humble kid. This is all so new to him. He’s always like ‘coach, is all this stuff real?’ He’s oblivious. It’s crazy (laughs). When you are 6-foot-3, 175 pounds with that type of athleticism, speed and length, it’s money in the bank. We played him everywhere. He scored at receiver a couple of times. I threw him at running back, and he said ‘coach, how do I run the ball?’ I said ‘don’t dance and don’t juke, just run through the smoke.’ He took off for 85 yards when we ran inside zone.

“I put him back at punt, and he returned a punt. He hardly knew the defense and got some pick sixes. It’s straight raw talent. When a college coach gets their hands on him, they’re going to get a guy that’s going to make it to the league. He’s an exceptionally talented athlete. When he figures out how to do it, the sky is the limit.”

Whatley is obviously a versatile athlete that could go in several different directions depending on development at the next level. However, Steele believes his biggest upside may be at corner.

“Each coach wants to see different things from him,” Steele said. “Georgia wanted to see him at corner. Texas Tech offered him at receiver. Cal wants him at receiver. Kentucky wants him at corner. Because of his frame and athleticism, I think you might be looking at another Sauce Gardner type kid with the right support system. He’s that tall, lanky, athletic guy. But again, that’s if everything comes together. He could be special. He really could.”

Michigan seems to agree.

The Wolverines have been expanding their 2025 secondary board over the last month and recently offered Whatley as a corner. New U-M secondary coach LaMar Morgan has built a reputation as a film junkie and came across Whatley’s tape.

Whatley was a bit difficult to get a hold of given his unusual off-the-grid approach to the recruiting process. However, Morgan was finally able to track down Steele and eventually get on the phone with Whatley to extend the scholarship.

“I was kind of shocked,” Steele said. “They didn’t come by the school. That’s huge. You’re talking about tradition and the rivalry with Ohio State. (Whatley) was excited. He’s not enamored by the big name. He wants to go where the coaches care about him. I told Coach Morgan on the phone to build a good rapport with him and his mom. She’s a single parent, and he’s the baby. He can be a special player for Michigan. It’s just about building a good connection with him and his mom.

“Coach Morgan asked me about what type of person he is, what type of leader he is and what his home life is like. Even though he’s athletic, I know Michigan wants a kid that fits what they do and how they do it. He wanted to talk about the whole kid.”

Whatley has only been on one recruiting visit — a short trip to Georgia this offseason. Outside of that, Whatley has no official visits scheduled and has yet to post anything on social media about potential trips.

However, Steele is hoping to get Whatley to U-M at some point in the near future. If there is one school that has an expertise in developing raw, underrated athletes with untapped potential, it’s Michigan.

“I told Coach Morgan that I would try to get him to Michigan if his mom couldn’t take him out there,” Steele said. “There are a couple of things on my bucket list. I’ve been coaching for a long time, but I’ve never been to Michigan, so that would be something.”