Michigan lands commitment from four-star EDGE Jacob Smith

Michigan has scored another big win on the recruiting trail.

Four-star Cheshire (Conn.) Academy EDGE Jacob Smith gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge on Thursday afternoon, just a few weeks following his unofficial visit.

Michigan didn’t have to sell much to Smith. The Wolverines’ EDGE production speaks for itself. After all, U-M has sent multiple pass rushers to the NFL over the last few years.

“That’s the reason I started to look at them,” Smith said. “They are EDGE Rush U. If they can develop the guys they’ve developed, then why can’t they develop me?”

Smith committed to Michigan over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and others.

Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston and staffer Dylan Roney, who works closely with U-M’s pass rushers, led the way in Smith’s recruitment and helped seal the deal.

“Coach Mike is my guy,” Smith said. “I talk to him the most. I’ve also talked to Coach Roney a few times. They are both nice guys and easy to talk to. They’re straightforward. They don’t have to sell a lot.”

Smith will no have the opportunity to team up with his twin brother, Jerod, in Ann Arbor. Jerod, a four-star defensive lineman, committed to Michigan earlier this offseason.

“(Jerod) is powerful, strong, has a good get off and gets to the point,” Jacob said. “We complement each other well. If the first one doesn’t get the tackle, the second one is.”

At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Smith is ranked as the No. 16 EDGE and No. 255 overall prospect in the country. He is also ranked as the No.6 overall prospect in the state of Connecticut, per the On3 Industry Ranking.

Michigan now has 26 commits in its 2024 recruiting class — Top 100 Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day quarterback Jadyn Davis, Top 100 Rochester (Mich.) Adams tight end Brady Prieskorn, Top 100 Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller running back Jordan Marshall, On300 Austin (Tex.) Vandegrift offensive tackle Blake Frazier, On300 Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst offensive tackle Andrew Sprague, offensive tackle On300 Harper Woods (Mich.) High defensive back Jacob Oden, On300 Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth linebacker Mason Curtis, On300 Bellevue (Wash.) High tight end Hogan Hansen, On300 Belleville (Mich.) High linebacker Jeremiah Beasley, On300 Brandywine (Md.) Gwynn Park EDGE Devon Baxter, On300 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic athlete Cole Sullivan, On300 Charlotte (N.C.) West linebacker Jaden Smith, four-star Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood Academy wide receiver I’Marion Stewart, four-star Cheshire (Conn.) Academy EDGE Jacob Smith, four-star Cheshire (Conn.) Academy defensive lineman Jerod Smith, four-star Avon (Ohio) High interior offensive lineman Luke Hamilton, three-star Ijamsville (Md.) Oakdale EDGE Dominic Nichols, three-star Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day wide receiver Channing Goodwin, three-star Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward offensive tackle Ben Roebuck, three-star Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier defensive lineman Ted Hammond, three-star Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman running back Micah Ka’apana, three-star Ponte Vedra (Fla.) Beach interior offensive lineman Jake Guarnera, three-star Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall defensive lineman Manuel Beigel, three-star Princeton (N.J.) Hum School defensive lineman Owen Wafle, and three-star South Park (Pa.) High linebacker Zach Ludwig.

The Wolverines are currently ranked No. 5 overall in the 2024 On3 Industry National Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference behind only Ohio State.