Michigan in the Top 20 on 2025 national team recruiting rankings

Michigan moved to No. 17 on the 2025 On3 Industry National Team Recruiting Rankings following the verbal commitment of four-star Palatine (Ill.) High EDGE Jaylen Williams on Monday.

At 6-foot-5, 238 pounds, Williams is listed as the No. 278 overall prospect and No. 22 defensive lineman in the country, according to On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four primary recruiting media services. Williams is also the No. 6 player in Illinois.

Williams is coming off his official visit to Michigan this past weekend. The few days on campus allowed the Wolverines to seal the deal after holding a commanding lead for the junior on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) for several months.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Michigan,” Williams previously told The Wolverine. “I just love it… I’ve watched a lot of their defensive line film, and the first person you think of is Aidan Hutchinson. I know I’m not at his level, but I’m really trying to match it.”

Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito and head coach Sherrone Moore, who each hold strong recruiting ties in Chicagoland, along with defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, led the way in landing Williams.

Michigan 2025 Recruiting Class

Following Williams’ commitment, the overall 2025 recruiting ranking for Michigan (89.781) sits higher than the likes of Miami, Missouri, TCU, UNC, and Kentucky, among others.

Rounding out Michigan’s 2025 recruiting class are Top 100 Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick EDGE Nate Marshall, On300 Ft. Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith, four-star Birmingham (Mich.) Groves offensive lineman Avery Gach, four-star Howell (Mich.) High defensive lineman Bobby Kanka, and three-star Alcoa (Tenn.) High tight end Eli Owens. 

Dozens of 2025 top targets remain on Michigan’s board, such as five-star Overland Park (Kans.) Blue offensive tackle Andrew Babalola, Top 100 Monroe (N.C.) High safety Jordan Young, Top 100 Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman offensive tackle Douglas Utu, Top 100 Center Valley (Pa.) Southern Lehigh tight end Andrew Olesh,Top 100 Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic wide receiver Quincy Porter, Top 100 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, and four-star Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph Prep defensive lineman Maxwell Roy.

2025 Big Ten Recruiting Rankings

Michigan is currently No. 5 in the Big Ten Conference and trail Ohio State, USC, Oregon, and Penn State. All 18 programs currently possess at least five verbal commits this cycle.

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Oregon
4. Penn State
5. Michigan
6. Wisconsin
7. Rutgers
8. UCLA
9. Nebraska
10. Minnesota
11. Iowa
12. Washington
13. Indiana
14. Illinois
15. Michigan State
16. Maryland
17. Northwestern
18. Purdue