Michigan's priority recruits rise and fall in On3 rankings update
On3 dropped its first class of 2026 rankings update of the new year, setting the On300 going into spring. Michigan now sits squarely in the mix for two of the nation’s six Five-Star prospects— offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell and edge Carter Meadows.
Some key recruits dropped, while other made significant leaps up the On300. Here’s our breakdown of where commits Brody Jennings and Jaylen Pile ended up. Now, let’s dive into some of the most eye-popping risers and fallers from On3’s latest update.
Quarterback
Top 100 quarterback Ryder Lyons— Down 24 spots to No. 50
Lyons dropped slightly in the rankings and is now the No. 6 quarterback in the country.
On300 quarterback Brady Smigiel— Up five spots to No. 191
Running back
Top 100 running back Savion Hiter— Up 9 spots to No. 11
Hiter remains the No. 1 running back in the country and remains on track to finish this cycle as a five-star prospect.
On300 running back Javian Osborne— Down 95 spots to No. 156
Wide receiver
On300 wide receiver Messiah Hampton— Up 45 spots to No. 120
On300 wide receiver Gordon Sellars— Up from a three-star prospect to No. 184
Sellars was one of the most underrated prospects in On3’s rankings and, after a big junior year, he enters the On300 as Michigan’s second-highest ranked receiver prospect.
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On300 wide receiver CJ Sadler— Down 1 spot to No. 245
On300 wide receiver Mason James— Up 32 spots to No. 250 nationally
On300 wide receiver Christian Ward— Down 100 spots to No. 289
Four-star wide receiver Nalin Scott— Down from No. 206 to out of the On300
Despite The Wolverines’ extremely positive recent evaluations, Scott drops out out of the On300. He is a top priority target for Michigan.
Three-star wide receiver Davion Brown— Down from No. 238 to out of the On300
Tight end
On300 tight end Matt Ludwig— Up 113 spots to No. 103
On300 tight end Brock Harris— Down 77 sports to No. 151
Offensive line
Top 100 offensive tackle Felix Ojo— Up 191 spots to No. 10
Top 100 offensive tackle Malakai Lee— Up 58 spots to No. 88
Lee enters the Top 100 as Michigan and USC continue to battle for the 6-7 tackle.
On300 offensive lineman Carter Scruggs— Down 64 spots to No. 207
On300 offensive lineman Marky Walbridge— Down 39 spots to No. 217
On300 offensive lineman Leo Delaney— Down 136 spots to No. 257
Four-star offensive lineman Zaden Krempin— Down from No. 185 to out of the On300
Defensive line
Five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows— Up 253 spots to No. 6
Meadows made a big time leap up the rankings and is now Michigan’s highest-ranked defensive target.
On300 edge McHale Blade— Down 88 spots to No. 193
Linebacker
On300 linebacker Shadarius Toodle— Down 61 spots to No. 161
On300 linebacker Nick Abrams— Up 121 spots to No. 166
On300 linebacker Mathieu Kanu— Unranked to No. 275
The Wolverine’s EJ Holland visited Kanu recently and left very impressed by his 6-3, 221-pound frame.
Four-star linebacker Tank King— Down from No. 161 to out of the On300
Cornerback
Top 100 cornerback Elbert Hill— Down 61 spots to No. 74
On300 cornerback Jordan Thomas— Up from a three-star prospect to No. 200
Thomas was a big time riser in the rankings after emerging as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks.
Three-star cornerback Shavar Young— Down from No. 200 to out of the On300
Safety
Top 100 safety Jett Washington— Up 79 spots to No. 45
On300 safety Jordan Deck— Up 110 spots to No. 164
Four-star safety Chase Calicut— Down from No. 293 to out of the On300
