Insider pits Ryan Day's Ohio State against Sherrone Moore's Michigan as top two destinations for five-star defensive standout

One of the top priorities for Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito in the 2026 recruiting cycle is five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows. The standout from Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C., visited Ann Arbor last weekend, and Sherrone Moore's program is now emerging as a strong contender for his services.

On Tuesday, On3's Steve Wiltfong revealed UM's growing edge in Meadows' recruitment and suggested they are likely contending solely with Ohio State:

"He's got a final four of Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and South Carolina. I would put Michigan in that top two range, maybe with the Buckeyes for Carter Meadows. He had a great trip. "He pointed towards Michigan and their balance, a high level academics and high level athletics that has them in a great spot. And I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up donning a winged helmet on the next level."

The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Meadows is the No. 9 edge rusher in the 2026 class and the No. 72 prospect in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite. The edge rusher himself acknowledged that UM is “definitely high” on his list following the official visit.

“The visit was great,” Meadows told On3's EJ Holland. “Spending time with the players and also feeling the culture and brotherhood of the program for a couple days was great.”

If Meadows ends up committing to the Wolverines' 2026 class, he will join four-star prospects McHale Blade and Tariq Boney in the edge rusher room.

Michigan secures commitment of four-star 2026 class WR Zion Robinson

Four-star wide receiver Zion Robinson committed to the Wolverines' 2026 class on Wednesday. The Texas native out of Mansfield High School chose Sherrone Moore's program over Stanford and Miami.

The Wolverines first extended an offer to the 6-foot-2, 160-pound standout when he was in eighth grade and intensified their pursuit this past March.

“I picked Michigan because of the academics, football, the people and the connections there," Robinson told On3 following his commitment. “Coach (Ron) Bellamy consistently shows me that he cares about me and his players. Sherrone Moore is a great man too. He is soft spoken, but very ambitious.”

As a junior in the 2024 season, Robinson recorded 42 receptions for 527 yards and eight touchdowns, while adding 76 rushing yards on 14 carries. His father, Khadevis Robinson, serves as TCU’s director of track and field.

Zion Robinson’s commitment follows the recent pledge from fellow four-star recruit, defensive lineman Titan Davis, bringing the Wolverines' 2026 class to 15 commits and pushing the school's national ranking to No. 15.

Edited by John Maxwell