The 2025 recruiting cycle is nearly over, with about a month remaining until the late signing period begins.
While the majority of Michigan football’s 2025 class is finalized, there are still a few targets on the board. And none is bigger than 5-star offensive lineman Ty Haywood.
Haywood has been committed to Alabama since July, but all indications are that the Tide are no longer in the race for his services. In fact, this appears to be a three team battle between Michigan, Texas Tech, and Florida State, with the Wolverines and Red Raiders standing out.
Michigan football trending up for 5-star tackle
This one seems like it’s going to come down to NIL. Texas Tech offered Haywood a deal during the early signing period, but reports were that the deal was below Michigan’s. Obviously the Red Raiders don’t have the brand that Michigan does, but in the era of NIL a small school can win over a top prospect by using more of their budget on that player.
As of now, it seems that Michigan football is clearly the team to beat. But that could change in an instant if the Red Raiders find more funding, or if Florida State puts a massive offer on the table. All indications are that Michigan is willing to do whatever it has to do to win Haywood’s commitment.
It’s clear that the Wolverines are serious about building a juggernaut around Bryce Underwood. They know that in order for Underwood to reach his potential, he needs elite talent around him. They’re willing to do whatever they need to in order to make Michigan a national contender again. And because of that, the Wolverines should remain as the favorite in this recruitment.
Despite an official visit not having been scheduled yet, a visit doesn’t seem like a necessity in this recruitment. If Michigan comes out on top in terms of NIL, they’ll have a great shot at winning this recruitment. Keep an eye out for any updates.
