Michigan ‘Felt Like Home’ To 2026 WR Jaylen Pile

Michigan hosted speedy 2026 wide receiver Jaylen Pile over the weekend and thoroughly impressed during his visit.

Over the weekend, several top recruits visited Michigan during its spring football period, and the Wolverines presented an exciting future to prospects such as 2026 Dallas (Tex.) Parish Episcopal School wide receiver Jaylen Pile. Shortly after leaving Ann Arbor, Pile spoke to Wolverine Digest about his trip to Ann Arbor.

“The visit went amazing,” Pile said. “I got to tour the entire athletic facility. I got to see what they're going to do and what they already have done. They already have plans to build a new locker room. I got to see the weight room, and it was top notch. I got to sit down and talk with Coach [Ron] Bellamy for a while, and it all just felt like home right there. They all welcomed me with open arms. I got to talk to different position coaches all throughout the building. At the end, I got to say what’s up to coach [Sherrone] Moore and chop it up with him after practice.”

Back in February, Pile picked up his Michigan offer as one of the first ‘26 receivers that Moore would be pursuing. Since that time, Pile did his best to learn about the U-M program from afar, but a crucial factor to the 6-0, 180-pounder would be seeing how the coaching staff functions in-person and during practice or game scenarios. So, Pile worked on getting a feel for coach Bellamy and how he interacted with the Michigan receivers. 

“A wide receiver coach that can develop players, not getting people that are already pre-made and stamping their name on it, seeing somebody grow as they're at the college and just how he coaches. How they coach in person, that’s what I try to see at these spring practices. Are they hands on?  Are they gonna get on you? Are they gonna let it slide? I'm trying to see what they do in these types of situations.” 

During Pile’s visit to Michigan, coach Bellamy also described his vision for the elusive, separation-creating wideout if he were to choose Michigan.

”He said he's gonna move me all around the field,” Pile said. “He likes when wide receivers can be spread out and play multiple positions on the offense. He said he might put me back in the backfield, take a little handoff or something— speed in space and having them be able to create plays. That's what he's all about.”

Last season, Pile posted 422 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore playing in a competitive area of Dallas, and he performed in a style similar to what Bellamy described— speedy, elusive and touchdown-seeking.

“So, I’m a route runner,” Pile said matter-of-factly. “I get open, and I create separation. I create explosive plays. I'm a fun player to watch. I like the excitement. I like the rush of scoring. Every time I get the ball. I'm trying to take it to the house.”

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Throughout the offseason, Pile mentioned he’s stayed active in the weight room and is regularly doing field work and individual training. Right now, Pile has a few other schools in mind that he’d like to visit but expressed that it’s a quickly growing list of programs and that it’s difficult to visit colleges during the school year. 

What do you make of Michigan’s recruiting efforts lately? Is a commitment on the horizon? Let us know and follow @EricJRutter on Twitter for more Wolverine Digest updates.