Wolverine Digest

Elite defender chooses Ohio State over Michigan, Notre Dame

The Michigan Wolverines lost out on an elite cornerback to the Buckeyes this week.
Chris Breiler|
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Michigan Wolverines appeared to be in the running for elite cornerback Jordan Thomas, but that's no longer the case. On Monday, Thomas announced that he had committed to Ohio State, choosing the Buckeyes over the Wolverines and Fighting Irish.

On3 lists Thomas as the No. 3 overall prospect from the state of New Jersey and the No. 19 overall cornerback in the nation for the 2026 class.

Losing out on a highly rated commit is one thing, but seeing that commit go to your biggest rival only adds to the significance of the loss.

Beyond this specific battle, there are growing concerns over the lack of progress being made in Michigan's 2026 recruiting class. Despite landing four-star QB Brady Smigiel recently, Michigan's 2026 class currently ranks No. 44 in the nation according to 247Sports. That spot is also good for No. 12 in the Big 10 conference, trailing programs like Rutgers, Minnesota, and Iowa.

While there's plenty of time for head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff to get things on track in the coming weeks, there's no denying that Michigan could use some big wins on the recruiting trail soon.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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