Wolverine Digest

Former Michigan signee expected to land at SEC school, according to report

This former class of 2026 Michigan football signee looks like he will land at a school down south
Seth Berry|
Auburn Tigers football head coach Alex Golesh speaks during a press conference at Woltosz Performance Center in Auburn, Ala. on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025.
Auburn Tigers football head coach Alex Golesh speaks during a press conference at Woltosz Performance Center in Auburn, Ala. on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Michigan Wolverines

Three-star class of 2026 offensive lineman Bear McWhorter, out of Cartersville, Georgia, signed with Michigan football during the early signing period earlier this month.

However, following the dismissal of former head coach Sherrone Moore, McWhorter was released from his Letter of Intent as he explores other options amidst the Wolverines' changing situation.

According to a report from Rivals' Steve Wiltfong, Auburn, who recently hired new head coach Alex Golesh to lead the Tigers, is trending to land the 6-foot-8, 308-pounder.

Wiltfong is confident enough, after "talking to a source with knowledge of the recruitment," to join AuburnSports Jeffrey Lee in predicting McWhorter to end up at Auburn when it's all said and done.

"Golesh and the new Auburn staff recruited McWhorter when they were at USF so there is a pre-existing relationship. Golesh and his offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick offered McWhorter back in May of 2023," Wiltfong wrote in his report.

Wiltfong also mentioned that McWhorter has family from Opelika, Alabama, which helps make the fit with Auburn even smoother.

McWhorter is the 609th-ranked prospect in the class of 2026, is the No. 58 interior lineman and is the 67th-ranked recruit in the state of Georgia, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Michigan's 2026 class

The Wolverines still have 25 signees in their class of 2026, as McWhorter and four-star tight end Matt Ludwig are the only players in the class to be asked to be released from their Letters of Intent at this point.

Late last week, Ludwig committed to Texas Tech to play for the Red Raiders after getting out of Ann Arbor.

The next transfer portal window for college football begins on Jan. 2 and ends Jan. 16 as Michigan scrambles to find a new head coach.

After the Wolverines make an official hire on an individual to lead the football program, players on the Wolverines will have an additional 15-day transfer portal window beginning five days after the new coach is hired.

Biff Poggi is the team's current interim coach as the Wolverines prepare for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Texas on Dec. 31.

Warde Manuel
Sep 6, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Warde Manuel, Michigan Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics on the field prior to a game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Michigan's 2026 class ranks as the 12th-best in the nation, according to the Rivals Team Industry Rankings.

— Sign up for the Michigan Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage fromMichigan Wolverines on SI —

Published | Modified
Seth Berry
SETH BERRY

Seth began writing on Michigan athletics in 2015 and has remained in the U-M media space ever since, which includes stops at Maize N Brew and Rivals before coming onto Michigan On SI in June of 2025. Seth has covered various angles of Michigan football and basketball, including recruiting, overall team coverage and feature/analysis stories relating to the Wolverines. His passion for Michigan sports and desire to tell stories led him to the sports journalism world. He is a 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University and is the former sports editor of the Western Herald, WMU's student newspaper.

Share on XFollow berry_seth14
Home/Recruiting