Wolverine Digest

Lou Esposito Is Bringing The Heat On The Recruiting Trail For Michigan Football

Since becoming a Michigan football coach, Esposito has been on a tear in the recruiting department.
Trent Knoop|
Sep 17, 2022; Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA; Western Michigan defensive coordinator Lou Esposito (middle) celebrates with Kyle Arnoldi (56) during a missed field goal attempt by the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second quarter at Waldo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kimberly Moss-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2022; Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA; Western Michigan defensive coordinator Lou Esposito (middle) celebrates with Kyle Arnoldi (56) during a missed field goal attempt by the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second quarter at Waldo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kimberly Moss-USA TODAY Sports | Kimberly Moss-USA TODAY Sports

After losing Mike Elston to the Los Angeles Chargers, Sherrone Moore had to pivot elsewhere. Moore hired Greg Scruggs away from Wisconsin to coach the defensive line room, but after an OWI arrest, Scruggs resigned after a brief stay in Ann Arbor -- once again Moore had to pivot. He then hired Lou Esposito away from Memphis where he signed this offseason. Esposito was the Western Michigan defensive coordinator from 2017-2023.

Esposito came to Ann Arbor on March 29 and he's quickly become one of Michigan's top assistant coaches on the recruiting trail. As of this writing, Esposito is the 15th-ranked recruiter in the country, per 247Sports. When you look at the Big Ten conference, Esposito is ranked sixth in recruiting after bringing in three high-end defensive linemen.

Esposito first landed Nate Marshall on April 29. Marshall, from Oak Park (IL) Fenwick is a four-star defenisve lineman. He is the 43rd-ranked player in the 2025 cycle and the No. 4 defensive lineman, according to the Composite.

A few months later, Esposito landed another top-end defensive lineman out of Illinois. On June 10, Jaylen Williams committed to the program out of Palatine (IL). Williams, a four-star, is the 242nd-ranked prospect and the 29th-best defensive lineman in the '25 cycle, by the Composite.

Shortly after Williams committed, Esposito landed a coveted Edge prospect in Julius Holly. He was able to pluck Holly out of Alpharetta (GA) and landed him over several top SEC programs. Holly is the 300th-ranked recruit, a four-star, and the 22nd-ranked Edge prospect in the '25 cycle.

Michigan is also in the running to land four-star defensive lineman DJ Sanders out of Bellville (TX). Sanders is the 93rd-ranked recruit in the class and would be a major win over the likes of Texas, if he were to come to Ann Arbor.

At age 47, Esposito has shown he is going to be a tenacious recruiter for the Wolverines and Michigan fans should feel good about the talent that will come to Ann Arbor to play under Esposito.

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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