Michigan Football QB Commit Kamden Lopati Impresses on Day 1 of Elite 11

It didn't take Kyle Whittingham and his staff terribly long to find their future signal caller. Back on April 14, four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati committed to Michigan, following his de-commitment from Illinois.

It was a major shift for the Wolverines in their recruiting efforts. After the new staff proved they can compete with the big dogs on the recruiting trail, May has been a scorching month for the Wolverines in their 2027 recruiting efforts, with Lopati being a factor.

Now, Lopati is proving just why Michigan wanted him. It's not just the fact he's from the state Utah — where Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck just came from — but he's shining amongst the best quarterbacks in the nation.

Loptai is currently competing in the Elite 11 camp, which is held in Southern California, where the best of the best quarterbacks compete against one another. The event began on Friday and after Day 1, Loptai was named the No. 8 quarterback by Rivals.

Top performers from Day 1 of the Elite 11 Finals🎯

(via @CharlesPower)

Read: https://t.co/RBmzrsWWtd https://t.co/KY68FUDpA4 pic.twitter.com/sbcq8tQr4q
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 30, 2026

"Kamden Lopati quietly put together a strong workout, showing progress from his regional workout back in February. The Utah native showed good arm strength, ripping deep out-breaking routes on a line. Lopati threw a clean ball for much of the evening and looks to have tightened up his release a bit since we last saw him this offseason. Overall, the Michigan pledge was dialed in and on point in a setting that does not showcase his full ability given his improvisational skills on Friday nights," Rivals wrote.

Michigan's hasn't had too many signal callers compete in the Elite 11

The Wolverines haven't recruited the quarterback position exceptionally well over the years. Bryce Underwood was a late flip for Michigan in the 2025 recruiting class, and you would have to go back to J.J. McCarthy to find the next biggest quarterback commitment.

Golden hour dimes 🎯#Elite11 pic.twitter.com/Llh76UKfkI
— Elite11 (@Elite11) May 30, 2026

Michigan commits usually don't participate in the Elite 11 event — take that for what it's worth. Jadyn Davis was the last commit who competed, which was back in 2023. McCarthy competed in 2020. Then you have to go back to 2018, when Cade McNamara competed.

The point being, Lopati is clearly a national name and someone who was worthy to compete in a prestigious event. There has been only one day of it so far, but if Lopati has another solid few days, it wouldn't be shocking to see his ranking go up.

Slightly underlooked prospect?

The 6'2', 225-pound quarterback is exactly what Jason Beck was looking for. He might not be the fastest player out there, but Lopati can move around and he has the ability to make plays with his feet. That could be getting away from pressure and getting the pass off, or just tucking the ball and getting some yards with his feet.

Michigan commit Kamden Lopati came out to UA Next Camp in Salt Lake City and was dropping dimes on his way to winning QB MVP 💰 @CowboyKamden

You expect nothing less from the No. 1 ranked pocket passer in the SC Next 300 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1kMdLTBCFs
— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) April 19, 2026

In his last two seasons of high school, Lopati threw for over 5,600 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns, and while he is viewed as a pass-first quarterback, he did run for 730 yards and 10 scores on the ground in 2025.

He is listed as the No. 119 player in the 2027 class, per Rivals' Industrial Rankings. Loptai is as high as No. 46 overall, per ESPN, but 247Sports has him as a three-star prospect. With the Elite 11 going on, and Loptai bound to make some nice plays, expect a boost from 247Sports when it's all said and done.

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