Michigan Football 4-Star QB Commit Kamden Lopati Dazzles in Season Opener

After initially committing to Illinois, Kamden Lopati re-opened his recruitment after Kyle Whittingham and Jason Beck moved on to Michigan. The coaching staff had already been in contact with Lopati, a Utah native.

And playing for Michigan was too good to pass up. He committed to the Wolverines back in April. Lopati opened his senior season on Friday night and in a dazzling win, it was clear why Michigan wanted Lopati in its 2027 class.

Lopati and West defeat Arbor View

Salt Lake City (UT) West Panthers opened their season up against Arbor View, a Las Vegas team, and the Panthers won, 20-14. Lopati was dueling a former Michigan target, quarterback Thaddeus Thatcher, who opted to commit to Oregon State over the Wolverines.

As for Lopati, he showed off his dual-threat ability. In the win, Lopati completed 14-of-23 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown. He also carried the ball 13 times for 80 yards on Friday night.

C/O 27 QB @CowboyKamden finds C/O 28 WR @monsvaenuku for the touchdown. @westpanthersfb lead 7-0 in the 1st Quarter @UMichFootball @BeehiveBuzz_ @PrepRedzoneUT pic.twitter.com/fxUZoiE6Lk
— Andy Pham (@Andy_Pham1) August 15, 2026

Lopati could climb the rankings this fall

The 6'2", 225-pound gunslinger could see himself climb the rankings this fall with another stellar high school season. Lopati is currently ranked as the No. 118 player on Rivals' Industrial rankings. He is as high as No. 35 overall, per ESPN.

Lopati has been nothing short of impressive throughout his high school career, and now that he's committed to Michigan, more eyes will be on him. In his last two seasons of high school, Lopati threw for over 5,600 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns. Being a dual-threat runner, Lopati rushed for 730 yards and 10 scores on the ground this past season.

247Sports is the lone recruiting site that's not so high on Lopati. He is still ranked as a three-star prospect, despite performing well at the Elite 11 and starting to garner more attention. However, if Lopati continues to impress this season, it would be shocking to see him remain a three-star prospect.

A perfect fit for Jason Beck

It was clear from the beginning as to why Jason Beck targeted Lopati to become his first QB of the 2027 cycle. Michigan still has Bryce Underwood for at least one more year, with two more likely at this point, so Lopati won't be forced to come in on Day 1 and compete to start.

But he has the physical tools to come in and compete for a backup position. Lopati has a strong arm and can layer throws down the field. He can use his legs to not only run, but get outside the pocket to extend plays. He isn't as athletic as what Devon Dampier was for Utah this past season, but you can see his playmaking ability when you watch the film.

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