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Michigan Crashes SEC Race for Coveted LB With Surprise Official Visit

The four-star linebacker emerged in Ann Arbor for an official visit after just recently earning an offer.
Trent Knoop|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Michigan's linebacker recruiting hasn't been up to standard in the last few cycles, but the Wolverines are looking to make an impact in 2027. After landing Buford (GA) linebacker Brayden Watson, the Maize and Blue are going back down to SEC country to land a coveted linebacker.

After offering a scholarship to Greenwood (MS) four-star linebacker Frederrick Ford on June 4, The Wolverine's Ethan McDowell confirmed he is in Ann Arbor on Wednesday for an official visit.

It's a surprising twist in Ford's recruitment. The 6'5", 190-pound linebacker had five official visits lined up: Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Florida State, Tennessee, and LSU. And for Michigan to quickly get in there and come up with an official visit date — that's very promising.

Ford is a four-star on every service. He ranks the highest on ESPN as the No. 140 player in the 2027 class. He ranks No. 10 at his position, and when looking at the Composite, Ford is the No. 225 player in the cycle. It's clear he is one of the top prospects at his position and the Wolverines are gunning for him.

A queen on the chessboard

Ford appears to be a queen on the chessboard. He is versatile and lines up in different spots. The film shows Ford lining up at edge, inside linebacker, nickel, and some deep safety looks. He projects at linebacker at the next level, but depending on how Michigan, or whichever teams, wants to utilize him — he could move around.

While he is lean, Ford's build reminds you of former Michigan linebacker/edge rusher Jaishawn Barham. He is tall and packs a mighty punch. Ford doesn't shy away from contact — he appears to embrace it.

Ford also appears to have good ball skills and can contest passes, which is why he is lined up at nickel during certain packages. Playing inside linebacker would make sense, where the Wolverines could utilize him in both the run and pass game.

Would be a massive win for Alex Whittingham

Michigan has a storied history at the linebacker position, and while the Wolverines have seen good results — last season having Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder, and Cole Sullivan — recruiting hasn't lived up. Michigan is happy with the three linebackers from the 2026 cycle, but the Wolverines missed on all of their high-end targets.

Looking at the 2027 class, the Wolverines hit on Watson, but missed on Ethan Hauser — Watson's teammate — who committed to Vanderbilt over Michigan. But if the Wolverines were able to go back down into SEC country and land Ford, that would be a feather in Alex Whittingham's cap.

The Wolverines had already landed four-star running back Tyson Robinson from Brandon (MS).

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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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