Wolverine Digest

Michigan in recruiting battle with Ohio State, Tennessee for five-star prospect

The Michigan Football program is in a recruiting battle with Ohio State, Tennessee for five-star prospect Savion Hiter.
Chris Breiler|
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

In this story:

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan's top running back target in the 2026 class spent the weekend in Knoxville for a visit with Tennessee. And while reports suggest that the visit went well, the overwhelming belief - at least in Michigan circles - is that the Wolverines are still the team to beat for five-star Savion Hiter.

The 6-0, 200-pound prospect out of Virginia is rated as the No. 1 running back in the nation for the 2026 class. He holds offers from some of the biggest programs around the country, but the top contenders at this point appear to be Michigan, Ohio State, and Tennessee.

This week, On3 recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong shared the latest on this high-profile recruiting battle.

Via Wiltfong:

"I've talked to sources around Ann Arbor, I've talked to sources around Knoxville regarding this recruitment, and I get the sense that both those sets of sources feel like Michigan and Tennessee are the programs that have emerged in this recruitment. Now, Ohio State... they would say, 'not so fast.' They're getting Hiter back to campus this weekend as they try and make a run at a number one ranked recruiting class.

"I think Tennessee is in the thick of it. They're slated to get the last official visit for Savion Hiter, so these official visits are going to be key. You've got Ohio State, you've got Georgia, then you've got Michigan, then you've got Tennessee, then you've got a decision. I know that this is tight down the stretch for for him, but Tennessee very much in the middle of it."

Although Tennessee is making a strong push, the folks in Ann Arbor remain confident. Hiter was in Ann Arbor for Michigan's spring game and received another recent visit from running backs coach Tony Alford.

Hiter is expected to be back in Ann Arbor for his official visit on June 13-15. From there, he'll head back to Tennessee for his final OV before making a decision. With Michigan missing out on elite running back Javian Osborne to Notre Dame, it's critical that the Wolverines find a way to close the deal with Hiter.

Published
Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

Home/Recruiting