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Michigan Football Reportedly a Top 3 School for Elite 2027 Cornerback

The Wolverines are in the mix to land one of the nation's top cornerbacks
Seth Berry|
Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks as he is being introduced on the floor during the first half between Michigan and USC at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks as he is being introduced on the floor during the first half between Michigan and USC at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Michigan football looks to be in a good position for potentially land a four-star class of 2027 cornerback ahead of his official visit in June.

According to a report from The Wolverine's Ethan McDowell, Michigan "sits comfortably" in the top three of four-star cornerback Darius Johnson's (Riverside, Calif.) recruitment.

Johnson, according to McDowell's report, will take an official to Michigan on June 19, along with other OVs to California (May 28), Kansas (June 6), and Oregon (June 12).

Alongside Michigan in Johnson's top three are Oregon and California, McDowell's report stated.

"The Wolverines’ combination of high-level football and academics is something that really appeals to the blue-chip cornerback and his family. His recent trip to campus went really well. Michigan’s staff has known the Johnson family for a while," McDowell wrote. "Kyle Whittingham even recruited Darius’ older brother who now plays for Oklahoma."

McDowell also reported that Johnson's multi-day trip to Ann Arbor in March set the tone for him to strengthen his connections at Michigan, including his relationship with cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford, who Johnson is very close with.

Johnson's outlook and Michigan'c chances of landing him

In past circumstances, it would typically be an uphill battle for the Wolverines to land a recruit from the West Coast, even though Michigan has traditionally recruited from coast-to-coast and land players from across the country.

However, this new era of Michigan football includes Whittingham and a staff filled with West Coast ties, putting the Maize and Blue in a better position than ever to be able to land guys on that side of the country given relationships that have already been built, plus the Wolverines' resources and overall appeal as a program.

According to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Wolverines are sitting at the favorite to land the 6-foot-1, 155-pounder.

Michigan Wolverines helmet
Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A Michigan Wolverines football helmet sits on the field prior to the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Michigan Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

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Seth Berry
SETH BERRY

Seth began writing on Michigan athletics in 2015 and has remained in the U-M media space ever since, which includes stops at Maize N Brew and Rivals before coming onto Michigan On SI in June of 2025. Seth has covered various angles of Michigan football and basketball, including recruiting, overall team coverage and feature/analysis stories relating to the Wolverines. His passion for Michigan sports and desire to tell stories led him to the sports journalism world. He is a 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University and is the former sports editor of the Western Herald, WMU's student newspaper.

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