Wolverine Digest

Top Michigan recruiting target receives coveted fifth star from 247Sports

Jerred Johnson|
Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Michigan coaching staff has continued its methodical approach to the 2026 recruiting cycle. The Wolverines have made the cut for a handful of elite five-star talents and if they land a few could easily build another top 10 class in '26. The commitments have been slow, but the team and staff appear to have a blueprint for how they want to build this class, and they are sticking to it.

One of Michigan's top defensive targets, safety Joey O'Brien, recently shared his excitement on receiving the coveted fifth star from 247Sports. O'Brien, who is now ranked 30th overall in the nation, fourth best as a safety, and the number one overall player in Pennsylvania, took to social media to share the news.

The 6-foot-3 185-pound O'Brien is hard hitting safety with the ability to come up and defend the run. Moving to the D1 level, he will surely add 10-15 pounds to his lanky frame and could be a three-year starter for any program he chooses. Currently, the crystal balls for O'Brien heavily favor in-state school Penn State at 75% with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish second at 25%. It would be a heck of coup for coach Sherrone Moore and his team to pull O'Brien out of the clutches of James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, but stranger things have happened in the world of college football recruiting,

Franklin
Head coach James Franklin | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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