High School

Elite Virginia High School Running Back Savion Hiter, No. 1 in 2026 Class, Commits

Lions' do-it-all star announced his emotional decision on Tuesday at Louisa County High School

Levi Payton

Louisa County (Virginia) high school running back Savion Hiter, a five-star recruit and the No. 1 running back in the 2026 class, committed to the Michigan Wolverines on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025.
Louisa County (Virginia) high school running back Savion Hiter, a five-star recruit and the No. 1 running back in the 2026 class, committed to the Michigan Wolverines on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. / Savion Hiter’s Instagram

The nation’s top running back is headed to Ann Arbor.

In a massive recruiting victory for head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff, five-star running back Savion Hiter has committed to Michigan. The five-star talent, a game-breaking force out of Louisa County High School in Virginia, chose the Wolverines over a who's who of college football powerhouses, including Tennessee, Georgia, and Ohio State.

Hiter announced his emotionally-packed decision on Tuesday morning in front of friends, family and classmates at Louisa County High School. Tears flowed from his face after making the announcement, with everyone on stage posing in matching Michigan regalia.

The move gives the Wolverines one of the top recruiting classes for the 2026 cycle.

Michigan’s success in the high-stakes recruitment was largely anchored by a long-standing relationship between Hiter and running backs coach Tony Alford. Alford, who had initially recruited Hiter while at Ohio State, immediately re-established a strong rapport with the prospect when he joined Moore’s staff in Ann Arbor.

That pre-existing bond, combined with Michigan’s physical, run-first offensive identity, gave the Wolverines a lasting advantage that proved too difficult for other programs to overcome, even after a late push from contenders like Tennessee.

Standing 5-foot-11.5 and weighing 200 pounds, Hiter is a true two-way star who dominated his junior season. On offense, he was a nightmare for opposing defenses, rushing for 1,698 yards and 26 touchdowns on just 156 carries, an average of 10.8 yards per attempt.

Hiter helped the Lions go 9-3 last season, reaching the VHSL Class 5 region semifinals where they fell to top-seeded Fleming in a thriller, 27-26. For what it’s worth, Hiter did his part in that game, rushing for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

His rare blend of power and breakaway speed (he’s reached nearly 22 mph), not to mention the production, is what has scouts so excited. 247Sports recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins likened Hiter's running style to that of North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, a recent first-round NFL draft pick, citing his uncanny ability to turn negative plays into positive gains.

But Hiter's versatility is a key differentiator. A man of many hats, he shows up in all three phases of the game, racking up 56 tackles, seven sacks, and an interception on defense while also returning three kickoffs for touchdowns.

What’s more, Hiter's a multi-sport athlete who also excels in track and field at Louisa County.

Hiter is the first five-star to join Michigan’s 2026 class and its 22nd commitment overall. He will be joining five-star signal-caller Bryce Underwood, now a freshman at Michigan, to form what should be a dynamic backfield duo for years to come.

Recommended Articles

feed

Published
Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

Home/Michigan