Another one that ESPN was all over, having him as a four-star, Michigan fans actually lamented when Paye committed, calling him a ‘Don Brown special.’ Once evaluators got their eyes on him, he rose to a higher three-star ranking on 247Sports and Rivals, but still didn’t rise to what he became: a first-round talent. High school: Darien (Conn.)

Michigan has just opened up the floodgates as it pertains to the 2026 recruiting cycle, with the first official visit weekend of the late-spring slate officially underway. As the Wolverines work to bring in the future crop of star players, that got us thinking – who have been the most heralded recruits that Michigan has brought in recently?

Michigan's other upcoming official visit weekends will have more quantity, but there is quality coming in this first group.