Michigan is on the cusp of having a top-10 class in the 2027 cycle and while the Wolverines are still trying to gain more commits in their class, there are some concerns of at least one player flipping. With Michigan struggling on the field, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see some of the commitments looking elsewhere.
Despite Michigan having the No. 2 defense in the country, one player who took a visit elsewhere this past weekend was four-star defensive lineman Xavier Muhammad. The Houston (TX) Shadow Creek prospect went to visit Texas in its win over Ole Miss.
Muhammad is a key part of Michigan's recruiting class. According to Rivals Industrial Rankings, Muhammad is the No. 4 ranked player in the Wolverines' class. He is ranked as the No. 106 player in the entire cycle and the No. 9 defensive lineman.
Texas has made Muhammad a priority
Michigan defensive tackles coach Larry Black was a big reason Muhammad committed to Michigan in the first place. The Wolverines made him a major priority in their class and Texas, the home-state program, was late to the party. But after Texas recently offered Muhammad, he opted to take a visit there.
And it met all expectations.
“The staff was incredible as always,” Rosalind Muhammad, Xavier’s mother, told Rivals. “They just expressed that this offer was well overdue, and they are going to make it a priority for him to commit to Texas.”
Muhammad told Rivals the atmosphere was electric and it was an environment he could see himself at. He grew up watching Texas and seeing the Longhorns take down Ole Miss in primetime was certainly a scene to be seen. Despite Texas offering him late, Muhammad had a good time and enjoyed reconnecting with the coaches.
“I’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point, and it feels good to see it paying off,” Muhammad said. “I feel like I’m a different player now, and I want to keep showing that on tape. Texas is a good program, and I’m excited about the opportunity and getting to know the coaches better. I’m just taking everything in and seeing how things play out.”
Michigan will have to make another push
With Signing Day around the corner, it's obvious that Michigan will have to make a push for Muhammad, despite him still being committed to the Wolverines. But Michigan has an easy sell for the blue-chip prospect.
Michigan has developed defensive linemen at a high clip and essentially no one has a better defense than the Wolverines have this season. The offense is a major concern, but if Muhammad wants to play for the best, it's clear that Michigan's defense is that.
As long as Jay Hill is around, Michigan should continue to have a good defense in Ann Arbor.
Sign up for the Michigan Wolverines on SI newsletter for more free coverage
Add us as a preferred source on Google