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Michigan Football in pursuit of 4-star Auburn commit

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated May 19, 2025 3:25 PM ET

According to a recent report from Rivals, the Michigan football coaching staff is working on flipping several prospects who are currently committed to other schools.

One of those prospects is Shadarius Toodle, a 6-3, 210-pound linebacker committed to Auburn. Toodle committed to the Tigers back in July 2024 but has continued to explore other options. Despite his pledge to the Tigers, Toodle scheduled visits to multiple schools earlier this year, including Georgia, Florida, and Michigan. In an interview with On3, Toodle explained that the visits were about making sure Auburn was the right choice. While it may be difficult to lure the Alabama native out of his home state, Michigan linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary has made Toodle a priority target.

On300 LB Shadarius Toodle (@D1Shadarius1) made his first visit to Michigan this spring and will be back for his OV on May 30 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/TAAKXLakdc
— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) May 12, 2025

Michigan's reported pursuit of Toodle makes sense, particularly when looking at what happened with another Auburn commit during the last recruiting cycle. Nate Marshall, a four-star edge rusher in the 2025 class, initially committed to Michigan, flipped to Auburn, then ultimately flipped back to Michigan before national signing day. The back-and-forth nature of his recruitment reflects just how unpredictable the process can be, especially in today's era of college athletics.

Michigan is obviously trying to find similar success with Toodle, keeping him firmly on the radar despite his commitment to Auburn. And with Michigan still working hard to build a 2026 class that has been slow in the making, head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff may find a way to make Toodle an offer he can't refuse.

As of this writing, 247Sports has Michigan's 2026 recruiting class ranked No. 47 in the nation. The class consists of five commitments so far, including four-star QB Brady Smigiel, three-star CB Brody Jennings, three-star EDGE Tariq Boney, three-star IOL Bear McWhorter, and three-star WR Jaylen Pile. While those are five solid pieces, it's clear that Michigan has plenty of work to do in the 2026 recruiting class.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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