Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan football LB target picks Bill Belichick, North Carolina over Wolverines

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Trent Knoop | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 8:58 AM ET

Michigan struck out with another linebacker target on Saturday. Four-star Cypress (TX) LB Calvin Thomas picked North Carolina over the Wolverines and others.

Thomas had Michigan interested, and the Wolverines had been looking at Thomas, but he decided to head to North Carolina to play under Bill Belichick. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound LB is ranked as the 254th-best player in the country, and the No. 18 LB, per the Composite.

#COMMITED
God blessed me with a home!!!#AGTG
Thank you to all the schools who gave me the opportunity to play at the next level! pic.twitter.com/mrW7mMG4oS
— Calvin ''CT3'' Thomas (@Calvin_Thomas08) July 12, 2025

With Thomas out of the picture, Michigan currently has former SMU commit Markel Dabney as the lone LB in its 2026 class. The Wolverines have also recently missed on both Kenneth Goodwin and Brayden Rouse, who committed to SMU and Tennessee, respectively.

Michigan will have to continue to recruit Nick Abrams, Anthony Davis, and DQ Forkpa in hopes of landing a couple of the talented LBs to help fill out the class. With Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham gone after this year, the Wolverines have a need to gain some LBs in the '26 cycle.

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

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