Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon and Georgia appear to be rising as Michigan fades in recruitment of elite linebacker

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Jerred Johnson | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 10:56 AM ET

One of Michigan's most prominent positions of need in the 2026 class remain the linebacker position. The seventh-ranked 2026 class has one linebacker commit, three-star SMU flip Markel Dabney. Ideally, Sherrone Moore and his staff would like to land at least three linebackers in this class. It has been tough sledding in that department thus far.

One of the biggest targets left on the board at linebacker is Nick Abrams. Abrams is a composite four-star talent ranked in the top 250 nationally. He has ideal linebacker size, standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 215 pounds, and possesses the speed necessary to play sideline to sideline and cover faster running backs out of the backfield. Simply put, he is a perfect recruit for Michigan's fast-paced NFL-style defense. However, according to On3 analyst Chad Simmons, Abrams is trending towards either Oregon or Georgia.

"The two I hear about the most are Georgia and Oregon"@ChadSimmons_ breaks down the Nick Abrams recruitment as he gets closer to a decision

MORE: https://t.co/UCpCrMIXVE pic.twitter.com/59lDLaLLTm
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) July 9, 2025

Losing an elite talent hurts; if he ends up going to Oregon, that adds insult to injury. Seeing Abrams on the other side of the field in the future would be a kick in the teeth. Sherrone and his staff are still pushing to get Abrams' commitment, but it does not look good. Competing against top-tier programs like Oregon and Georgia is always a tough proposition, and you certainly cannot win all of those battles. There is still some time left; maybe Moore and general manager Sean Magee have a revenue share or NIL proposal that could sway Abrams. For now, things do not look rosy for the Wolverines.

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

More must-reads: