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Michigan football flips ACC prospect to the Wolverines for 2026 class

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Trent Knoop | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 7:32 PM ET

Michigan football added its 16th commitment on Friday night when SMU commit Markel Dabney flipped to the Wolverines.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker committed to SMU last month, but the tides have turned in Michigan's favor after LB coach Brian Jean-Mary made him a priority. Dabney isn't a highly-rated recruit, but the Wolverines love what they see in the Richmond (VA) product. According to the Composite, Danbney is a three-star recruit, who is the No. 807-ranked recruit in the 2026 cycle.

Dabney wrote on X following his commitment:

"This recruiting journey has been nothing short of a blessing. I want to give a huge thank you to the coaching staff at SMU, Y'all welcomed me like family, and I'll always be grateful for that. After long talks with my family and deep thought, I've decided to decommit from SMU and officially commit to THE University of Michigan! It's time to go to work."

VA ➡️ AA #AGTG #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/E8XxDDdZef
— Markel “Kel” Dabney (@JustKallMeKel) June 27, 2025

BREAKING: Class of 2026 LB Markel Dabney has Flipped his Commitment from SMU to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’1 210 LB from Richmond, VA had been Committed to the Mustangs since May 13

“We just getting started, let’s work #GoBlue”https://t.co/fWnvyhtBC3 pic.twitter.com/Qf8evOjqnw
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 27, 2025

Dabney holds a respectable offer sheet from teams like Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others.

Dabney is Michigan's first LB commitment in the 2026 class, but the Wolverines are after a few more. Guys like Kenneth Goodwin, Nick Abrams, and Brayden Rouse are priorities for the Wolverines.

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

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