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Michigan Wolverines 2024 Recruit Requests Release From National Letter Of Intent

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Matthew Brown | Last updated 2/12/24

The Michigan Wolverines have not seen the mass exodus so many programs see during a coaching change. After Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore took over and kept the team intact. A few fringe players left, but there wasn’t a massive pool of players and recruits leaving. The cracks might be starting to show. Four-star athlete Jaden Smith requested a release from his letter of intent this weekend.

Michigan Wolverines Lose 2024 Recruit Jaden Smith

#Michigan four-star LB signee Jaden Smith requesting a release from his national letter of intent.

First signee in the Wolverines’ 2024 recruiting class to do so. https://t.co/H0suIEhVRa

— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) February 11, 2024

Smith committed last summer and signed the letter in December. A lot has happened in the program since then. Not only has Harbaugh left, but many of the assistant coaches have followed. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was a huge part of the recruiting process for Smith, and he is now the DC for the Chargers. This was likely the biggest reason for reopening his recruitment.

Big Blow For The Wolverines

This is the first big body blow for Michigan in terms of players. Smith is a versatile linebacker who can play multiple positions. He is the first player to back out of the 2024 class. Michigan hopes this is an outlier and not a sign of things to come. Moore was involved in much of the recruiting process, which is likely why we haven’t seen many players back out. Only time will tell whether we will see more players question their decision.

The Michigan Wolverines have been doing the right things, but player movement is inevitable. Can the program surprise some people and compete in the Big Ten in 2024?

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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