It wasn’t good news for Michigan football when Nate Marshall, their top-ranked commitment for the 2025 class, decided to take an official visit to Auburn.
Auburn and Miami have been making strong efforts to flip the 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive lineman, who is ranked 41st overall and fourth among defensive linemen in the 2025 class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. Marshall committed to Michigan in April following the spring game.
His commitment was unexpected, to be honest. While I was pleased, the Wolverines haven’t secured many top-100 commitments in the past two cycles due to their NIL strategy, and defensive line recruits typically come with a high price tag.
Hailing from Fenwick, Illinois, Marshall is currently the top-ranked commitment in the class, and losing him would be a significant blow. However, Sherrone Moore emphasized that Michigan football has to be the right fit, and if players are primarily seeking guaranteed money, Michigan might not be the best choice.
If this strategy results in missing out on top talent, Michigan might need to reconsider it, a point I’ve made for years. If Ohio State can compete financially, why not Michigan?
Auburn is trending up to flip Nate Marshall. Auburn is achieving recruiting successes, likely influenced by NIL factors. Michigan football also faces challenges in promoting their development aspect due to having a new D-line coach and defensive coordinator.
Wink Martindale will excel, but he still needs to prove he can develop players for the NFL, as do the position coaches. I’m confident they can, and Joe Esposito has a strong track record, but this might be a disadvantage for U-M.
After his visit, Marshall told Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, “It’s Auburn or Michigan. I would say it’s pretty close, especially after this visit.”
This isn’t what you want to hear if you’re rooting for Michigan. To retain his commitment, the Wolverines will need to regain momentum in their favor.
