It was concerning news when Nate Marshall, the top-ranked recruit for Michigan football’s 2025 class, chose to take an official visit to Auburn.
Auburn and Miami have been aggressively trying to sway the 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive lineman, who is ranked 41st overall in the 2025 class and fourth among defensive linemen according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. Marshall committed to Michigan football in April after the spring game.
His commitment was a pleasant surprise, considering the Wolverines haven’t secured many top-100 recruits over the past two cycles due to their NIL approach, and top-tier defensive linemen typically come with a high price tag.
Hailing from Fenwick, Illinois, Marshall is currently the top-ranked commit in Michigan’s class, and losing him would be a significant blow. However, Sherrone Moore emphasized that Michigan football must be the right fit, and if recruits are primarily seeking guaranteed money, Michigan might not be the place for them.
If this approach results in missing out on top talent, Michigan might need to reconsider its strategy, a point I’ve argued for years. If Ohio State can compete in the NIL landscape, why can’t Michigan?
Auburn appears to be gaining momentum to flip Nate Marshall. Auburn has been achieving recruiting wins, likely influenced by NIL factors. Michigan football, on the other hand, can’t heavily promote its development aspect due to having a new D-line coach and defensive coordinator.
Wink Martindale is expected to do a great job, but he still needs to demonstrate his ability to develop players for the NFL, as do the position coaches. While Joe Esposito has a proven track record, Michigan’s new coaching staff might be a disadvantage.
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 reassuring for Michigan, and it feels like if the Wolverines want to retain his commitment, they’ll need to find a way to regain momentum.
