Michigan football players enter field for top-25 matchup at Illinois
Michigan players enter the field at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois for top-25 matchup vs. Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
It hasn’t been the season Michigan football hoped for on the field, but so far that hasn’t impacted recruiting off of it.
Late Monday night, the Wolverines hit a home run in the 2025 class, landing a pledge from five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola from Overland Park, Kansas (Blue Valley Northwest). The 6-foot-6, 280-pound prospect is rated No. 1 in the state of Kansas, No. 4 among all offensive tackles, and No. 21 regardless of position in his class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.
“Immensely gifted offensive tackle prospect who’s relatively newer to football and possesses virtually limitless long-term potential,” writes 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks. “Showing noticeably more block-finishing conviction as a senior. Outstanding physical measurables with a frame approaching 6-6 and 34+ arms with huge paws.”
Babalola, an elite athlete who has a basketball background at both the varsity level and on the AAU circuit, highly valued academics which is why Stanford was among his finalists along with Missouri and Oklahoma. Babalola had suitors from essentially every major school with Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and Penn State among his 35 scholarship offers, but in the end it was the Wolverines who were able to secure the massive commitment.
That now makes three offensive linemen who’ve committed to Michigan in the current high school senior class as he joins four-star Avery Gach and three-star Kaden Strayhorn. Babalola, who is the fourth top-100 prospect in the class, is the first five-star commit to pledge to the Wolverines since Will Johnson in 2022.
Michigan now has the No. 14 rated 2025 class after landing its highest upside player to date.
“Natural bender who plays with a wide base in pass protection, where he’s capable of consistently and effectively anchoring vs. strength,” Brooks said. “Originally a basketball player whose functional athleticism in pads reflects that background. Logged valuable two-way snaps previously in high school. Still developing hand placement technique and can more consistently exploit length to his advantage.”
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