One of the reasons why running backs coach Tony Alford was retained under new head coach Kyle Whittingham was because he’s one of the best recruiters at his position. January has been busy for Alford, who is pursuing a pair of talented 2027 running backs.
Four-star RB planning spring visit to Michigan
Michigan has yet to lock down a commit from a running back in the 2027 class, but Alford is working hard to change that. One of the players he is pursuing is Noah Roberts, a four-star ranked just outside the top-100 on the 247Sports composite. He
visited Michigan for the spring game last year and then returned for the Purdue game in November. Our fearless leader Von Lozon named Roberts as one of the way-too-early top targets from the 2027 class.
Roberts recently told Greg Biggins with Rivals ($) that the schools recruiting him the hardest are Oregon, Texas and Michigan. He has visited Oregon three times and Texas once.
“I like Michigan and the new staff a lot,” Roberts said. “They’re a run-heavy team. I watched them at Utah, and they always had a great running game, and I can see them bringing that over to Michigan. They’re a physical team, and I like the all-around fit for me.”
It doesn’t appear Michigan is in the lead for the Chandler, Arizona native, who has visits set for Oregon and USC later this month. But he did mention he was going to return to Michigan sometime in the near future.
“I’m also going to take spring visits to Oregon, Texas and Michigan,” Roberts said. “I might take a few more too, but still figuring those out. My plan is to lock in my decision after all the unofficial trips, and then I’ll just take one officer trip, and that will be to the school that I commit to.”
Four-star speaks on why he has Michigan in his top three
That isn’t the only running back with the last name Roberts that Michigan is pursuing in the 2027 class. Four-star Tranard Roberts — no relation to Noah — has shown interest in Michigan for a while, after visiting for the Washington and Ohio State games this past season. A native of The Villages, Florida, Roberts was set to commit to the Florida Gators this winter before the team moved on from Billy Napier.
Roberts has previously spoken about his relationship with Alford, and that connection has seemingly grown stronger this winter.
“He’s one of the best in the game,” Roberts told The Wolverine’s EJ Holland ($). “He’s like a father to me. We grew up the same way. We can relate on a lot of different things. We have simple conversations. It’s not always about football. It’s about life. He’s really like a father figure to me.”
Roberts continued to praise Alford, mentioning he loved seeing Michigan have “downhill, great runners” in the Washington win. He had Michigan in his top-five in October, and Michigan has only risen on his list since then.
“They are top-three right now,” Roberts said. “I want to run the ball. I want to get on the field early. Michigan told me if you’re a dawg, they are going to play you.”
Roberts plans to get back to Michigan for a visit this offseason, but no date is locked in just yet.
Four-start OT wants to learn more about Whittingham
One of Michigan’s top offensive line targets in the 2027 class is four-star Oluwasemilore Olubobola, a Jersey City, New Jersey native. He is ranked 69th overall and seventh among offensive tackles on the composite. He received his offer from in the fall and visited for the Ohio State game.
“I’m definitely interested in Michigan,” Olubobola said in a recent interview with Holland ($). “They are in constant thought. When I’m thinking about top schools, I think about Michigan. They are a good school. They are known for winning. They offer a great education as well.”
The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder has offers from more than 30 schools, including Ohio State, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Miami. Like many recruits, Olubobola seems cautiously optimistic about Whittingham.
“I want to know more about him. He seems like a cool guy. I’m sure I’ll get in contact with him and his new staff soon…I want to see how coach Whittingham changes the program,” Olubobola said. “I want to see how the new offensive line coach works with his players. I just want to see the culture, how the team looks and how they bounce back from everything.”
Olubobola hopes to make a return visit to Ann Arbor and meet with Whittingham and new offensive line coach Jim Harding at some point this offseason.
Quick Hitters
-2027 three-star athlete Peyton Higginson, a Salem, Utah native, was offered by new defensive coordinator Jay Hill. It appears he’s being recruited to play in the secondary.
-An offer was extended for Keaton Fields, a three-star 2028 ATH
-Michigan also extended offers to players with NFL lineage: Michigan has extended an offer to 2027 linebacker Sam Ngata — the son of longtime NFL defensive tackle Haloti Ngata — and Diesel Dart, a 2027 athlete who is the brother of Giants quarterback Jackson Dart.
