Between the transfer portal and high school recruits participating in showcases, it’s a busy time in the winter recruiting calendar for college football programs, including Michigan. Let’s kick things off this edition of the Recruiting Roundup with a blend of the portal and high school recruiting.
Michigan recruiting the brother of upperclassmen DL
Family members of current players on the Michigan roster are almost always priorities in recruiting, and that’s no different under a new coaching regime. Ethan McDowell with The Wolverine ($) reported that Ndi
Etta, the younger brother of Michigan defensive lineman Enow Etta, is visiting Ann Arbor later this month.
Ndi is a 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker in the 2026 class and is set to visit Michigan on Jan. 31, right before the February signing day. He is unranked on Rivals and doesn’t have a profile on 247Sports, but he has offers from Michigan, UTEP, Austin Peay, Miami (OH), Sacramento State, Toledo, Army and Tennessee State. According to his Twitter, Ndi compiled 68 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and 20+ quarterback pressures as a senior at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas.
As the only Power 4 school to offer him, Michigan appears to have an advantage when you combine that with the family connection. This recruitment may be a chess move for the Wolverines, who are trying to retain his older brother Enow, who is in the portal.
If landing Ndi means retaining Enow, I think you have to take that deal if you’re Kyle Whittingham and company.
Coaches make at-home visit to 2026 four-star DL signee
2026 four-star defensive lineman signee Alister Vallejo isn’t someone Michigan fans have to worry about flipping. Vallejo, who could be a star at Michigan as our Sam Bernardi broke down over the summer, remains solid under Michigan’s new staff, with two coaches coming to visit him in his home state of Texas recently.
“I had a call last week with coach Whitt and Espo,” Vallejo told The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($). “(Defensive coordinator) coach Hill and (defensive ends) coach Powell all came to the house last week. Slammed on some breakfast tacos and famous round rock donuts. I’m going to bring some Texas to Ann Arbor!”
Vallejo got to spend some time with his new coaches, and it sounds like nothing is changing in terms of his impending role with the team.
“I was told not much is changing on defense, and the plan is still the plan,” Vallejo said. “My goal is to play early, and they definitely want me to be able to. I currently have my own strength and conditioning coach and position trainer I see weekly, making sure I’m ready come June.”
Micah Simon visiting 2 Top-50 WRs this week
Micah Simon, Michigan’s new wide receiver coach, is a busy man this week. Per reports from McDowell ($) and Marich ($), Simon is visiting with the following players today:
- Quentin Burrell, a 2027 four-star wide receiver from Chicago whose older sister plays on Michigan’s women’s soccer team.
- Dakota Guerrant, a 2027 four-star wide receiver from Harper Woods who visited for the Ohio State game. This will be Simon’s first visit to see Guerrant. McDowell also noted that while he’s not allowed to talk with sophomore Deandre Bidden (five-star, No. 5 prospect in 2028 class), it’s important for his presence to be felt at the school.
McDowell also noted that 2027 four-star safety Myles Baker, whom new cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford has already made contact with, is set to receive a visit from Michigan on Thursday.
Quick Hitters
- Tony Alford has been hard at work on the recruiting trail lately. Per 247Sports’ Blair Angulo ($), Landen Williams-Callis, a five-star 2027 running back, is visiting planning to visit Michigan in the coming months, along with Texas, Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State.
- SaRod Baker, a 2027 three-star running back from Texas, picked up a Michigan offer recently.
- Dillon Davis, a 2027 three-star safety included Michigan in his top five, along with Arizona, California, Missouri and Texas.
“I like Michigan because of what they stand for,” Davis told Marich ($). “They play a very physical brand of football and I love that. They also have the fan base is crazy and overall a very prestigious program!”
