No one is safe from Michigan snatching their elite recruits, including Hugh Freeze
By Quinn Everts
The college football regular season has concluded, which means the madness of the offseason transfer portal is set to begin very soon. But even before that happens, the Class of 2025 has been busy — we've seen tons of movement from the incoming freshmen, even some of the highest-ranked recruits, most notably quarterback Bryce Underwood, who flipped from LSU to Michigan.
Edge rusher Nate Marshall, the No. 83-ranked player in the Class of 2025, according to ESPN, will be joining Underwood next year, after he flipped his commitment from Auburn to Michigan. The Wolverines snagging two elite recruits is a pretty great sign for head coach Sherrone Moore, who is riding high after beating Ohio State in his first season as Michigan head coach.
Marshall originally committed to Auburn over the summer, and his flip came as a pretty big surprise for both Michigan and Auburn fans. After a down year following a national championship, it sure looks like the Wolverines are re-tooling for a massive bounceback year in 2025.
Marshall also had offers from Alabama, Miami and Illinois, but chose to help revamp the Wolverines defensive line.
Auburn still has a commitment from defensive end Jared Smith, the No. 35 ranked player in the Class of 2025, so help on the edge is still coming for Hugh Freeze even as Marshall is headed elsewhere.
Auburn's Class of 2025 still looks strong
Despite losing a high-level recruit and not even qualifying for a bowl game after finishing the season 5-7, Hugh Freeze's Class of 2025 still looks very strong. According to On3 Recruiting, the Tigers still have the No. 5 recruiting class in the country, behind four teams that will likely make the College Football Playoff.
That's a pretty bizarre list. Freeze has taken his lumps as a coach, but the recruiting remains top-notch even after Marshall's surprise flip on Tuesday. Auburn is still an attractive destination for high-level recruits. The next step is translating that talent to wins.