IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida is one of the top high school football programs in the country.
On Sunday, Michigan football received two commitments from the national powerhouse. Four-star running back Donovan Johnson was the first to announce his verbal pledge before three-star offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn followed suit later in the evening.
Here’s what their commitments mean for the Wolverines:
– It has been a remarkable month on the recruiting trail for Michigan after a vexing start to the 2025 cycle. The pressure was on first-year head coach Sherrone Moore and his revamped staff to begin delivering some results with the program coming off a national championship, and they have. The Wolverines are up to 10 commits in the 2025 class after beginning the month with five. And that doesn’t include a verbal pledge from four-star quarterback Brady Hart, a top-100 prospect in the 2026 class.
– More than a dozen 2025 recruits ventured to Ann Arbor this month for official visits, and Michigan appeared to make a strong impression on most, especially for “Victors Weekend” June 21-22. Johnson and Strayhorn were both on campus for their officials, and the Wolverines also are trending to land a few other prospects: four-star tight end Andrew Olesh, four-star receiver Jacob Washington, four-star offensive lineman Hardy Watts, four-star defensive lineman Maxwell Roy, three-star receiver Phillip Wright and three-star linebacker Chase Taylor.
– They’ve climbed into the top 30 in the 247Sports Composite national rankings and now sit No. 7 in the Big Ten. More importantly, the average rating of their commits is good for seventh in the country, a large improvement from the previous two cycles. Johnson is ranked as the No. 232 overall prospect, while Strayhorn is No. 435. All 10 commits are inside the top 500.
– Johnson’s ranking could fluctuate the most this upcoming year given his circumstance. He was a top-100 prospect as a sophomore but has dropped significantly after missing his entire junior year because of a torn ACL. If the 6-foot, 205-pounder can return to form, he could be a major steal in this class.
– Strayhorn might be rated as a three-star but he’s considered one of the top center prospects this cycle. He has an impressive offers list that includes Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Texas and Tennessee. He also is a Michigan native and a Michigan State legacy. Both of his parents were Spartans, and his father, Jason Strayhorn, was a defensive lineman on the football team. MSU was in the mix early in his recruitment, but he has been focused on other schools recently. Strayhorn, who began his high school career at Detroit Catholic Central before transferring to IMG before his sophomore year, took an official visit to OSU this month, but Michigan was able to seal the deal on his visit to Ann Arbor.
– After signing five offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle, Michigan doesn’t need to load up at the position this year. Strayhorn is the second in the 2025 class, joining Birmingham Groves four-star Avery Gach. Both are projected to play along the interior, so expect Michigan to add at least one tackle this cycle, but they also are currently the reported leader for Brookline (Mass.) Dexter School four-star interior lineman Hardy Watts, who also visited last weekend. Moore continues to emphasize the importance of building a team from up front, and it’s showing on the recruiting trail.
– The Wolverines should be set at running back this cycle with two committed at the position. New position coach Tony Alford didn’t waste much time landing his guys and quickly pivoted once one of his top targets, four-star Marquise Davis, committed to Kentucky out of the blue earlier this spring. Marrero (La.) Archbishop Shaw three-star Jasper Parker pledged June 15, giving Michigan two backs who stand at least 6 feet.
– Michigan has had success recruiting at IMG in the past, landing notable players such as Cesar Ruiz, J.J. McCarthy, DJ Turner, Greg Crippen and Keon Sabb. The Wolverines might not be done plucking talent from IMG this cycle, either. Four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, a top-100 prospect, also took his official visit to Michigan last weekend, while four-star cornerback Alex Graham, a Michigan native, remains in contact with the Wolverines despite being committed to Colorado.