Michigan Wolverines dealt a significant off-field blow just ahead of their 2024 season-opener

The buzz became reality Friday morning. 2025 four-star defensive lineman Nate Marshall flipped his commitment from the Wolverines to the Auburn Tigers, dealing the Wolverines a significant blow to their 2025 recruiting class.

Marshall, an initial big-win recruit for Sherrone Moore's first recruiting class, was committed to Michigan for months before his flip.

At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Marshall is ranked as the sixth-best defensive lineman and No. 46 overall prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking. Marshall was the second-ranked recruit in the state of Illinois. He was the third-highest-ranked recruit in Michigan's class.  Marshall was one of four defensive linemen committed to the Wolverines in 2025 and was their highest-ranked DL.

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Marshall's commitment moved the Auburn Tigers into the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the 2025 cycle.

Michigan still holds the 14th-ranked 2025 class and third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Oregon. However, the gap has narrowed with two Big Ten schools just behind the Wolverines in Penn State and USC.

The Wolverines still hold commitments from four top-100 recruits in DB Ivan Taylor and Kainoa Winston, WR Andrew Marsh, TE Andrew Olesh. Expect Michigan to target at least one more defensive lineman to fill in the gap left behind by Marshall's flip.

Michigan's 2025 commits

• CB Ivan Taylor
• SAF Kainoa Winston
• WR Andrew Marsh
• TE Andrew Olesh
• DL Jaylen Williams
• OT Avery Gach
• CB Jayden Sanders
• QB Carter Smith
• DL Bobby Kanka
• WR Jacob Washington
• EDGE Julius Holly
• RB Donovan Johnson
• TE Eli Owens
• IOL Kaden Strayhorn
• RB Jasper Parker
• LB Chase Taylor