Fast-rising 2026 linebacker Phillip Goodrich helped lead Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas to a dominant with over Fort Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot in the Paco’s Tacos Kickoff Classic last week.
Goodrich was part of a strong defensive effort that saw St. Thomas Aquinas limit On300 Michigan quarterback commit Carter Smith , the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Florida, to fewer than 150 yards of total offense.
“It was definitely a good experience,” Goodrich said. “It was good to get experience against another team before our big game against Bishop Gorman. Even with the win, we still have some things to work on. We’re going to correct that, so we have few to no mistakes against future opponents.”
Goodrich visited Michigan twice when he was younger and returned to Ann Arbor this summer for one of the Wolverines’ on-campus camps.
Goodrich earned MVP honors and came away with an offer from Michigan on the spot. Heading into the fall, it’s safe to say Michigan is a major contender in his recruitment.
“I’m definitely interested in Michigan a lot,” Goodrich said. “The culture there is very similar to what we have at St. Thomas. The championship culture is very similar. I like the coaching and the development. I also like the overall feel there. You can feel the championship energy at Michigan.”
New Michigan linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, a fellow Florida native, is leading the way in his recruitment. The two spent plenty of time together on the visit.
“It was good to meet him on the visit,” Goodrich said. “It was me, my dad and my grandpa. It was good to learn about him. He learned about me. It was a good start to our relationship. Hopefully, we can build that relationship even more.”
Goodrich was impressed with Michigan’s national title run last season and has high expectations for the Wolverines under first-year head coach Sherrone Moore.
“I believe they will do some great things this season,” Goodrich said. “Coach Moore is a great coach. He proved himself when Coach (Jim) Harbaugh was out. I believe in what he’s doing, especially with what I saw when I was there. I think he’s a good thing for Michigan.”
Goodrich is looking to get back to Michigan for a game day visit — potentially from U-M’s marquee non-conference matchup against Texas.
“I’m thinking about going to the Texas game,” Goodrich said. “I want to see the coaching. If a drive doesn’t go how they want, how do the coaches react? How do their team captains respond? Just the overall team bond. How they adjust and get stops.”
Along with Michigan, Goodrich holds offers from Indiana, Pitt, South Florida, Wake Forest, West Virginia and others.
At 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, Goodrich is not ranked at this time.
The post Rising 2026 LB Phillip Goodrich: “You can feel the championship energy at Michigan” appeared first on On3 .
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