Michigan will host Western Michigan on Saturday in the first game with Kyle Whittingham as head coach. The Wolverines will have a big, national visitor list in Ann Arbor for Sept. 12’s Oklahoma game, but this home opener against the Broncos also will have its share of high school recruits at it.
One of the top visitors for Saturday is Chillicothe (Ohio) running back Cartae Ligon, a four-star junior who the Wolverines have offered. He has been a top priority for running backs coach Tony Alford. Ligon has visited Michigan several times and has stated they are the leader in his recruitment.
“I have a great relationship with Coach Alford at Michigan,” Ligon said. “I just feel like, out of all the schools, they just show that they want me the most, and it just feels like home every time I go up there. They definitely treat me as a priority.”
Last season, the 6-foot, 185-pound Ligon rushed for 2,130 yards and 25 touchdowns. In his first two games this season, Ligon has 373 total yards, seven touchdowns and intercepted two passes on defense.
Minnesota, Miami, Virginia Tech, NC State, Kentucky and Indiana are the other schools he is considering heavily at this time.
Baltimore Mount Saint Joseph four-star cornerback Kinnard Mahomes is also is coming to the WMU game. Mahomes (6-0, 165 pounds) has a Michigan offer. Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are considered two of the other top schools in this recruitment. The Wolverines just offered in the summer, and this will be Mahomes’s first visit to Ann Arbor. He finished last season with nine interceptions, two returned for touchdowns.
Chicago (Brother Rice tight end Jack McNamara has held a Michigan offer for nearly a year. He came to camp in June and met the new staff. McNamara (6-5, 240 pounds) has more than 30 offers with Notre Dame, LSU, Oregon, and more on that list.
Saine defensive back Marquis Ray is a Michigan legacy who the Wolverines offered this summer. Most expect him to end up in Michigan’s 2028 class.
A large contingent of Detroit kids is also expected. Among those notables is Detroit King quarterback Amir Forris, a sophomore who started for the Crusaders as a freshman.
Allen Trieu covers Midwest football recruiting for On3. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Trieu: Four-star RB among top visitors for Michigan season opener
