Kyle Whittingham has quickly gotten to work building up the Michigan Wolverines' 2027 recruiting class in his first offseason with the team. So far, the group ranks 24th in the nation and eighth in the Big Ten with five commitments.
The Wolverines have added several offensive pieces, including interior offensive linemen Sidney Rouleau (four-star) and Louis Esposito (three-star). However, Whittingham and his staff have yet to land a quarterback.
While many top signal callers remain uncommitted, Michigan has remained focused on a quarterback pledged elsewhere in the Big Ten. Kamden Lopati, out of West Valley City, Utah, is a four-star recruit, the No. 9 quarterback and the No. 122 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.
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With a handful of suitors, he committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini on July 27, 2025. However, they have continued to face pressure from other teams. Unfortunately for the Fighting Illini, things are trending in the wrong direction.
On Wednesday, Rivals' vice president of recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, logged an expert prediction for Lopati to flip to Michigan. Wiltfong has been correct in 91.43% of his 1,167 predictions.
Michigan has had its eye on the quarterback for quite some time. Lopati made his first unofficial visit to Ann Arbor on April 3, 2024. Even after committing to Illinois, he made his way back on April 3, 2026. The interest has only continued to grow with an official visit scheduled for June 19.
If Whittingham can secure the flip, Lopati will be a big addition. As a junior at West High School, he threw for 2,671 yards, 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns.
