Running the football and beating the opponent via death of a thousand paper cuts has been the main offensive strategy for the Michigan Wolverines for a few seasons now.

In this edition of the Recruiting Roundup, we’ll focus on a few players who can contribute to that strategy, including the latest intel on an interior offensive lineman and a four-star running back planning to visit Michigan soon.

But first, let’s focus on a five-star running back committed to a conference rival that Michigan is trying to flip.

Michigan trying to flip top ranked RB from PSU

Michigan is set to host five-star Kemon Small — the top-ranked running back in the 2027 class — later this fall, and The Wolverine’s Ethan McDowell ($) reported that Michigan’s staff is making progress.

Small committed to Penn State on Aug. 2, 2024. However, he confirmed to McDowell he’s considering the Wolverines and will be on campus for The Game against Ohio State in November.

Michigan offered Spell on the same day Penn State did last year. His stock has risen quite a bit since then, rushing for 1,700 yards on 11 yards per carry as a sophomore. On the 247Sports composite, the McKeesport, Pennsylvania native is ranked ninth overall in the 2027 class.

The pursuit of five-star Savion Hiter — the No. 1 2026 running back set to make his decision on Aug. 19 — looms over this. Landing top running backs two years in a row would help build on the Wolverines’ offensive identity.

Four-star RB set to visit this fall

Small is far from the only 2027 running back the Wolverines have their eye on. Michigan is also pursuing four-star Quinterrius Gipson. While he didn’t specify which game, he told McDowell ($) he plans to make a game day visit to Ann Arbor this fall. It also sounds like he has a good relationship with running backs coach Tony Alford.

“He doesn’t talk to me like a robot,” Gipson said of Alford. “He jokes around. We get on a call, he’s funny, he just doesn’t talk to me like a robot trying to recruit me. He talks to me like a coach.”

Gipson rushed for 1,683 yards on 7.1 yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns last season, while also catching 16 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns. He can be a versatile player out of the backfield, and Michigan is a great place to develop at that position. That appears to matter to the Marietta, Georgia native.

“A school where I see they can develop me as a player but also develop me as a man,” Gipson said. “I think that’ll be the standout where I’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, this is where I want to go.’”

Gipson plans to make a decision during the football season.

Michigan trying to flip another Big Ten commit

You need linemen to create holes for the running backs mentioned above, and Michigan has been busy recruiting those people movers this summer.

The latest target at that position appears to be 2026 three-star Kannon Smith, who committed to USC in April. Confirming a report from 247Sports’ Steve Lorenz ($), On3’s Aidan Sen posted ($) that Michigan has been in contact with Smith, who reportedly had an official visit to Michigan set for May 30 before committing to USC.

Additionally, Lorenz noted that USC’s seven-man offensive line class could play a role in Michigan touching base with Cannon, and that “I wouldn’t be surprised if Michigan led for a long duration of his original recruitment.”

You can never have enough offensive lineman, and it looks like Michigan is hoping to land one more to pair up with Malakai Lee, Marky Walbridge and Bear McWhorter before all is said and done in the 2026 class.

Sen also reported that 2027 four-star safety Kaleb Elkins is set to visit for The Game.247Sports’ Brian Dohn ($) reported that Michigan will host 2027 four-star linebacker Noah Glover for The Game.2027 four-star tight end Grant Haviland is set to visit for the Washington game, according to Rivals’ Chad Simmons ($).