The official visit season is in full swing at this time of the year, with commitments and decommitments mixed all into it of course. Rivals national analyst Greg Smith looks at some key recruitments with SpartansIllustrated.com’s Seth Berry, Maize&BlueReview’s Trevor McCue and GoIowaAwesome.com’s Eliot Clough in the latest Fact or Fiction.
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1. Iowa enters Nic Brooks' OV as the leader in his recruitment?
Clough: FICTION. At one point in time, this would be an easy yes. However, Brooks has now had the opportunity to see some of the premier programs in college football. Though it's unclear as to which program has the lead for Brooks at this point in time, it'd be a tough sell to say the Hawks are currently leading. With a strong push this weekend and an emphasis on familial connection, the chance to get to the pros, and an opportunity to play early, Iowa can once again jump to the top of Brooks' recruitment. But for now, there's plenty of work to do.
Smith: FICTION. This is one of the hardest big-time recruitments to handicap because there just isn’t a lot of talk around Brooks or from the kid himself. The Hawkeyes did enough to earn his commitment earlier in the cycle so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up picking them again.
But right now, I would not say they are the leaders. If the door is open for him at Georgia or USC it’ll be hard to pass up those opportunities. Iowa is by no means out of this one but like Eliot said there is work to be done.
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2. Michigan State has a legit shot to flip four-star DE Bobby Kanka?
Berry: FICTION. After talking to Kanka following his Michigan State visit, there is no doubt that he is high on the Spartans and is building great relationships with the coaching staff. While the Spartans are making a strong push, I feel like Michigan is still in the driver’s seat and wouldn’t put this recruitment on flip watch at this point.
It hasn’t helped the Wolverines that they have had essentially a revolving door at defensive line coach in the past several months, but Kanka has made it clear that he wants to dig deeper with the new staff and continue to build those connections. So, for now, I think Michigan is still in a good spot despite the Spartans’ big push, and we will likely know more by the end of this weekend.
Smith: FICTION. The Spartans are giving Kanka something to think about and do offer an appeal as a potential program on the rise. The issue with these flips when you are getting the program off the ground is that you don’t have proof of concept at your current school.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines are the defending champs and have a strong history at his position. Once Kanka takes his official visit to Michigan this weekend, I expect him to reaffirm his commitment to the Wolverines.
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3. Brady Hart is the most important recruit of the Sherrone Moore Era so far?
McCue: FACT. With many people nervous about Michigan's perceived slow start on the trail, not only has Moore's Wolverine staff started to gain momentum and build back in 2025, but they now have made a splash in 2026. This is the earliest in a cycle Michigan has gotten its QB, and after misses with Dante Moore and Bryce Underwood in previous cycles, Moore and QB coach Kirk Campbell getting their guy this early has to be seen as a huge win.
Hart has the leadership and intangibles to a leader in recruiting the 2026 class as well. No doubt about it, Hart destroys narratives about Michigan's recruiting today and sets the standard for the future.
Smith: FACT. I could make a strong case for four-star defensive end Nathaniel Marshall to be the pick here. Marshall does play a premium position at defensive end, is a borderline five-star and fits the exact program identity you expect Moore to have in Ann Arbor.
However, you don’t pick against a quarterback in a question like this. This is all about timing as well. The questions were growing louder about the future of Michigan recruiting. Landing the No. 42 player in 2026 to kick off the class is huge. Hart could have the ability to bring other blue-chip players to Ann Arbor with him.
This commitment should have Michigan fans very excited about the future under Sherrone Moore.
MORE MICHIGAN: Wolverines among biggest overperforming programs in recruiting 2025 class
