For the longest time, Michigan felt like the team on the outside looking in for Joshua Dobson’s recruiting. They weren’t even in the summer official visit list. But to the credit of the Wolverines, the No. 1 player out of North Carolina delivered a twist at the expense of Lane Kiffin’s efforts. LSU is out, Michigan is in. 

“Five-Star CB Joshua Dobson will no longer take an official visit to LSU,” Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported. “He’ll now visit Michigan instead (June 11-13) Dobson is ranked as the No. 6 Recruit in the 2027 Rivals300.”

The William Amos Hough standout CB had originally planned a loaded summer schedule featuring Auburn on May 29, Texas A&M on June 5, LSU on June 12, and South Carolina on June 19. Now, Michigan pushed the Tigers off to replace their spot.

That hurts for LSU because for months, they looked like the presumed favorite. At one point, Rivals’ prediction machine gave the Tigers an 85.6 percent chance to land Joshua Dobson. Then Michigan showed up with whatever Kyle Whittingham was selling and flipped the script. 

Joshua Dobson had already hinted this could happen. He previously admitted he didn’t understand why people were overlooking Michigan in his recruitment. But no one knew he was that serious then. Now his actions are speaking louder than words. When he visited the school earlier this spring, he sounded quite surprised by the experience the Wolverines gave him.

“They shocked me,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “The academics, alumni network and overall fit really impressed me up there. I am working to get back up there for an official visit. We have talked about the middle of May, but it is not set up yet.”

Now it is. June 11-13 it is. If Michigan lands him, it’ll be a great kickoff for Kyle Whittingham in his first year. At 6’1 and 185 pounds with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, Joshua Dobson already looks physically ready for college football. He also has blazing speed recorded at 10.78-second for 100-meter during his sophomore season. 

“Technically refined corner prospect with rare top-end speed and physical build,” Rivals’ Cody Bellaire wrote. “Excellent weight distribution throughout his frame… Explosive and fluid athlete with tremendous change of direction. Very calm footwork and patience in coverage. Does an excellent job locating the football and playing through the receiver’s hands. Needs to continue developing physicality in run support, but is extremely advanced in cover ability.”

Those traits would be very welcome in Michigan who are preparing for major turnover in its secondary after this season. 

What Joshua Dobson would mean for Michigan’s secondary 

Come 2027, Michigan would be without Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and Smith Snowden who are all expected to move on. That means Joshua Dobson would be walking into opportunity. The Wolverines still have young talent returning. That includes Shamari Earls who could play his way to become a future CB1. There’s also rising freshman Jamarion Vincent.

For their 2027 class, Kyle Whittingham also brought in 4-star Cal CB Darius Johnson. But Michigan also knows they need long, play-maker CBs who can be a threat against elite WRs. That’s where Joshua Dobson fits. Remember, he mentioned fit in his endorsement. 

Before we build castles in the air though, let’s remind ourselves that Texas A&M is still the team to beat. Rivals currently gives Mike Elko’s Aggies a 60.1 percent chance to land Joshua Dobson. Auburn and South Carolina remain involved too. But momentum in recruiting shifts fast, especially when official visits get rearranged.