Michigan flips in-state OL Braden Chaffin

Michigan is dealing with a lot on and off the field right now, but the Wolverines have added another piece to its 2027 recruiting class, flipping three-star offensive tackle Braden Chaffin from Stanford following his visit to Ann Arbor over the weekend.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman from Sterling Heights Stevenson attended Michigan’s rivalry matchup with Michigan State on Saturday and has now pledged to the Wolverines, giving head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive line coach Jim Harding an in-state commitment.

Chaffin originally committed to Stanford in June but grew up a Michigan fan.

Michigan’s interest picked up after the coaching staff evaluated Chaffin’s senior film. He missed his junior season because of MHSAA transfer-eligibility rules but kept developing physically and technically before returning to the field this fall.

That patience paid off as Chaffin put together a strong senior campaign, showing the size, strength, and improvement that caught Michigan’s attention.

Rivals rates Chaffin as a three-star prospect, ranking him No. 36 in Michigan and No. 163 nationally among offensive tackles. The Rivals Industry Ranking lists him as the No. 26 prospect in the state and No. 109 offensive tackle nationally.

The commitment comes at an important time for Michigan’s offensive line recruiting. The Wolverines recently lost offensive line commit Sidney Rouleau to Syracuse, and Chaffin fills that opening in the 2027 class.

It also gives a recruiting win to a Michigan coaching staff facing considerable scrutiny after Saturday’s loss to Michigan State and the subsequent firing of offensive coordinator Jason Beck.

With Chaffin on board, Michigan’s 2027 recruiting class now stands at 22 commitments. His enrollment timeline remains undecided, though he could enroll early.