Major Michigan Football Commit Wants To Leave UM

The loss of Jim Harbaugh was somewhat expected in Ann Arbor following the Wolverines’ national title run last season; however, it changes quite a bit for the Maize and Blue nonetheless. Over the weekend, a major Michigan football commit — four-star defender Jaden Smith — requested that the University of Michigan release him from his letter of intent to play for U-M under Sherrone Moore.

Major Michigan football commit de-commits from UM with Jim Harbaugh gone

When Jaden Smith agreed to play for Michigan football, it was when Jim Harbaugh was head coach and Jesse Minter was defensive coordinator. Now that things are changing in Ann Arbor, and Sherrone Moore is head coach, Smith is no longer looking to suit up in the winged helmet heading into the 2024 season.

Over the weekend, the four-star linebacker requested that the University of Michigan release him from his letter of intent — something that Michigan will more than likely approve of, especially since Jim Harbaugh is out of the picture. Per the On3 rankings, Jaden Smith is the No. 278 overall player nationally, the No. 19 linebacker nationally, and the No. 12 player in the state of North Carolina. It’s a notable loss for Michigan football, but it’s nothing that Sherrone Moore and his Wolverines cannot recover from, especially with a new-found emphasis on recruiting.

Statement from Jaden Smith

Below is Smith’s official statement regarding his decision to leave the University of Michigan football program.

“First off, I’d like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to further my education and athletic career. I’d like to thank Coach Harbaugh, Coach Partridge, Coach Minter, Coach Clink, Coach Jay Harbaugh, Coach JB, Coach Roney, Coach Herb and Coach Rick Minter for believing in me. Y’all are family and I hope our football paths cross again in the future. Christina, Albert, Sam, Abigail, CB, Coach Claiborne, Coach Robinson, Blair and Coach LaTroy… y’all are the best in the business. With that said, after much prayer and deliberation, I’ve made the decision to formally request my release from my NLI. This was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life. Forever grateful for Coach Moore and The University of Michigan.”

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!