Michigan football moves up in national recruiting rankings with latest commitment

Just a couple days removed from his official visit to Ann Arbor, four-star EDGE McHale Blade has committed to Michigan football. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Simeon High (Chicago, Ill.) product has high upside given his size.

Before Blade committed, the Wolverines’ 2026 recruiting class ranked 17th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten. After his pledge, Michigan is still at No. 5 in the conference, but moved up to No. 15 on the national list.

McHale Blade boosts Michigan recruiting rankings

On3’s Industry Rankings have Blade as the No. 21 EDGE in the country and No. 155 overall player. Only QB Brady Smigiel (No. 90 overall) and TE Matt Ludwig (No. 129) rank higher among 2026 commits.

New: Naz Hillmon is Going Off For the Atlanta Dream

Blade said he made up his mind as soon as he got to Ann Arbor last weekend.

“I have known Michigan for a while. It was always them and Notre Dame on top of my list. When I got on campus this weekend, around the people, I knew where I wanted to be,” Blade told On3. “When I was on the visit, I kind of knew. When I left, I told coach Espo and coach Moore how I was feeling.

“From day one, Michigan has been a top school. They have the best of both worlds with the academic piece and the NFL development. The Chicago to Michigan pipeline is real. I know guys there and I want to keep that pipeline going. Michigan is where I want to be.”

Blade is the second EDGE to commit to Michigan from the class of 2026, joining three-star Tariq Boney. Just over a week into June, the Wolverines have eight commits: Blade, Boney, Smigiel, Ludwig, CB Brody Jennings, TE Mason Bonner, OL Bear McWhorter and WR Jaylen Pile.

More: Analyzing how Vlad Goldin could help the Detroit Pistons

Michigan fans will hope the commitment of Blade is the beginning of another successful summer in recruiting.

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. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms