Michigan football recruiting: Wolverines looking to sway young lineman from Ohio State

Over the past two seasons, the Wolverines have seemingly closed the gap between themselves and the Ohio State Buckeyes on the football field. Now, that success appears to be bleeding onto the recruiting trail, which has been heating up for both programs as of late. This week, Michigan football recruiting offered a young 2026 Ohio State football target — a lineman from Avon Lake, OH.

After a great conversation with @Coach_SMoore, I’m extremely excited, grateful, and humbled to announce I’ve received an offer from the University of Michigan‼️ @coachkostelnik @DaleRodick @CoachLowe212 pic.twitter.com/J7Qa3Ugv8j

— Maxwell Riley (@bigmax2026) April 19, 2023

Michigan football recruiting looking to sway young Ohio State football target

Maxwell Riley — an offensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class — is the latest recruit to be offered by Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football program. Riley is not ranked yet, given that he is a member of the 2026 class, though he already has a long list of D1 offers. Of his offers, two of the most notable on the list are the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Riley already has one crystal ball prediction, it is for Ohio State, signaling that his initial interest lies in Columbus. Still, as Michigan football continues to gain a reputation as being “O-Line U,” the Wolverines’ offer could become more and more enticing to the young offensive lineman.

Heading into his sophomore season of high school football for Avon Lake in northern Ohio, Maxwell already has an impressive 6-foot-5, 263-pound frame. His commitment is still far away, though this is a name for Michigan football fans to keep an eye on as the Wolverines attempt to sway the Ohio State football target away from Ryan Day’s Buckeyes.

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