The 2025-26 college football head coaching carousel is about to get wild, but for programs who can avoid that mess and mayhem, there’s major opportunity to be had in talent acquisition. Brian Kelly, (now former) head of the LSU Tigers was fired on Sunday, joining James Franklin (Penn State), Billy Napier (Florida), and other top coaches among those recently unemployed.

Michigan and Sherrone Moore should pounce now on a handful of top recruits they were already in on for quite some time prior to their commitments to LSU. The Tigers have 16 strong recruits already committed for 2026, but that’s certainly going to change here soon. Who are those players coach Moore and company should target? And can they actually be pulled away from LSU? Let’s dive in.

Michigan Wolverines should target four specific LSU commits

Deuce Geralds, Four Star DL

Deuce Geralds is the number one name that Sherrone Moore should be targeting as soon as possible when it comes to current LSU recruiting commits. Geralds is an elite athlete along the defensive line who also has played a significant amount at running back (at 6’3″, 275 pounds). He’s a physical force, but also has clocked in just shy of 20 miles per hour in full pads, which is absurd for his size. Geralds was a major recruiting target for Michigan all the way up until his commitment in August, putting the Wolverines in his final five options all the way to the end. They likely have to beat out Ohio State (a top finalist for him too), and perhaps Oregon or Ole Miss in the battle to flip him now.

Trenton Henderson, Four Star EDGE

Michigan was one of six schools to log an official visit with Trenton Henderson in June of this year. The Wolverines had already logged multiple visits and significant recruiting efforts with Henderson prior to that as well. Michigan was the only non-SEC school and by far the most prestigious program academically that Henderson was looking into prior to his commitment to LSU in July. Henderson is a potentially elite edge rusher who could come in handy replacing Derrick Moore here soon.

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Jabari Mack, Four Star WR

It’s no secret that Bryce Underwood could still use some more weapons on offense. Yes, breakout star true freshman Andrew Marsh has been looking phenomenal, but Michigan needs more than just him on offense in 2026 and beyond. The Wolverines already have a trio of commits at wide receiver in their 2026 recruiting class, but Jabari Mack could very well be better than all of them. Sherrone Moore and company go way back with Mack, offering him a scholarship over a full year in advance of his commitment to the LSU Tigers. If they draw on their long-standing relationship and early playing opportunity for him that might be enough to flip him now.

Havon Finney, Four Star CB

Michigan definitely needs to continue improving their cornerback play and Havon Finney would be an excellent way to try and do that. Finney visited with Michigan this past spring and had seriously been considering the Wolverines for sometime prior to his commitment to LSU. Finney is a long, fast, rangy cornerback who comes from a program that sends elite athletes off to play FBS college football nationally every single year (originally from California). This might be more of a long shot than some of the other plays here, but Finney might be the biggest positional priority that Sherrone Moore and his staff want to pursue.

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