5-star CB picks SEC school over Michigan Football

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Michigan came up just short for one of its biggest remaining targets in the 2027 recruiting class, as five-star cornerback Josh Dobson committed to South Carolina over the Wolverines and Texas A&M on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder out of Cornelius, North Carolina is ranked No. 12 overall in the class on the Rivals Industry Rankings, making him one of the most coveted prospects in the entire cycle regardless of position.

Dobson’s recruitment with Michigan never lacked effort. He took multiple trips to Ann Arbor, including an official visit the weekend of June 12, replacing LSU on his official visit list in the process. That gave the new coaching staff a legitimate shot to make their case in person as to why Michigan is the best spot for him.

However, South Carolina’s NIL offer was reportedly higher than any other school’s. Per On3’s Pete Nakos ($), “sources have said the Gamecocks are willing to go as high as $1.5 million to land (Dobson).” Furthermore, Nakos spoke with a front office staffer in the SEC that said, “South Carolina has not been messing around (with NIL).”

Losing a five-star recruit always stings, especially when it comes to money, but Michigan’s secondary remains strong in this recruiting cycle. The Wolverines hold commitments from five defensive backs in the class — four-star cornerbacks Monsanna Torbert, Blake Jenkins and Darius Johnson, four-star nickel/safety Tavares Harrington and three-star safety Charles Woodson Jr. — giving the defensive coaching staff a deep, talented group to build around even without Dobson.

Kyle Whittingham and company will now turn its attention to closing out the cycle with the targets still on the board heading toward the early signing period, but don’t be surprised if the Wolverines continue recruiting Dobson until he makes things official by signing his letter of intent in December.

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