Over the years, Michigan has courted the greatest athletes and tried to retain them at home. Jacob Oden, a 2024 four-star defensive back out of Harper Woods (Mich.), was a prospect the Wolverines moved on and recruited. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound player had a history with Michigan and its recruiter, Steve Clinkscale, who made an early offer to him while Clinkscale was a student there.

After promising to stay home and play for the Maize and Blue, Oden, who had 38 offers in all, finished his recruitment in February. He would visit his top five schools, Tennessee, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan State, and Michigan.

This cycle, defensive back Jacob Oden, one of the best players in the state, was kept at home by the Wolverines. He is a strong defensive player with good covering abilities, a high football IQ, and the ability to play any position in the secondary.

As he assisted Harper Woods in winning a state championship during his senior year, he is also a winner. Clinkscale has bolstered the secondary with another talented prospect who could eventually spark this defense.

Owen Wafle, a four-star defensive lineman for Princeton (NJ) Hun School 2024, had a fantastic junior season leading his team to an unbeaten finish, which resulted in other offers coming in. The Garden State standout committed to Notre Dame in May 2022, seeking a combination of top-tier academics and football.

Nonetheless, Mike Elston, the defensive line coach at Michigan, remained out of the spotlight while they signed the 6-foot-2, 290-pound player, and he resumed recruiting in May. Later in June, he would pay a formal visit to Michigan, and a few days after that, he successfully completed the transition to the Wolverines.