Meet The Commits: Michigan’s ’27 class starts in the trenches

Michigan picked up its second class of 2027 commitment Monday from three-star interior offensive lineman Tristan Dare. The Southlake (Texas) Carroll standout picked the Wolverines over Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska, Washington and others.

He’s also the second interior offensive line pledge of the cycle, joining Louis Esposito, who committed to U-M pretty quickly this summer after earning his Michigan scholarship at camp. The Wolverines are off to a fast start with next year’s class, building the foundation for this group in the trenches.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of Michigan’s class of 2027 commits to date, highlighting both Dare and Esposito.

Three-star interior offensive lineman Tristan Dare

Commitment Date: Aug. 4, 2025
Hometown: Southlake, Texas
School: Southlake Carroll
Height: 6-4
Weight: 290 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 467 overall, No. 34 interior offensive lineman, No. 56 prospect in Texas
Other Notable Offers: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Missouri, Washington, Baylor, Stanford, Florida, Kansas State, Utah

How We Got Here: Michigan offered Dare June 4 and, less than two weeks later, the heavily recruited offensive lineman visited the Wolverines for the first time. His recruitment blew up after his first season at Southlake. He played a full season on the offensive line for the first time and earned a long list of Power Four scholarships. Dare took around 20 visits after his sophomore season, but the trip to Ann Arbor just felt a bit different. He quickly built a close connection to the staff and the university. Going into that trip, he had no plans to make an early commitment, but his first day on campus changed his mind. He committed to the Wolverines privately in July.

Three-star interior offensive lineman Louis Esposito

Commitment Date: July 20, 2025
Hometown: Saline, Mich.
School: Saline High
Height: 6-4
Weight: 255 pounds
Industry Ranking: No. 618 overall, No. 40 interior offensive lineman, No. 10 prospect in Michigan
Other Notable Offers: Louisville, Pittsburgh, Purdue

How We Got Here: Esposito is the son of Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito, but Louis still had to earn his offer. His recruitment quickly gained traction this spring after a growth spurt that followed his sophomore season. A few Power Four schools offered before Louis stopped by Ann Arbor for a camp. He dominated that day and earned his dream offer. The lineman always wanted to play for Michigan, even before his father joined the staff. He was the first commit of the 2027 class and plans on playing an active recruiting role.