Prized Michigan Freshman Calls out NCAA Coaches for Allegedly Lying During Recruiting Process

Prized Michigan Freshman Calls out NCAA Coaches for Allegedly Lying During Recruiting Process originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Michigan Wolverines landed a top 10 recruiting class this offseason led by Bryce Underwood. The elite quarterback beat out Ohio State freshman quarterback Tavien St. Clair and other contenders for the distinction of being the nation's No. 1 prospect in the class on many recruiting sites.

Joining Underwood in Michigan's recruiting class were offensive tackle Andrew Babalola, cornerback Shamari Earls and others who ranked among the top 10 at their position.

On Saturday, an interview was posted between Michigan insider Sam Webb and Earls, who is expected to wear the famed No. 2 jersey popularized by Heisman winner Charles Woodson.

During the interview, Earls called out NCAA coaches for not showing the same genuine demeanor as Michigan coaches.

"So, I remember talking to you, I think we know all of the twists and turns in your recruitment, but haven't talked about it on camera," Webb said to Earls. "What was it at the end of the day that made you come back around and said, man, I gotta go back to Michigan? What was it?" Webb asked.

Earls strongly considered committing to Georgia during his recruitment cycle and his final two were Michigan and the Bulldogs. He called it a "really, really, really hard choice."

"I ended up picking Georgia, but I thought it I picked it for a really lazy reason. ... I was just like, 'Oh yeah, Georgia, SEC football, best football team, that's all I was looking at was football," Earls said.

"But you know, Michigan stayed consistent, you know, they said they needed a corner badly, I could see it, and coach was like, real true, everything he said from the recruiting process has been true so far, a lot of coaches lie and switch up, but not here, coaches are real genuine here," Earls added, calling education, the people and environment in Ann Arbor as reasons he chose Michigan.

Earl's interview came one day after Michigan added a productive transfer linebacker to its offseason portal class.

With the season quickly drawing near, Earls has a chance to make a name for himself in a lineup that is expected to include a blend of veterans and youth. The Wolverines hope to improve upon the late season form that made them giant killers in 2024.

Related: Hulking Michigan Freshman Gets 'Superstar' Hype From Wolverines Veteran

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.