Eli LedermanDec 28, 2025, 01:28 PM ET
CloseEli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.
Auburn football secured a major late addition in the 2026 class on Sunday with a commitment from former Michigan signee Brady Marchese, ESPN’s No. 8 wide receiver prospect.
A 6-foot-1, 185-pound pass catcher from Cartersville, Georgia, Marchese joined Auburn two days after he requested his release from the Wolverines on Dec. 26, emerging as the third ESPN 300 recruit to leave Michigan’s signing class since coach Sherrone Moore’s firing on Dec. 10.
Marchese, No. 60 on the ESPN 300, was previously committed to Georgia before he flipped his pledge and signed with the Wolverines on Dec. 4. He instantly becomes the top-ranked member of the Tigers’ 2026 class, which lost commitments from five prospects — including No. 3 safety Bralan Womack (No. 39 overall), quarterback Peyton Falzone (No. 225) and wide receiver Jase Mathews (No. 258) — in the days after coach Alex Golesh was hired from South Florida on Nov. 30.
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Six ESPN 300 recruits are committed to Auburn in 2026, including three-star wide receiver signees DeShawn Spencer and Brian Williams Jr. At least four Tigers pass catchers, including 2025 contributors Malcolm Simmons and Perry Thompson, have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal since the close of the regular season. The portal window officially opens Friday.
Michigan closed the early signing period on Dec. 5 with the No. 11 class in ESPN’s rankings at the end of Moore’s second cycle in charge of the Wolverines. Marchese follows four-star offensive guard Bear McWhorter (No. 210 overall) as the second former Michigan signee to commit to Auburn since Moore’s departure. Four-star tight end Matt Ludwig (No. 288) landed with Texas Tech on Dec. 12 after requesting his release from the Wolverines.