America’s 249th birthday is upon us, and in between grilling hot dogs and watching fireworks, Michigan fans at your Fourth of July barbecues may be checking their phones for some potential commitments on the recruiting trail.

Three targets are committing this weekend, so we will discuss that trio and more in today’s Recruiting Roundup.

Elite WR set to commit tomorrow

Calvin Russell, one of the top wide receivers in the 2026 class, is set to announce his commitment tomorrow night around 9 p.m. Michigan is one of the top schools heading into his announcement.

“I have an idea but it’s not really set in stone,” Russell recently told On3’s Steve Wiltfong ($). “(My top schools are) Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Florida State, Miami, schools like that.”

Russell said good things about Michigan on his official visit, where it was stressed to him that the passing game is going to expand under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

“He’s going to throw it,” Russell told On3’s EJ Holland ($). “That was pretty much it. He said they are going to throw it. I’m a playmaker, and they need playmakers. Bryce Underwood wants to play with a playmaker. I know they need me and not just want me.”

Being from the Sunshine State, the Miami native has also been in contact with former Florida Atlantic and current Michigan coach Dusty May.

“Coach May has been recruiting me since I was in the ninth grade, so it was nothing new,” Russell said. “It was great being around him. He’s a great guy and a great coach. He has a great scheme to run it up the court. He sees me as a 2 or 3.”

Not many other schools are pitching him playing both sports, so perhaps this is an advantage that pushes Michigan to the top of his list.

On the 247Sports composite, Russell is ranked 47th overall, fifth among receivers and fourth among recruits from Florida.

Other commitments happening soon

Two other top targets are committing in the very near future, including one that’s happening in just a few hours.

2026 four-star wide receiver Travis Johnson is set to announce his commitment at noon today, with Michigan, Penn State, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana and Virginia Tech are all still in the mix. However, four Crystal Ball predictions have been logged for Johnson to land at Michigan.

Johnson would join a pair of Texas natives in four-star Zion Robinson and three-star Jaylen Pile in Michigan’s class, should he so choose the Wolverines.

Additionally, 2026 four-star cornerback Dorian Barney is set to commit on Saturday. Michigan is competing with Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech and Penn State to land him. Like Johnson, multiple experts have logged predictions for Barney to pick Michigan.

Four-star edge expands on committing to Michigan

2026 four-star edge Julian Walker committed to Michigan earlier this week and is part of a six-man defensive line class for position coach Lou Esposito, who has been putting in WORK in this class. Speaking after his announcement, Walker is relieved to be done with the recruiting process and begin life as a Wolverine.

“I didn’t feel like I needed to wait,” Walker told On3’s Ethan McDowell ($). Both times I went down there, the first time I was impressed, but the second time was just a reflection of how impressive it was the first time. They got even more deeper into it, and I was just like ‘Why am I waiting? They’re showing you everything that you’re looking for.’”

Michigan’s coaching staff made multiple trips to Columbia, South Carolina to watch Walker play. Because of those efforts, Walker admitted it was easy to talk to his future coaches and form relationships.

Walker is part of a loaded defensive line class that also features four-stars Carter Meadows, Titan Davis, Alister Vallejo and McHale Blade, as well as three-star Tariq Boney.

“These are some dudes that I’ve seen and known for a little bit, and this happening, it blows my mind,” Walker said. “This is some stuff that happened when I was a kid, at Georgia, when they got all them dudes.”

Quick Hitters

  • Top-50 overall player, four-star athlete Salesi Moa, is also set to make a commitment on Saturday. The Ogden, Utah native is also considering Utah, Washington, Tennessee and Michigan State.
  • Donovan Webb, a four-star safety who had been a Michigan target for a while, committed to Texas Tech earlier this week.
  • A couple other targets are set to commit today — five-star offensive lineman Felix Ojo and four-star offensive lineman John Turntine. Neither are expected to choose Michigan.