Michigan football gets commitment from 4-star edge Collins Acheampong

Michigan’s football program missed one of its top targets early Friday afternoon but landed another shortly after.

Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic four-star edge defender Collins Acheampong announced his verbal commitment to the Wolverines in a social media post.

The 6-foot-7, 254-pounder is ranked as the No. 298 overall prospect in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite, and chose Michigan over 16 other reported offers, including Finalists LSU, Miami and UCLA.

Acheampong, who was born in Ghana, has only played one season of football, and that came as a freshman at Fairmont Preparatory Academy in Anaheim, Calif. Fairmont disbanded its football program during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Acheampong, who never played organized sports before immigrating to the United States three years ago, has transferred to Santa Margarita Catholic for his senior season, where he is expected to play a large role .

He becomes the 10th verbal pledge in Michigan’s class and the second defensive lineman, joining three-star Brooks Bahr. Acheampong, who took an official visit to Ann Arbor last month, originally set his commitment date for July 1 but decided to push his decision back a week. Although Miami reportedly made a strong push to land the talented edge rusher, Michigan was able to seal the deal.

However, the Wolverines, who entered the day with the No. 48-ranked class nationally, were not able to close with Detroit Martin Luther King five-star quarterback Dante Moore, who committed to Oregon Friday afternoon.

Two other top Michigan targets are expected to announce their college decisions Friday: Miami Gulliver Prep five-star receiver Jalen Brown and Colleyville (Texas) Covenant Christian Academy four-star defensive lineman Enow Etta.