With just under two months until early signing day, Michigan still only has one linebacker committed in its 2026 recruiting class.

However, the Wolverines are a top contender for one of the fastest rising prospects at the position. Englewood (Colo.) Cherry Creek four-star prospect Braylon Hodge named Michigan, Texas and Oregon his final three schools this week.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder officially decommitted from Michigan State on Friday, although he has been exploring other options for a while. Hodge's rating, according to the 247Sports Composite, has climbed from .8678 in June to .9089 now. He is ranked as the No. 275 overall player and No. 18 linebacker in the country, picking up a handful of notable offers this fall.

(Highlights embedded with permission from Hudl)

That includes the Wolverines. He visited Ann Arbor for Michigan's 24-10 victory over Wisconsin on Oct. 4 before visiting Oregon last week. He also plans on taking another trip to Texas before making his final decision.

"What stands out to me about the Wolverines is how tough and competitive the program is," Hodge told MLive. "(Linebackers) coach Brian Jean-Mary brings great energy, and you can tell he really cares about developing his guys on and off the field."

Hodge originally pledged to the Spartans in June but reopened his recruitment a day before MSU was defeated 38-13 by UCLA at home. With Michigan set to lose two starting linebackers after this season in Ernest Hausmann and Jaishan Barham, who also splits reps at edge, the position is a priority for the Wolverines this cycle.

Three-star Markel Dabney is the lone linebacker committed, although Michigan is in the mix for several prospects, including Hodge. It's class ranks 10th nationally and consists of 22 verbal pledges.

This season, Hodge has 90 tackles, including seven for loss and an interception in seven games for undefeated Cherry Creek.