Michigan gets commitment from 3-star LB from North Carolina

Linebacker Jaden Smith from West Charlotte (N.C.) High committed to Michigan on Monday during a livestream on Instagram.

Smith, rated three stars by On3, had offers from USC, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, and Utah, among others. He is Michigan’s 19^th commitment to the 2024 class, which is ranked No. 2 by 247Sports Composite.

The 6-foot-3, 201-pounder Smith also is the Wolverines’ third commitment from the Charlotte area, joining quarterback Jadyn Davis (Providence Day) and receiver Channing Goodwin (Providence Day). He is Michigan’s second commitment in two days — Princeton (N.J.) Hun defensive lineman Owen Wafle, rated four stars by 247Sports Composite, pledged to the Wolverines on Sunday.

West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner told the Charlotte Observer that Smith ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, hand timed, during the team’s spring workouts. Smith played at 178 pounds last season, according to the Observer and has since added 23 pounds. His first offer came in December from Charlotte, where Biff Poggi, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s former associate head coach, is now head coach.

“He’ll be a guy others regret missing on,” Greiner told the paper. “Being fast and being stiff is one thing, but to be able to bend and still have that explosion and strength, people can see vision of you being 220 pounds and being a real problem in college. That was the case with Jaden.”