Latest predictions tip Sherrone Moore and Michigan to edge out Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame for 4-star defensive target 

The Wolverines hosted a cohort of a dozen recruits over the weekend, inviting elite recruits such as Felix Ojo, Khary Adams and others to the campus. But the Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish had locked horns over the recruitment of a four-star defensive lineman from Chicago, Illinois. The concerned recruit holds the No. 155th rank nationally and ranks No. 4 in Illinois.

The elite prospect is Class of 2026 No. 21 edge McHale Blade. Following his Michigan visit, the scales tipped towards Sherrone Moore's favor, owing to the close relationship between defensive line coach Lou Esposito.

On3's Steve Wiltfong went over to his predictions and updated Blade's hot prediction take, replacing Notre Dame with Michigan.

"Move my prediction from Notre Dame to Michigan for Chicago," Wiltfong said. "He was one of the standouts in Ann Arbor over the weekend."

Blade has fielded interests from both Michigan and Notre Dame this season, despite his ACL injury, which kept him off the turf for the whole of his junior year. But his injury didn't hold him back from impressing recruiters, leaving them in awe.

"There have been no restrictions on him," coach Sinque Turner said per the Detroit News. "Every school that he's worked out live in front of have all been super impressed. Everybody has been saying he looks like he never had the surgery."

"He's looking like a brand new, fresh kid. He's 260 pounds right now (at 6-foot-5), looking good, athletic and strong. He's bending well, so schools are infatuated with him now after seeing that."

A few weeks ago, McHale Blade announced his top five schools, consisting of the Wolverines, USC Trojans, the Fighting Irish, Wisconsin Badgers and Purdue Boilermakers. According to On3, Michigan has a 72.8% chance to onboard the 6-feet-5 recruit, as compared to Notre Dame's 20.3%.

"Michigan has some great edge rushers" McHale Blade praises Sherrone Moore's defensive lineup

After Michigan secured the commitment of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood in December, Underwood has become an integral asset for the Wolverines to land recruits. On Monday, McHale Blade, who is set to announce his commitment on July 4, shared some exciting insights about Michigan's coaching roster.

"Man, I can just tell (Coach Esposito is) a great ball coach and, but most importantly to me, he's a great person ... I can tell he's really into development and developing his guys."McHale Blade said per the Detroit News.

"Just watching him at practice, Michigan has some great edge rushers, but I can tell that Coach Espo is looking to make them even better."

He further discussed the academic and athletic combo that he might get at Michigan.

“Definitely a great fit for me,” Blade said, per On3. “You get best of both worlds with Michigan. Great academics and great football. They also have a track record of developing great d-linemen. They are pretty high on my list.

Presently, Michigan's Class of 2026 consists of seven hard commits: Brady Smigiel, Matt Ludwig and Mason Bonner, among others.