Michigan Offers '27 TE Christian Hanshaw, Whose Recruitment is Really Heating Up

The Wolverines have extended an offer to the unranked Utah tight end prospect who is drawing interest from top programs.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Michigan has offered a scholarship to 2027 tight end prospect Christian Hanshaw from American Fork, Utah. Despite being unranked, Hanshaw's recruitment has been heating up, with offers from schools like Washington, Stanford, Florida, and Texas A&M. Hanshaw has a connection to Michigan's new coaching staff, having attended a camp at the school last June when the staff was still at Utah.

Why it matters

Michigan is looking to build its 2027 recruiting class under the new coaching staff, and landing a talented tight end prospect like Hanshaw could be a big boost. Hanshaw's recruitment shows that star rankings don't always tell the full story, as programs are recognizing his potential even without a high ranking.

The details

Michigan officially offered Hanshaw a scholarship after a great conversation with tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham. Hanshaw has a prior relationship with Whittingham, who offered him after a camp at Michigan last June when he was still on staff at Utah. At 6'5", Hanshaw is drawing interest from several top programs beyond Michigan, including Washington, Stanford, Florida, and Texas A&M.

  • Hanshaw attended a football camp at Michigan in June 2025.
  • Michigan offered Hanshaw a scholarship on February 18, 2026.

The players

Christian Hanshaw

A 2027 tight end prospect from American Fork, Utah who has received scholarship offers from several top college football programs despite being unranked.

Freddie Whittingham

Michigan's tight ends coach, who previously offered Hanshaw a scholarship when he was on staff at the University of Utah.

Kyle Whittingham

The new head coach at the University of Michigan, who brought his staff including Freddie Whittingham with him from Utah.

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What they’re saying

“It means a lot. There are very few schools like Michigan and it's a privilege when they show interest.”

— Christian Hanshaw (Michigan Wolverines on SI)

“I am very close with the staff there. I've known Fred Whittingham for over 2 years now. It's awesome to see them on the biggest stage now, and I'm privileged enough to be able to keep growing my relationship with the staff.”

— Christian Hanshaw (Michigan Wolverines on SI)

What’s next

Hanshaw plans to continue building his relationship with the Michigan coaching staff as he weighs his college options.

The takeaway

Michigan's offer to the unranked Christian Hanshaw shows that star rankings don't always tell the full story, as programs are recognizing talent beyond just recruiting service evaluations. Hanshaw's recruitment is heating up despite his lack of a high ranking, demonstrating the value of building personal connections with coaches.