Michigan Football lands underrecruited linebacker; How Jaden Smith went from zero-star recruit to Wolverines commit

Jaden Smith, a three-star linebacker from West Charlotte High School in North Carolina, committed to Michigan on Monday. This adds even more to the Wolverines' already-loaded 2024 recruiting class.

He made his announcement on his Twitter page, saying he was "1000% committed" to Michigan.

Smith chose the Wolverines over USC, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, and more than 20 other schools that offered him a scholarship.

Jaden Smith was not rated by 247Sports until recently and flew under the radar of most recruiting services. Smith is the 19th member of Michigan’s class, which ranks second nationally only behind Georgia. He joined a talented group of defensive linemen that visited Michigan last weekend and were impressed by the program’s culture and facilities.

His stock rose rapidly in the past few months, as Smith impressed coaches with his athleticism and versatility. At 6-foot-3 and 201 pounds, he can play multiple positions on defense, ranging from outside linebacker to safety to middle linebacker.

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How Jaden Smith fits with Michigan Wolverines

Northwestern v Michigan

Michigan’s 2024 linebacker class is shaping up nicely with the addition of Jaden Smith, who is the fourth commit at the position. He joins a group that includes four-star Curtis and three-stars Sullivan and Ludwig, who all have the size and versatility to fit in the Wolverines’ defensive scheme.

Smith told 247Sports that he likes Michigan's defensive scheme and how it utilizes its linebackers. He said he can play either inside or outside linebacker, depending on the situation.

"I like how they move their linebackers around," Smith said. "They don't just keep them in one spot. They blitz them, they drop them back in coverage, they do everything with them."

He also said he was drawn to Michigan's academic reputation and its tradition of producing NFL players and wants to major in business or engineering and hopes to play at the next level someday.

Smith said he is excited to join his fellow North Carolina natives at Michigan and help the Wolverines compete for championships.

"I feel like we're going to do something special up there," Smith said. "I feel like we're going to bring back that winning culture that they had before."

Jaden Smith's commitment is another sign of Michigan's success in recruiting the state of North Carolina, which has become a hotbed for talent in recent years. The Wolverines have landed several players from the Tar Heel State in the past few cycles, including four-star defensive end Mario Eugenio and four-star cornerback Will Johnson in the 2023 class.