"He’s what you call a Swiss Army Knife": Sherrone Moore's key target draws praise from high school coach

Three-star recruit Markel Dabney from Huguenot High School in Virginia has emerged as a crucial target for Michigan in the 2026 recruiting class. The linebacker wrapped up an outstanding junior season in 2024, and Huguenot coach Charles Scott shared his thoughts on what Dabney could bring to the Wolverines.

"He allows us to be very versatile in our scheme," Scott told On3. "He’s what you call a Swiss Army Knife.”

As a junior, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect made a big impact on both sides of the ball during his junior year. In 11 games, he tallied 45 receptions for 1,001 yards (22.1 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns, while contributing on defense with 71 tackles (11 for loss), two pass breakups, four sacks, two interceptions returned for touchdowns, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Besides his on-field performance, Dabney is driven to push himself to new heights.

"I know it’s a lot of people that would die to be in this position, I’ll never take it for granted💯! #WhereIsHome #LoveTheProcess," Dabney wrote on X Monday about his gratitude and determination.

Dabney is a standout at both wide receiver and safety, but he fits the mold of a star linebacker in Michigan’s defensive scheme. He is the No. 70 linebacker in the 2026 class and the No. 19 recruit in Virginia, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. His potential addition will give Michigan its first linebacker commit in the 2026 class, which has two pledges as of now.

Markel Dabney schedules his official visit to Michigan

Markel Dabney received the offer from Michigan on Feb. 5. Within such a short time, the Wolverines earned early momentum in his recruitment, as he is scheduled to take an official visit to Ann Arbor from June 14-16.

Dabney has also planned official visits to SMU (May 2-4), Virginia Tech (May 30-June 1) and Pittsburgh (June 5-7). At this stage, no clear frontrunner has emerged, and no crystal ball predictions have been made. However, On3 currently gives Virginia Tech the best odds of landing his commitment at 29.8%, followed by Pittsburgh (17.5%) and South Carolina (11.4%).