Sherrone Moore's Michigan lands commitment from four-star EDGE Julius Holly: Reports

Four-star edge rusher Julius Holly, from Alpharetta High School in Georgia, committed to the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday afternoon. He had over 30 reported offers and chose Michigan over Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, which were his top four choices.

The Wolverines extended their offer to Holly in late May, and his official visit to Michigan on June 7 set the stage for his decision. During his recruitment, he took four official visits in June, beginning with Michigan.

Julius Holly's time in Ann Arbor left a lasting impression, and he later evaluated the other schools by taking official visits. Despite a period where Ole Miss seemed to be the frontrunner in securing his pledge, Holly ultimately favored Michigan.

“In the end, I chose Michigan because of the combination of academics and football, what kind of staff coach Sherrone Moore has, the fit and how I just felt comfortable around the people," Holly told On3. "That was it for me.”

A key factor in Holly’s decision was the relationship he built with new U-M defensive line coach Lou Esposito. Their bond formed during Esposito's brief tenure in Memphis and carried over to Michigan. Both Holly and Esposito share roots in New Jersey.

Julius Holly also saw potential in Michigan under new head coach Sherrone Moore and developed a good bond with him.

"Coach Moore and I have been talking a lot the last few weeks and I am excited to play for him," Holly said (via On3). "He is the head coach I believe in and want to play for. I love being around him and he going to continue doing big things at Michigan.”

Holly recorded 57 tackles and eight sacks, along with three pass breakups last season. He is a two-sport athlete who also excels at basketball.

What does Julius Holly's commitment mean for Michigan?

With Julius Holly's pledge, the Wolverines now have two edge rusher commits in the 2025 class, alongside Jaylen Williams. Holly is the fourth defensive lineman in the class, joining Bobby Kanka, Nathaniel Marshall and Williams.

Julius Holly is ranked as the No. 25 edge rusher, No. 236 overall prospect in the nation, and No. 29 overall recruit in Georgia, according to On3. 247 Sports lists him as the No. 31 edge rusher and the No. 41 overall recruit in the state.

Michigan now has 13 total commits in the 2025 recruiting class, including defensive back Kainoa Winston, quarterback Carter Smith, running back Donovan Johnson, wide receiver Jacob Washington, Marshall, Williams, offensive lineman Avery Gach and Kanka. The class also includes running back Jasper Parker, offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, linebacker Chase Taylor and tight end Eli Owens.

The Wolverines' 2025 class now ranks No. 14 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten, according to the On3 Industry national team recruiting rankings, while being the No. 15 ranked class per 247 Sports composite. Moore's program currently sits behind programs like Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State and USC, keeping their eyes on potential targets like tight end Andrew Olesh and offensive lineman Hardy Watts.