"The standard is very high in the building": Four-star EDGE recaps first-ever visit to Sherrone Moore's Michigan

Modified Apr 12, 2025 14:31 GMT

Michigan v Ohio State - Source: Getty — Michigan v Ohio State (image credit: getty)

Michigan has become a top contender for four-star edge rusher Julian Walker from the 2026 class. The Dutch Fork High School standout from South Carolina visited Ann Arbor for the first time last week, where he was warmly welcomed by Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore and defensive line coach Lou Esposito.

"Thank you @Coach_SMoore @UMichCoachEspo for a great visit this weekend. I appreciate you 💯🙏🏾," Walker tweeted on April 5.

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In an interview with UM recruiting insider Aidan Sen, Walker reflected on his experience.

"I really enjoyed the feel of the campus. Everything about the program was top tier, I really enjoyed the nutrition presentation," Walker said on Wednesday. "They just had a lot of really elite resources and the standard is very high in the building. I was impressed with the building's standard and attention to detail."

Despite a disappointing 2024 season, Michigan has proven the foundation to rebound and potentially return to its 2023 championship form. For top-tier prospects like Walker, the Wolverines’ focus on player development remains a major draw.

"They really are doing everything possible to develop you as a man and a player on the field," Walker said. "A lot of really good people in the building who are elite at what they do."

Walker is the No. 23 edge rusher in the 2026 class and the No. 4 recruit in South Carolina, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Michigan's biggest competition in his recruitment are in-state programs North Carolina and South Carolina.

Julian Walker plans to make an official visit to Michigan

Michigan doesn’t have an edge rusher in the 2026 class, which ranks No. 40 in the nation with three committed players. That is why the Wolverines coaching staff treated Julian Walker as a priority target on his trip last week.

"It felt great being there and meeting the coaches for the first time," Walker said on Wednesday, via Aidan Sen. "We had great conversations about defensive schemes and what they are trying to get done on defense."

Walker is working on scheduling an official visit to Michigan in June.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez