Michigan and Ohio State have been fighting for one of the best cornerbacks in the 2026 recruiting cycle. But now a third school has joined the tussle. Louisville has entered the race for four-star cornerback Monsanna Torbert Jr.

Ohio Rivals Vice President of Recruiting and Transfer Portal Steve Wiltfong was the first to break the news.

"Multiple sources have indicated that Louisville has emerged as a contender, recently hosted Torbert, and have put an exciting NIL opportunity on the table," Wiltfong wrote.

That NIL play matters, since universities can't pay players directly. Both Michigan and Ohio State are expected to have limits on what they will spend on an incoming freshman cornerback, and Louisville is using that gap to its advantage.

Torbert made his official visit to Ohio State on June 12. He also visited Michigan this past weekend. He had initially committed to Indiana in January 2026, but eventually decommitted in May. Since then, his stock has shot up, and the offers have piled in fast.

Torbert is ranked No. 102 overall and No. 13 among cornerbacks nationally per the 247Sports Composite. And he has made clear that he is keeping his options wide open right now.

"I'm excited about all these schools," Torbert told Rivals. "I'm not leaning towards one more than others. I'm excited to see where this process goes."

That is not a lean toward anyone. All three schools are still very much alive in this. However, Torbert did explain what drew him to Michigan specifically.

"The new defensive staff," he told the press. "Defensive guru, the DC coach Jay Hill. Michigan is a powerhouse, they're always good. The DC/corners coach I have a great relationship with him."

Jay Hill's reputation is a real selling point for Michigan right now. But Louisville's NIL offer could outweigh that if the number is right.

Ohio State grabbed momentum after the Columbus visit, with expert projections starting to trend toward the Buckeyes. But according to AtoZ Sports, if it comes to it, Ohio State would rather lose Torbert to Louisville than to Michigan.

Torbert cancelled his Notre Dame visit to prioritize Michigan trip

Torbert Jr. had an official visit scheduled with Notre Dame for June 19 through 21. However, he cancelled it and used that weekend for his Michigan visit, instead. Official visit slots are limited, and choosing Michigan over Notre Dame shows where his head is at right now.

"I will no longer be taking my official visit to the University of Notre Dame June 19-21," Torbert posted on social media.

Notre Dame had been considered a potential dark horse in this recruitment. Removing them from the picture narrows the real battle down to Michigan, Ohio State, and now Louisville.

With Torbert hosting his final visit in Ann Arbor this weekend, Michigan has the last shot to make an impression before he makes his decision.

Do you think Michigan can hold off on Ohio State and Louisville to land Torbert? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit