The 9th-ranked quarterback in the 2027 Rivals Industry Rankings has committed to Michigan, dealing a blow to Illinois head coach Bret Bielema during the college football offseason.

He had been committed to Illinois for almost nine months before reopening his recruitment on April 13. The four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati flipped to the Michigan Wolverines, according to ESPN sources.

“One day after pulling his pledge from Illinois, four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati has committed to Michigan, sources told ESPN on Tuesday,” Eli Lederman of ESPN wrote.

Before committing to Michigan, he also took visits to Notre Dame, Cal and Duke. Still, Lopati ultimately had a clear reason for choosing Michigan over the other programs.

“An offer from University of Michigan is huge,” Lopati told Rivals in March. “Growing up watching the tradition, the history, and the stage they play on, it’s hard not to get excited about that opportunity."

While at Utah with head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Lopati has built close relationships with both.

They visited ESPN’s No. 50-ranked prospect in January and later hosted him for a multiday trip to Ann Arbor this month, further reinforcing their loyalty and belief in him.

“The relationship we had before was insane,” Lopati said, as per ESPN, “They moved, but they kept showing me their loyalty and all that. That really means something to me.”

During his junior year at Utah’s West High School, Lopati threw for 2,671 yards with 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

With Lopati on board, Michigan adds him to an already impressive group that includes 6'6", 275-pound offensive tackle Sidney Rouleau. And also highly ranked edge rusher Recarder Kitchen, the No. 19 Edge prospect nationally, per Rivals Industry Ranking.

However, Lopati’s commitment to Michigan ultimately came after a very close decision.

Other Programs Kamden Lopati Considered Before Committing

Kamden Lopati had four main college options, and he spent weeks in March and early April deciding before choosing one.

He took time to evaluate all his options to find the right fit, while still showing respect to Illinois for being his initial home in the recruiting process.

“I just want to make sure my commitment's the right fit," Lopati told ESPN last month. "Illinois knows how I feel about them, and I know I'm a priority for them. They've always made me feel that way. But I want to be open-minded and make sure I've made the right decision."

Lopati cancelled a planned visit to Illinois before decommitting, and while he had strong ties to Michigan’s Whittingham and Beck, he also considered Notre Dame.

He described Notre Dame Fighting Irish football as his "dream school", per ESPN, highlighting its strong academics, prestigious degree, top-level coaching, and consistently high level of play.

However, now that Lopati has joined Michigan, all eyes will be on how he performs this upcoming college season.

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Written by

Monika Khatai

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore