Cade Haug has spent months committed to the Texas Longhorns since February this year. This week, that changed fast, and the Michigan Wolverines moved even faster.

Haug, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound three-star linebacker out of Katy High School in Texas, decommitted from the Longhorns on Tuesday, June 23, after taking an official visit to Austin on June 19. Michigan offered him the same week through linebackers coach Alex Whittingham, per On3's Ethan McDowell.

"Me and him clicked immediately when we first started talking, and I could see a future with him being my coach," Haug said in the same interview with On3.

Haug made clear that relationships are everything to him in this process, and Whittingham gave him exactly what he needed to hear from the jump. In the process, he cleared up why he changed his mind.

"They did no wrong by me," Haug told On3. "We couldn't agree on terms and decided I'd have a better future seeking elsewhere, and they were very understanding of that and wished me well moving forward, and I did the same."

Whittingham reached out and offered on Wednesday, June 24. The two clicked straight away on the phone. Haug also explained why Michigan as a program fits what he is looking for on the field.

"Their tough defense, their gritty front seven, that's what they're built off of, and I feel like I can fit that role," Haug told On3 in the same interview. "Michigan as the iconic program, it's just everything that a player wants to get into."

Whittingham told Haug directly that he loves his film and sees a clear fit for him in Michigan's defense.

According to the speculations, shifting NIL opportunities and varying evaluations from programs may have contributed to Haug reopening his recruitment.

Regardless, his performance on the field has been outstanding. He finished his high school career with more than 320 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and six sacks, while earning consecutive First-Team All-District selections.

Right now, Michigan, Houston Cougars, and SMU Mustangs are the three programs in contact with him the most. Texas Tech Red Raiders and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are also keeping tabs, according to On3.

He cannot take official visits until late August due to the recruiting dead period. But this time, Haug hinted at taking time to make a decision.

Cade Haug is not rushing his next decision

After a quick commitment to Texas that did not work out, Haug is approaching this next step differently.

"I've had the conversation with my agent and my family," Haug told On3 in the same interview. "We're really not putting a strict timeline on this thing. We're just hopefully going to get it done sooner than later, but we're also not going to rush into it like we did with Texas and just take our time in this process."

Michigan is looking for a middle linebacker to complete its 2027 class and identified Haug as a priority target this week.

According to On3's 2027 Football Team Recruiting Rankings, Michigan is ranked at No.13 with 19 recruits. They have already locked in two linebackers, Frederrick Ford and Brayden Watson.

The next few months of relationship building will determine whether Ann Arbor becomes Haug's next home.

Do you think Cade Haug ends up committing to Michigan? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar