Following Tristan Dare and Peter Bourque, another Michigan Wolverines four-star player has decommitted in the Kyle Whittingham era. 

Making it official on Tuesday, safety Darrell Mattison of Morgan Park High School has decommitted from the Michigan Wolverines after 36 days, per Zack Besaw of the RoundtableSports. 

Mattison, the very first commitment of the Kyle Whittingham era, made his commitment to the Wolverines on March 24, 2026. The Chicago native was a key 2027 class defender for the Wolverines.

As of March 24, he chose the Wolverines over Ole Miss Rebels, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Indiana Hoosiers. 

Analysts calling it the “Oxford effect” are pointing to the growing pull of Ole Miss Rebels, based in Oxford, Mississippi. The idea is simple: prospects are increasingly flipping or leaning toward Ole Miss because of what the program offers right now

More than a month later, the move just came in after his high-profile visit to Ole Miss during the "Double Decker" festival weekend. 

Even after his commitment to the Wolverines, the Rebels never really stopped pursuing him.

The 6ft 2in Darrell Mattison is known for his violent tackling. In 2025, he recorded 47 tackles and five interceptions. Also his three pass breakups helped Morgan Park to a 9-5 finish.

His decommitment is not good news for the Michigan Wolverines. It is the highest-rated defensive decommit for the Wolverines in the current 2027 cycle.

Under the guidance of Kyle Whittingham, the Wolverines have gained on-field success with nine wins in 2025, but the new trend could be concerning.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Wolverines’ recruitment ranking took a big toll after the news. It has caused Michigan’s 2027 recruiting class to drop to No. 40 nationally.

Now, the focus shifts to where Mattison lands next, and whether Michigan can steady its class before further movement follows.

Michigan Football Loses Two More 2027 Class Players

Head coach, Kyle Whittingham and his coaching staff had been constantly working on the Michigan Wolverines' 2027 recruiting class.

But the Wolverines have already lost two other star 2027 class players. The first one in the list is Peter Bourque.

Four-star quarterback Peter Bourque initially pledged to Michigan in early 2025 before backing off that commitment in 2026, reopening his recruitment. 

He had chosen the Wolverines over multiple Power Five programs, but the shift came as he reassessed his fit and long-term development path. His decommitment signaled uncertainty at a key position in the class.

The second name is lineman Tristan Dare. 

The defensive prospect committed to Michigan during the early phase of the 2027 cycle but later unpledged, with 247Sports reporting that his recruitment remained active with other programs pushing hard. 

His exit added to the growing concern around defensive depth in the class. 

Early commitments were made, but sustained pressure from other programs and evolving priorities led to reversals.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote