The Michigan Wolverines flipped three-star offensive tackle Braden Chaffin from Stanford on Wednesday, adding the Sterling Heights, Mich., product to their 2027 recruiting class.
Chaffin told Hayes Fawcett of Rivals about the decision. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman had been committed to the Cardinal since June 1.
His pledge is the 23rd in Michigan’s 2027 class and the fourth from an offensive lineman. Chaffin joins four-star prospects Jakari Lipsey and Lincoln Mageo and three-star Louis Esposito at the position.
Michigan lost an offensive line commitment last week when three-star Sidney Rouleau backed out of the class.
The flip came in the middle of a turbulent week for first-year coach Kyle Whittingham.
Michigan State beat the Wolverines 15-6 on Saturday in Ann Arbor, dropping Michigan to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play. Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr threw two interceptions and finished with 138 passing yards.
On Sunday, the program announced that offensive coordinator Jason Beck had been relieved of his duties. Whittingham said in the release that the results had not matched the program’s desired outcome and that “a change in leadership was required for our offense.”
Offensive line coach Jim Harding is serving as interim offensive coordinator for the rest of the regular season. Whittingham will conduct a national search for Beck’s permanent replacement.
Harding is also the coach who pursued Chaffin.
Allen Trieu of Rivals reported Nov. 2 that Michigan had made Chaffin a new senior target. In a column for The Detroit News, Trieu wrote that Harding called with a scholarship offer after reviewing Chaffin’s full senior season of film.
Chaffin then took an official visit for the Michigan State game. In the Rivals report on his flip, he described Michigan as his dream school and said the coordinator change did not shake his confidence in the staff.
“I’ve wanted to play there my entire life, from when I started playing football,” Chaffin told Rivals.
His path to the offer was not a straight line. Chaffin transferred from University of Detroit Jesuit to Stevenson and was ruled ineligible for his junior season under state transfer rules, according to SB Nation’s Maize n Brew.
Stevenson offensive line coach Maxwell Green told Rivals the senior film was the turning point. “We really knew once the tape came out, it would happen,” Green said.
On3’s industry ranking lists Chaffin as the No. 1,545 overall prospect and the No. 109 offensive tackle in the 2027 class. He also held offers from UCLA, Northwestern, Minnesota and Louisville.
Like every pledge in the class, Chaffin’s commitment remains nonbinding until he signs.
The focus shifts back to the field this weekend. Michigan plays at Oregon on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1 at Autzen Stadium, Harding’s first game as interim offensive coordinator.
The Wolverines host UCLA on Nov. 21 before closing the regular season at Ohio State on Nov. 28.
