Now that Michigan has wrapped up its spring football period, the U-M staff has transitioned focus to the recruiting world, sending out offers left and right over the past week. Overall, the Wolverines are targeting some of the top recruits in the country, and that description rings true for 2026 Charlotte (NC) Independance linebacker Dallas Brannon.

“I was super excited when I found out,” Brannon told Wolverine Digest. “I had no idea it was going to happen.”

Checking in at 6-2 and 205 pounds, Brannon dominated throughout his sophomore season to the tune of 147 tackles, and his voluminous production is evident all throughout his highlight tape on Hudl. Brannon played pretty centrally within his team’s defense, which makes sense given his speed, play recognition and athleticism. He’s the type of player that, one way or another, always found his way to the football and logged a ton of tackles in the process. 

From a recruiting perspective, Brannon has had an eventful last five weeks. Since April 1, the blue chip prospect has visited Tennessee, Wake Forest, South Carolina and Miami while also landing offers from Mississippi State, USC and most recently Michigan during that time period. 

“I know [Michigan] has a tradition of very good defenses and the atmosphere in their stadium is unlike any other,” Brannon said. “I definitely plan to try and get up there. I want to tour the campus, meet the rest of the staff and see the facilities.”

When Brannon mentions meeting the rest of the staff, he’s referring to a pre-existing relationship he has with Michigan’s defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach, Brian Jean-Mary.

“I only have met with coach BJ,” Brannon said. “Me and him had previously connected when he was at Tennessee, and I’m really excited to be recruited by him again with him at Michigan.” 

READ MORE: Will Johnson Already Being Compared To One Of The Best Cornerbacks In The NFL

So, Brannon is familiar with Michigan’s culture and tradition, plus he’s already forged a relationship with coach Jean-Mary. The next step is for the Wolverines to host the coveted 2026 defender for a visit.

What position groups should Michigan recruit the hardest moving forward? Let us know and follow @EricJRutter, @mlounsberry_SI and @BSB_Wolverine on Twitter for more Michigan Athletics updates on Wolverine Digest.

Hours after an outbreak of severe weather impacted dozens of states, experts in the field of geospatial data were busy surveying neighborhoods in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, and Portage, Michigan – both impacted by tornadoes.

Geospatial Insurance Consortium released aerial imagery of what the communities looked like before and after the tornadoes struck, and photos show the erratic characteristics of one of Mother Nature’s most powerful forces.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma, showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium  / FOX Weather)

Many trees appeared to be de-leafed or even snapped at their bases.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Tulsa determined that the tornado that struck the community maxed out an EF-4 strength with winds around 166-200 mph.

Local authorities reported more than three dozen homes were either damaged or destroyed, and one person was killed.

SCAR OF DEVASTATING OKLAHOMA EF-4 TORNADO CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE

The same storm system produced tornadoes in Michigan, with an EF-2 tearing a path through the town of Portage in Kalamazoo County.

Local meteorologists determined the twister to have winds in the 111-135 mph range, but due to the more densely populated area, more structures were damaged or destroyed than during northeastern Oklahoma’s event.

“The high-resolution oblique and ortho imagery shows widespread devastation and the erratic nature of a tornado, where one home could be left standing and the two or three next to it completely destroyed,” the GIC said.

Portage in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium / FOX Weather)

WHY TORNADO ALLEY IS SHIFTING EAST

Photos showed extensive roof damage to homes, and unlike trees and foliage in Oklahoma, the vegetation appeared to be uprooted versus being snapped by the strong winds.

The differences in the characteristics of the damage may be due to the weaker wind speeds or because the ground in parts of the Great Lakes is a bit more saturated than in the Plains.

The before-and-after imagery is provided to insurers to help the claim processes in disaster zones. 

“This imagery helps our insurer members proactively reach out to impacted customers to get them on the road to recovery as quickly as possible,” the GIC stated.

Damage estimates from the latest round of severe storms have not been released, but an outbreak during the final days of April is estimated to have produced losses in excess of $2 billion.

May is typically the peak month for tornadoes in the U.S., with 250-300 typical formations.

During June and July, the storm track tends to shift northward, with states such as the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa being at a higher risk for severe weather.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium / FOX Weather)