The trenches have been the cornerstone of Michigan football’s success over the last three seasons, and the Wolverines have continued to bolster their lines of scrimmage by adding players in the 2025 recruiting class.On May 3, four-star Franklin, Michigan, Wylie E. Groves offensive lineman Avery Gach committed to the University of Michigan, marking the first verbal commitment made by new offensive line coach Grant Newsome since taking over as tight ends coach. In the competition for the 6-foot-5, 290-pound player, Michigan defeated both of its fiercest opponents, Ohio State and Michigan State. Gach’s final four institutions included Wisconsin as well.

Gach is ranked No. 13 interior offensive lineman, No. 252 overall prospect, and No. 2 player from Michigan in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. Along with his final four, the Franklin native has received an incredible 40 scholarship offers from FBS schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, and others. The following is what national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu of 247Sports had to say about Gach:

“Offense tackler in high school with the potential to play swing at the next level. tenacious, strong player who completes plays by blowing the whistle. possesses functional strength, pad level, and an unwavering will to push opponents off the ball, all of which combine to make him an outstanding run blocker. Technically, pass set and pass pro are still improving. There is also physicality in his punch. High school left tackle who might be better off playing inside linebacker or right side option at the high major level. has and will continue to add good weight and strength. is a strong base-level athlete with room to grow in terms of lateral agility and sheer explosiveness. High-floor player who could be a consistent multi-year starter at the Power Five level and provide depth at many spots for a high-major school.”

Gach was dubbed the “Offensive Lineman MVP” at Rivals’ Five-Star camp back on June 26.

Later, in Michigan’s 2025 recruiting class, Gach would be joined by interior offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, a three-star prospect from Bradenton, Florida’s IMG Academy. While several of the Wolverines’ top offensive line targets have committed to other universities this summer, Michigan is still in the running for arguably their top target, five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola of Overland Park, Kansas (Blue Valley Northwest), who is also considering Auburn, Stanford, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Missouri.

As of right now, sixteen high school talents have committed to Michigan’s 2025 recruiting class, which is ranked third in the Big Ten and 12th overall, behind only Oregon and Ohio State. With an average player rating of 91.63, the Wolverines rank eighth in the country.