Salesi Moa, Utah four-star athlete, picks Michigan football

Michigan football was a finalist for Salesi Moa in November. Now, with the staff he committed to at the helm, he’s on his way to Ann Arbor.

The Michigan football family has landed a new addition.

Salesi Moa, a recruit previously committed to Utah who entered the transfer portal on Monday, Jan. 12, has committed to the Wolverines, he announced at the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu on Friday, Jan. 16.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete from Ogden, Utah, was one of the premiere recruits in the class of 2026. The four-star recruit is the No. 1 player in Utah, No. 3 athlete in the nation and No. 45 player overall, according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings.

Moa is the fifth former Utah player or recruit to come to Michigan since the program hired Kyle Whittingham on Dec. 26.

Salesi Moa, Class of 2026 athlete who plays at Freemont High School and is from Ogden, Utah.

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Moa was aggressively recruited by the previous Wolverines staff. He had U-M in his final handful of schools and visited Ann Arbor during U-M’s 27-9 loss to Ohio State on the final weekend of November. He then committed to Tennessee, then flipped to Whittingham in his home state.

That was before Whittingham stepped down as the Utes‘ head coach. Since than, he has been hired in Ann Arbor, and brought with him EDGE coach Lewis Powell – Moa’s uncle.

There could be more family connections to come: Moa’s brother, Aisea, a linebacker who previously played for Michigan State, has also been targeted by the Wolverines this cycle.

Whittingham also brought former Utah wide receivers coach Micah Simon with him. Listed as an athlete, Salesi Moa projects to play wide receiver – the position he was going to play for Simon in Provo. U-M’s previous staff originally recruited him as a defensive back.

Moa starred at both Weber and Fremont high schools, amassing 226 career catches for 3,757 yards and 44 touchdowns. That included a 2025 senior campaign in which he had 63 catches for 1,272 yards (20.2 yards per catch) and 16 touchdowns. He also played defense as a senior and recorded 57 tackles and three interceptions.

“Productive two-way athlete with slick athleticism that could play on either side of the ball in college, but might make the most sense at wide receiver,” wrote 247 Sports’ Andrew Ivins. “Finds ways to slip behind defenders and race into the deeper third as he’s a technically advanced route runner that can mix gears and create separation.

“Might not profile as a true WR1, but can emerge as a trusted option at the Power Four level with his skill set.”

Kyle Whittingham speaks at a news conference introducing him as the new Michigan Wolverines head football coach at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Dec. 28, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.

Michigan has loaded up on wide receivers this cycle, first landing former Texas wideout Jaime Ffrench Jr. and more recently receiving a commitment from former Utah tight end JJ Buchanan, who will also join Simon’s unit.

The Wolverines have made a concerted effort to surround quarterback Bryce Underwood with talent – they brought back five of their top offensive line recruits plus running back Jordan Marshall, then added five-star incoming freshman Savion Hiter into the backfield with him.

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Salesi Moa, Utah four-star athlete, picks Michigan football

Source: Utah News