The Michigan football team was hoping to pull off a recruiting upset on Saturday as five-star wide receiver Derek Meadows was announcing his commitment. The Wolverines were in his top-five, but there wasn't a ton of hope for Michigan heading into his decision day. Meadows was originally supposed to commit last weekend, but after he pushed things back a week, it made people wonder if he was going to throw a curveball. That didn't end up being the case as Meadows ended up choosing LSU football.

“BREAKING: Elite 2025 WR Derek Meadows has Committed to LSU, he tells me for @on3recruits,” Hayes Fawcett said in a post. “The 6’6 205 WR from Las Vegas, NV chose the Tigers over Alabama, Notre Dame, & Georgia.”

The post didn't even mention that Michigan football was in the running, but the Wolverines were indeed in Derek Meadows' final five. At the end of the day, Meadows felt like LSU football was the best fit for him.

“To be the best you must outwork the rest & LSU was the place to do it,” Meadows said.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel.
© Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Meadows is an elite wide receiver

Derek Meadows is one of the best recruits in the nation as he is the #32 player in the 2025 class according to 247 Sports. He is the #6 WR and the top player in the state of Nevada. He currently attends Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. He would've given Michigan a nice boost.

Here is what 247 Sports' Greg Biggins had to say about Meadows in his scouting report:

“Meadows is a jumbo receiver and one of the more intriguing players in the ’25 class,” Biggins wrote. “He has a rare combination of size, athleticism and body control and is only scratching the surface of how good we think he can be. At 6-6, 200 pounds and an 80” wingspan, he’s a matchup nightmare for smaller defensive backs and should be an immediate red zone threat. He can run as well and is one of the region’s top track athletes although a hamstring injury has limited him this Spring. He was the Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year as a sophomore and is one of the region’s top hurdlers. He has a big frame and it wouldn’t shock us if he eventually grows in to a pass catching tight end who would be lethal working against linebackers and safeties down the middle of the field. Saying that, he has a receiver skill set and we’ve seen him dominate on the 7v7 circuit with his length, jump ball skills and ability to catch the ball through contact. His upside is extremely high and with continued development, there’s no question he has the potential to play on Sunday’s for a very long time.”

Michigan football would've loved to land Meadows, but at the end of the day, it was LSU. The Wolverines still have a good 2025 recruiting class as it is currently ranked #12 in the country.