The early signing period in December sucked most of the drama out of the 2025 recruiting cycle. But don’t count out the remaining elite prospects, especially five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood. Haywood was a Bama commit, but things got shaky after their recent struggles. Now, his future is up in the air, with other top programs, especially some strong ACC contenders, circling. Well, let’s just say the recruiting world is watching closely to see where this Top Dawg lands. The February 5th signing day can’t come soon enough!

As everyone is aware, Haywood was formerly the second-best player in Kalen DeBoer’s first recruiting class with the Tide. And it had been obvious that Haywood would transfer because he had declined to join with Bama during the early signing period. So, who’s trying to land this highly touted prospect? According to the prior report, the mix included three universities: Texas Tech, Florida State, and Michigan. And the obvious frontrunners seemed like Sherrone Moore and Co.

Haywood’s visiting Michigan this weekend, and the Wolverines are pulling out all the stops to land him. They’re throwing everything at him, just like they did with Bryce Underwood. You know, that five-star quarterback they flipped with a big bag of cash. But don’t count out the Seminoles. They’re an ACC powerhouse, and they’re not going to make it easy for Michigan to land him.

According to a recent On3 video, CFB insider Chad Simmons was asked about Florida State’s chances of landing Ty Haywood. He said, “They’ve gotten him on campus and had him around that staff. There’s been obviously some change over on Mike Norvell in Tallahassee, but the main thing is Mike Norvell is still there. He’s definitely one of the more active head coaches out there. And when it comes to recruiting, he knows that family; he knows Ty. So you can’t rule Florida State out.” Then, out of nowhere, the CFB insider made a BIG revelation!

According to Simmons, “I think they right now have to be considered a team based on, again, intel on the outside looking to get back in. They obviously struggled this season coming off the ACC Championship a year ago…but still there is some communication going on.” It just goes to show that Mike Norvell and his crew are serious contenders for this five-star OT.

Even though they had a rough 2-10 season this year, remember they were ACC champs last season with a 13-1 record! They’re facing some challenges recruiting this year, having lost ten pledges, so landing Haywood would be a huge win for them. But here’s the thing: who’s going to come out on top in this recruiting battle?

Where might Ty Haywood end up?

As of now, we all know three additional offensive linemen from the ESPN 300 are officially headed to Bama in the 2025 cycle. But we can’t deny the fact that the departure of Ty Haywood still represents a major setback as Bama’s 2025 recruiting class dropped from No.2 to No.3 spot. And after beating Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, you know Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines are extra motivated to land a five-star like Haywood. They’re definitely going to be on the hunt, and their recruiting class is projected to rise from No.9 to No.6 if Haywood commits to them.

Michigan is still trying to capitalize on its strong cycle finale, which saw them sign six ESPN 300 players after November 1st, including top overall prospect Bryce Underwood. Now Haywood is anticipated to visit the Wolverines this weekend. And since the beginning of Nov, Michigan has been the most sought-after program in terms of recruitment. The Wolverines ought to be seen as leaders in Haywood’s hiring.

Don’t sleep on Texas Tech and Florida State in this recruitment battle. Florida State hosted Haywood last summer, way before he even committed to Bama. They recently visited him in Texas, showing serious interest. Meanwhile, Texas Tech has been making a lot of noise in the transfer portal, and they’re definitely keeping tabs on Haywood too. They might even try to get him on campus this month. And let’s not forget, Coach Joey McGuire and the Texas Tech staff are pulling out all the stops to keep this top talent in-state.

But wait, there’s more! Oklahoma Sooners is lurking in the shadows, hoping to snatch him up. With so many teams vying for his services, it’s anyone’s guess where this five-star tackle will end up. This recruitment battle is far from over!