Michigan football is making serious moves on the recruiting trail, and the Wolverines have just landed a major contender in the race for one of the nation's top defensive backs. Four-star safety Tavares Harrington, a standout from Chicago's Mount Carmel High School, has officially trimmed his list to five final schools—and Michigan made the cut.

Harrington, who checks in at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, is ranked as the No. 124 overall prospect in the country by the 247Sports Composite. He's also considered the top defensive back in the state of Illinois. His final five includes Michigan, Notre Dame, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Alabama, with the Fighting Irish currently seen as the frontrunner—thanks to a prediction from Rivals' VP of recruiting Steve Wiltfong, though that pick dates back to September 2025.

The Wolverines have been hard at work building connections at Mount Carmel, and Harrington is just one of several elite prospects from the school they're targeting. He was among the many visitors in Ann Arbor for Michigan's annual spring game last month, and according to The Wolverine's Ethan McDowell, he's already planning a return trip for the program's biggest recruiting event of the year: "Victor's Weekend" in June.

With his length, athleticism, and high-level competition experience, Harrington would be a game-changing addition to any secondary. For Michigan fans, the fact that he's giving the Wolverines a serious look—and coming back for more—is a promising sign in a heated recruiting battle.