3-Star LB Prospect Nikhai Hill-Green Commits to Michigan over Wisconsin

The Michigan Wolverines bolstered their future linebacking corps Thursday with the commitment of Nikhai Hill-Green.

Steve Lorenz of 247Sports reported the news, noting Hill-Green pointed to linebackers coach Anthony Campanile as a key influence in his recruitment: "He is obsessed with getting the best out of his players. He wants you to do every little thing right. If you're doing nine things out 10 right, he wants you to do that last little thing perfectly. He's a perfectionist, and I like a coach like that because I'm a perfectionist at times."

Hill-Green is a 3-star prospect and the No. 364 overall player and No. 27 outside linebacker in the class of 2020, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The linebacker prospect released a top five earlier this week, and Michigan beat out Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Purdue and Indiana to land him.

The Wolverines are loading up on linebackers in the 2020 class, as Hill-Green will join Osman Savage and Cornell Wheeler. It is no surprise that head coach Jim Harbaugh is stressing that side of the ball given Michigan's typical defensive strength, especially after it finished in the top two in yards allowed per game in 2018.

However, it was clear the program needed to make strides to compete for championships when it allowed a head-turning 62 points in a loss to rival Ohio State and 41 points in a Peach Bowl loss to Florida to end the 2018 campaign.

Hill-Green will be part of the linebacker group that will look to turn around those late-season struggles and parlay September and October success into conference championships in December.