Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore leads his team onto the field for the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9.

Four-star tight end Matt Ludwig signed with the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 3, during the early signing period, but on Thursday, he told Steve Wiltfong of Rivals that he has requested and been granted his release by the Wolverines.

"I requested my release from Michigan and I’m opening up my recruitment,” Ludwig told Wiltfong. “Michigan did approve my release.”

The move comes after Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday night with cause. Ludwig is the first member of their 2026 signing class to be released. The Wolverines have the No. 12 recruiting class in the country and signed 26 other players.

Ludwig is ranked as the No. 200 overall player and No. 9 tight end in the Rivals industry ranking. He is also the No. 1 player from Montana.

Losing Ludwig is a tough blow for Michigan, even though they did sign three-star tight end Mason Bonner. Ludwig is the type of prospect who could compete for a role early and help as a pass-catcher and a blocker. He caught 50 passes for 736 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, adding 137 yards and seven more touchdowns on the ground.

He is now one of the top uncommitted players in the country and will not be able to sign with another program until February, giving him time to restart his recruitment. He took official visits to see the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Texas A&M Aggies, Georgia Bulldogs, and Tennessee Volunteers before committing to Michigan.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Michigan releases blue-chip tight end Matt Ludwig from signing

Reporting by JD McCarthy, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect