Defensive back Tavares Harrington has committed to Michigan, adding a second Mount Carmel standout to the Wolverines’ 2027 recruiting class in a short span. His pledge follows Quentin Burrell’s commitment and comes as Northwestern prepares a major rivalry game
When Tavares Harrington posted his commitment announcement on Rivals’ YouTube channel on May 22, it wasn’t just another recruiting highlight. It was a clear signal from one of Illinois high school football’s rising defensive stars that Michigan’s new coaching attention is already reaching deep into local talent.
Harrington became the second Mount Carmel recruit to join Michigan’s 2027 class, following Caravan wide receiver Quentin Burrell, who committed to the Wolverines less than 10 days earlier.
The timeline is striking. Harrington, a defensive back, is the consensus No. 7 player in his Illinois class and ranked No. 124 nationally. Burrell is ranked No. 6 in Illinois and No. 83 nationally—also moving quickly once his decision came.
In his video announcement, Harrington said his choice came down to Michigan’s coaching staff, including the defensive coordinator, coach Jay Hill. He credited them directly for recruiting him, saying they came to see him a lot this spring.
Harrington’s film backs up the attention. Last fall with Class 8A champion Mount Carmel, he totaled three interceptions, six tackles for loss, a sack, and 50 tackles. He also contributed on special teams, blocking a field goal.
Among the programs Harrington said he considered were Alabama, Ole Miss and Notre Dame—finalists selected from among more than 40 schools making scholarship offers.
Michigan’s pull isn’t just about what Harrington can do now; it’s about how he expects to develop in a specific system. On3/Rivals vice president Steve Wiltfong called him one of the jewels of the 2027 class.
Wiltfong said Harrington can play in multiple roles. saying he can “play in the box. ” handle nickel responsibilities. and play corner. He also pointed to Harrington’s interest in Jay Hill’s defense and Harrington’s belief that he can grow “and become the best version of himself in that secondary at Michigan.”.
After a wave of recent commitments, the in-state recruiting board for the Wolverines still includes a handful of top targets. The remaining top Illinois recruits for 2027 are Caravan linebacker Roman Igwebuike, ranked No. 8; East St. Louis cornerback Raheem Floyd, ranked No. 9; and Brother Rice defensive lineman Brayden Parks, ranked No. 10.
Michigan’s recruiting success has also carried a small sting elsewhere. Morgan Park defensive back Darrell Mattison, ranked No. 14 in Illinois’ 2027 class, committed to Michigan in March before decommitting about a month later. He later committed to Ole Miss in the same Rivals YouTube video that featured Harrington’s announcement.
The recruiting momentum is unfolding alongside big changes on the field. Northwestern’s new Ryan Field will host one of the state’s oldest and best rivalries when Evanston and New Trier square off on Oct. 16.
Evanston quarterback Jackie Ryder—who is a Purdue commit—told the Sun-Times that the matchup news came during a morning workout last week from coach Brian Doll. Ryder said when Doll announced Evanston would play at Ryan Field. it was “pretty shocking.” He added that he expects it to be “pretty packed.”.
The schools have met on the football field since 1913, and the Wildkits lead the series 57-54 with six ties.
Northwestern will also bring the rivalry to campus during the basketball season, hosting a boys/girls doubleheader on Feb. 5, 2027, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Michigan recruiting Tavares Harrington 2027 class Mount Carmel Jay Hill Quentin Burrell Rivals YouTube Evanston New Trier Ryan Field Jackie Ryder