Braden Chaffin Flips From Stanford to Michigan, Bolstering 2027 Offensive Line Class

Braden Chaffin is staying home. The three-star offensive tackle from Sterling Heights Stevenson flipped his commitment from Stanford to Michigan on Wednesday, giving the Wolverines their fourth offensive line pledge in the 2027 recruiting class. Chaffin had been committed to the Cardinal since June 1, but Michigan’s late scholarship offer and an official visit to Ann Arbor brought his recruitment back to his home state. 

The Wolverines moved quickly once they entered the picture. Offensive line coach Jim Harding and Michigan offered the 6-6, 290-pound prospect on Oct. 30. Chaffin visited for the Michigan State game the following weekend and announced his decision four days after the rivalry matchup. The flip came less than two weeks after Michigan extended its offer. 

Chaffin’s connection to Michigan goes back much further. He told Michigan on SI before his official visit that he first visited the program as a high school freshman and remembered what it felt like to stand on the field at Michigan Stadium. The scholarship offer gave him a chance to return with a different purpose. He told Rivals before the visit that he wanted to hear how the coaching staff envisioned his role and where it saw the program going. 

His path to Ann Arbor included an early commitment to Miami (Ohio) and a junior season spent on the sideline. Chaffin transferred from University of Detroit Jesuit to Stevenson and was ineligible to play football that year. He committed to Stanford in June and returned to the field as a senior. According to Rivals’ scouting coverage, his senior film helped earn the Michigan offer. For Chaffin, that made his return to competition especially consequential. It gave Michigan a fresh look at a player who had gone a full season without game action. 

Chaffin joins four-star prospects Jakari Lipsey and Lincoln Mageo and three-star Louis Esposito in Harding’s 2027 group. His commitment comes a week after fellow offensive line prospect Sidney Rouleau backed out of his Michigan pledge. Adding Chaffin restores a fourth prospect to the group and gives Harding another tackle-sized player to develop. The class now has 23 commitments, according to Maize n Brew. 

For Michigan, the flip shows how much can change when a staff gets a late look at an in-state prospect and moves quickly to get him on campus. For Chaffin, the decision brings him back to the stadium that left an impression on him as a freshman. When he confirmed the flip to Rivals, he summed up his choice in three words: “I’m staying home.”