The Michigan football family has a new member.
He announced at the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu on Friday, January 16, that former Utah State recruit Salishi Moa entered the transfer portal on Monday, January 12 and has joined the Wolverines.
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The 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete from Ogden, Utah, is one of the first recruits in the 2026 class. The four-star recruit is the No. 1 player in Utah, the No. 3 athlete nationally and the No. 45 overall player according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings.
Moa is the fifth former Utah State player or recruit to come to Michigan since the program hired Kyle Whittingham on Dec. 26.
Salesi Moa, a Class of 2026 athlete from Ogden, Utah, plays ball at Fremont High School.
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Moya was actively recruited by former Wolverines employees. He attended UM among his last few schools and visited Ann Arbor during UM’s 27-9 loss to Ohio State the last weekend in November. He then chose Tennessee before transferring to his hometown of Whittingham.
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That was before Whittingham resigned as Utes head coach. Since then, he has been hired in Ann Arbor, bringing with him EDGE coach Lewis Powell – Moya’s uncle.
There could be more family connections in the future: Moa’s brother Aisea, a linebacker who played at Michigan State, is also a target for the Wolverines this season.
Whittingham also brought in former Utah wide receivers coach Micah Simon. Salesi Moa is listed as an athlete and is scheduled to play wide receiver — the position he will play for Simon in Provo. He was originally recruited as a defensive back by UM’s former staff.
Moa was a standout at Webb High School and Fremont High School, totaling 226 catches for 3,757 yards and 44 touchdowns in his career. That includes a senior season in 2025 in which he had 63 catches for 1,272 yards (20.2 yards per catch) and 16 touchdowns. As a senior, he also ran defense and had 57 tackles and three interceptions.
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“Productive two-way athlete with elite athleticism who could play in college but is probably best suited as a wide receiver,” 247 Sports’ Andrew Irvins wrote. “He’s a skilled runner who can mix up changes and create separation so he can find ways to get behind defenders and get deep into the third.
“Probably won’t be viewed as a true WR1, but can be a trusted option at the Final Four level with his skill set.”
Kyle Whittingham speaks during a press conference to introduce him as the new head coach of the Michigan Wolverines at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on December 28, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
Michigan has added receivers this season, starting with former Texas wide receiver Jaime Ffrench Jr. and recently receiving a commitment from former Utah tight end JJ Buchanan, who will join Simon’s staff.
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The Wolverines made a concerted effort to surround quarterback Bryce Underwood with talent — they brought back five top offensive line recruits along with running back Jordan Marshall and then added five-star freshman Savion Hitt to the backfield.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines news writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Utah four-star athlete Salesi Moa chooses Michigan football