Michigan target Tobi Haastrup has ‘monstrous long-term upside’

On By Pranco

Allen Trieu
| Special to The Detroit News

On August 30, Tobi Haastrup played his very first football match. Within a week of that game’s conclusion, he was receiving scholarship offers in the double digits, and from some of the nation’s top schools, making him one of the more unique recruiting stories in the class of 2025.

Haastrup, a native of Houston who played at Mayde Creek, has continued his rise and now has 23 scholarship offers while being rated as a four-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite.

With the early signing period just three weeks away, he is working to make a decision.

Michigan is a consideration for him and will bring him to campus for an official visit the weekend of Nov. 23.

“It’s been a whirlwind for Haastrup, who only started playing football this year,” said Mike Roach of 247Sports. “Haastrup is originally from London and didn’t grow up watching college football, so he’s a bit of a blank slate. Michigan will have a chance to win him over before his decision in December, but they are competing against USC, Oregon, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Boston College.

Haastrup picked up football quickly thanks to rare athleticism. He grew up playing football, but it is his track background that has been of particular interest to football coaches. He is a slender 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, has run a 10.93 in the 100 meters, 21.89 in the 200, and also threw the shot put over 15 meters.

“He has shown a natural bend, impressive change of direction and excellent closing speed,” 247Sports scouting analyst Hudson Standish said.

Another 247Sports analyst, Gabe Brooks, says Haastrup “possesses monstrous long-term upside.”

Michigan offered on October 13th. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito quickly built a relationship and got Haastrup to visit. Haastrup is exactly the type of prospect Esposito has successfully coached in previous stops: raw, talented and waiting to be coached in his positive ways.

After growing up in London, Haastrup lived in California and then Houston, so location won’t be as important to his decision. He has absorbed a lot of information quickly and needs to absorb even more when assessing the best college for him.

“Decision day will be two days before signing day (December 2),” Haastrup said. “When I started the whole process, everything happened quickly and flew by. Looking back, one of the biggest mistakes I made was planning all my visits early. I probably did everything in the first two or three weeks I started getting offers. As more schools came in or schools that piqued my interest, I didn’t know how to change those visits. It was hectic, but ultimately it’s a blessing.”

Michigan has a chance to show Haastrup that the best place for his next three to five years is Ann Arbor.

Haastrup is considered the No. 25 lead in the 2025 class by the 247Sports Composite.

Offensive tackle on official visit to UM

Portland (Oregon) Central Catholic offensive tackle Zac Stascausky will make an official visit to Michigan for the Northwestern game on Nov. 23.

Michigan only just offered on Oct. 30, but Stascausky has quickly become interested in exploring what the Wolverines have to offer.

Stascausky, a 6-foot-1, 275-pound four-star, is committed to Washington and was once committed to Minnesota.

More information

Tobi Haastrup profile

Zac Stascausky profile

Allen Trieu covers Midwest football recruiting for 247Sports. He was featured on the Big Ten Network during the annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly on detroitnews.com.