Instant Analysis of ATH Don Spillers III's Commitment to MSU

Michigan State has landed another commitment, this one being an in-state prospect.

Detroit King's Don Spillers, right, celebrate his touchdown catch with Tay'Shawn Henry during the fourth quarter in the game against Mason on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Chelsea High School. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Finally, some good news. Michigan State football is still maintaining its recruiting momentum.

The latest recruit to verbally pledge to MSU is three-star Detroit (Mich.) MLK athlete Don Spillers III. He announced his decision to join the Spartans over Illinois at his high school at 4 p.m. ET on Monday.

What Spillers' Commitment Means

Michigan State's head coach Pat Fitzgerald instructs players during spring football practice on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Winning a recruiting battle against a Big Ten foe for somebody from Michigan is the exact type of thing Pat Fitzgerald needs to establish as normal. Michigan State has also been recruiting Spillers as a safety lately, while Illinois wanted him as a wide receiver.

Spillers, standing at 6'2" and about 195 pounds, is currently ranked 881st overall in the class of 2027 and 14th among prospects from Michigan. In addition to his offers from the Spartans and Illinois, other notable offers came from Louisville, Michigan, Maryland, Missouri, Pitt, and Purdue.

2027 Recruiting Class Outlook

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State Spartans safeties coach James Adams watches drills during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Landing Spillers gives MSU a second safety in its 2027 class that it needed. Spillers will join three-star St. Peter's Prep (N.J.) prospect Ty'ire Clark at the position in the incoming class. Clark has been committed to the Spartans since April. Current players Nikai Martinez, Aveon Grose, Khalil Majeed, and Michael Richard are all entering their final seasons of eligibility under current NCAA eligibility rules.

Michigan State's class of '27 is now 15 players strong. Most of the commitments have come in since official visit season began a couple of weeks ago. Spillers was among the long list of visitors during the first weekend that MSU hosted back on May 29-31. He visited Illinois the weekend after, before calling off a trip to Louisville.

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald watches the action going on during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The Spartans have been hovering around the 40s and the 50s in the national recruiting rankings, depending on where you look. Spillers' commitment won't make Michigan State's stock skyrocket, but he's still one of the more highly touted gets so far. His ranking at No. 881 overall actually ties him for being the fifth-best recruit in the class thus far. Spillers' .8700 mark is tied with wide receiver Zach Forbish and linebacker Henry Sakalas.

There are probably only a handful of spots remaining in the first full recruiting class for Fitzgerald. It would be tough to see MSU go much further than 20 this year to both satisfy Fitzgerald's vision of building through high school recruiting and still remain flexible enough to add players in the transfer portal next winter.

Sep 7, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Michigan State Spartans helmet on the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images