BREAKING: Michigan State Flips Linebacker From Big Ten Program

The Spartans just flipped one of their top targets in the 2024 recruiting class from a Big Ten rival!

Author:
Matthew Lounsberry
Publish date:
Dec 20, 2023 3:31 PM EST

In this story:

On the job for less than a month, Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith has already become a thorn in the side of a fellow Big Ten football program.

On Wednesday, the "early" National Signing Day for college football, the Spartans flipped the commitment of three-star Gaylord (Mich.) linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, who had previously been pledged to P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers for most of 2023. Pretzlaff's decision comes 10 days after Smith also stole away Fleck's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Joe Rossi.

At 6-foot-3 and 230-pounds, Pretzlaff has the size and frame to develop into a very good Big Ten linebacker after entering Michigan State's strength and conditioning program. Pretzlaff is considered the No. 673 overall prospect, No. 60 linebacker and No. 14 player from the state of Michigan in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports composite rankings. In addition to Michigan State and Minnesota, the Gaylord native also drew scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Stanford, Illinois and Central Michigan.

Here's what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu had to say about Pretzlaff:

Extremely productive high school player. Physical and also a strong blocker on offense during his career. Good size already and will get stronger in college. Shows good ability to run to the ball and pursues hard. That helps with the lack of a verified speed measureable currently. Did play some offense and caught the ball some so we have evidence of ability to in space and ball skills. Should be a solid coverage linebacker and is a good all around athlete. Approach to the game and intangibles make him a very high floor prospect. We see multi-year starter, potential captain type and a player who should be near the top of his team's tackles stats throughout his college career. How he continues to develop from an explosiveness standpoint and what he ultimately times like would determine a future beyond college.

Michigan State got hot at the right time in the week leading up to National Signing Day. The Spartans have added 11 commitments over the past eight days, and 17 of their 19 verbal pledges have signed their national letters of intent today, as of 3:15 p.m. Michigan State will continue to add more recruits from the 2024 class up until the second signing period in February. The Spartans' class currently ranks No. 48 in the country after residing in the 100s just over a week ago.

Michigan State Verbal Commitments, Class of 2024

Four-star WR Nick Marsh; River Rouge High School; River Rouge, Mich.; No. 115 nationally, No. 20 Wide Receiver, No. 2 in state of Michigan
Three-star OT Rustin Young; St. Louis High School; Honolulu, Hawaii; No. 662 nationally, No. 51 offensive tackle, No. 3 in state of Hawaii
Three-star LB Brady Pretzlaff; Gaylord High School; Gaylord, Mich.; No. 676 nationally, No. 60 Linebacker, No. 14 in state of Michigan
Three-star OT Mercer Luniewski; Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Cincinnati, Ohio; No. 715 nationally, No. 53 Offensive Tackle, No. 27 in state of Ohio
Three-star CB Justin Denson; La Salle Academy; Providence, R.I.; No. 754 nationally, No. 59 Cornerback, No. 20 in state of Pennsylvania
Three-star CB Jaylen Thompson; Riverdale High School; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; No. 762 nationally, No. 60 Cornerback, No. 21 in state of Tennessee
Three-star OT Payton Stewart; Kelso High School; Kelso, Wash.; No. 903 nationally, No. 65 Offensive Tackle, No. 13 in state of Washington
Three-star ATH Andrew Brinson IV; Gaither High School; Tampa, Fla.; No. 1040 nationally, No. 88 Athlete, No. 142 in state of Florida
Three-star LB Jadyn Walker; Portage Northern High School; Portage, Mich.; No. 1086 nationally, No. 94 Linebacker, No. 17 in state of Michigan
Three-star QB Alessio Milivojevic; St. Francis High School, Wheaton, Ill.; No. 1175 natonally, No. 67 Quarterback, No. 26 in state of Illinois
Three-star IOL Rakeem Johnson; Bishop Kelly High School; Boise, Idaho; No. 1265 nationally, No. 100 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 2 in state of Idaho
Three-star EDGE Kekai Burnett; Punahou High School; Honolulu, Hawaii; No. 1289 nationally, No. 89 Edge Rusher, No. 6 in state of Hawaii
Three-star WR Austin Clay; Midpark High School; Cleveland, Ohio; No. 1314 nationally, No. 164 Wide Receiver, No. 50 in state of Ohio
Three-star TE Wyatt Hook; Homestead High School; Cupertino, Calif.; No. 1315 nationally, No. 70 Tight End, No. 97 in state of California
Three-star IOL Charlton Luniewski; Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Cincinnati, Ohio; No. 1381 nationally, No. 110 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 55 in state of Ohio
Three-star RB Brandon Tullis; Memorial High School, Frisco, Texas; No. 1514 nationally, No. 112 Running Back, No. 217 in state of Texas
Three-star ATH Keshawn Williams; Riverdale High School; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; No. 1577 nationally, No. 142 Athlete, No. 50 in state of Tennessee
Three-star RB Makhi Frazier; McKinney High School; McKinney, Texas; No. 1599 nationally, No. 120 Running Back, No. 227 in state of Texas
Three-star QB Ryland Jessee; Helix High School; La Mesa, Calif.; No. 1758 nationally, No. 98 Quarterback, No. 142 in state of California