MSU Football Gets Commitment from Illinois LB Brady Off Visit

Michigan State football is gathering some real momentum on the trail.

The Spartans landed a commitment from three-star Central Catholic (Ill.) linebacker Matthew Brady on Wednesday morning. Brady is the ninth player to join MSU's 2027 recruiting class. The 10th is expected to come in at some point on Wednesday, too.

#AGTG 100% committed!! Excited to be apart of something special!! Go Green!! @MSU_Football @Bullough40 @JoeS_Rossi @coachfitz51 @Coach_Bindel @MSU_Football @Coach_Gordon20 @Coach_DeBo46 @CoachWozniakTE @SeanLevyMSU @JakeChaney9 @CoachBGasser @MalikGill5 @MikeMoralesMSU… pic.twitter.com/RW7rL42eHR
— Matthew Brady (@MatthewBrady007) June 3, 2026

Impact of Landing Brady

Class of 2027 LB Matthew Brady on his official visit to Michigan State. | MSU Football/Matthew Brady on Twitter/X

This is a nice get for linebackers coach Max Bullough and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi. Brady was actually set to begin an official visit with Northwestern on Wednesday, but appears to have shut that down with his commitment here. He also had official visits set with Nebraska, Illinois, and Minnesota. Several Big Ten teams wanted Brady, but MSU didn't give them a fighting chance by letting him get that far.

Brady is currently ranked No. 1,124 overall on the Rivals Industry Rankings. That puts him 105th among linebackers and 38th among those from Illinois. It's a pipeline-state addition, as well. Brady is the second player from the state to commit to the Spartans this cycle, joining defensive lineman Ohimai Ozolua.

Outlook at Linebacker Now

Michigan State's co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Max Bullough 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

This is the first linebacker that Michigan State has added in its 2027 class. The addition of Brady has brought the Spartans' ranking up to 51st nationally on Rivals, though another bump should be coming with the second expected commitment on Wednesday.

There is a good chance that MSU will be looking to add another linebacker in the future, too. Nazareth Academy (Ill.) prospect Henry Sakalas was in for an official visit last weekend. Jordan Hall and Dion Crawford are both in their final year of eligibility under current rules in 2026. Pat Fitzgerald wants to emphasize high school recruiting in the way he builds his program, so him looking to replace outgoing players 1-to-1 that way wouldn't be very surprising.

Overall Outlook of '27 Class

MSU — 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

Brady is also the first player to publicly commit to the program during official visit season. The second mystery commitment won't be the last, either. Lots of commitments happen during these weeks as prospects take official visits and find landing spots. Summers are where the bulk of a recruiting class gets built.

MSU is getting ready to host another batch of recruits on Friday through Sunday again. The Spartans' new staff would surely like to finish better than 51st in the nation. They've been targeting a fair share of blue-chip guys, but there is still a "zero" next to the number of composite four-stars Michigan State has landed so far.

Michigan State mascot "Sparty" celebrates during a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game against UCLA at the United Center on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

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