Michigan State Football In Hot Pursuit Of Four-Star Defensive Lineman

Pat Fitzgerald is wasting no time making his presence felt on the recruiting trail in his first year as Michigan State's head coach.

Four-star defensive lineman Nehemiah Ombati from the 2027 high school class is one of the Spartans' top targets, and Michigan State is going to have to work for him. The Spartans are competing with fellow Big Ten programs Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska, along with Missouri, for the highly sought prospect.

A Visit Could Be the Turning Point

When speaking with Allen Trieu of Rivals, Ombati revealed he is currently working on scheduling an official visit to East Lansing for around June. Timing matters here. If Fitzgerald can get Ombati on campus before the other Big Ten programs, particularly Minnesota given that Ombati is from the state, it could go a long way toward positioning the Spartans as a leader in his recruitment.

A key factor already working in Michigan State's favor is Ombati's relationship with Spartans defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere. DeLattiboudere previously coached Minnesota defensive tackle Deven Eastern, who played at the same high school as Ombati. That connection carries significant weight.

Ombati made that clear when speaking with Trieu:

"I think the relationship with Coach Debo (defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere) is kind of like the driving factor, but I have a pretty good relationship with the rest of the staff. Coming from Coach Debo's perspective, he molded a guy that came from, literally, my high school (Deven Eastern), and now that dude's going to get drafted. So I think that's a big factor and I think he's a really good coach. I really like Michigan State."

What Ombati Would Mean for the 2027 Class

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

The 2027 recruiting class marks a significant milestone for Fitzgerald at Michigan State. While the 2026 class was largely assembled under former head coach Jonathan Smith, Fitzgerald was able to retain those commitments. The 2027 cycle is the first in which he is recruiting prospects from scratch.

So far, Fitzgerald has built the 37th-ranked recruiting class in the country in the early stages of the process. Four of the five current commits play on the offensive side of the ball. The lone defensive commit is three-star safety Ty'ire Clark, who is ranked 976th nationally.

Ombati's addition would change the complexion of the class considerably. As a four-star prospect, he would not only become the highest-rated defensive player in the class but also the highest-rated commit overall.