Former 2026 Michigan State Target Decommits From Iowa State
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While the vast majority of the 2026 recruiting class have committed to and signed with programs following last week’s Early National Signing Period, a few solid prospects are still available.
One of those prospects is a former Michigan State three-star offensive lineman target who recently decommitted from Iowa State after Matt Campbell left for the Penn State job, opening the door for the Spartans to re-enter his recruitment.
Former Spartans Target Decommits from Iowa State
On Dec. 11, Owen Winder, a three-star offensive lineman from Dexter High School in Dexter, Michigan, announced on X that he would be withdrawing his signing with Iowa State and reopening his recruitment.
Winder was previously a 2026 target for Michigan State. Although the Spartans never officially extended an offer, the young offensive lineman made several unofficial visits to East Lansing and had established a solid relationship with the program.
In 2024, Wilder named Michigan State as one of his top schools, but eventually the Spartans withdrew from his recruitment, and he ultimately committed to Iowa State.
Although Michigan State didn’t extend him an offer during his initial recruitment, the staff has undergone significant changes since then, with Jonathan Smith being fired and Pat Fitzgerald being hired.
There’s a strong possibility that Fitzgerald and his staff are interested in the three-star offensive lineman, and since Wilder has previously shown interest in the program and Michigan State is his hometown school, he likely at least wants to see what the program has to offer before making a decision.
If the Spartans do want to pursue Wilder, they’ll face stiff competition from at least one other program. Since his decommitment from Iowa State occurred shortly after Campbell was hired at Penn State, there’s a strong possibility that the three-star offensive lineman will rejoin Campbell in Happy Valley.
However, that’s not guaranteed, and even if Wilder does have interest in the Nittany Lions, that shouldn’t prevent Michigan State from going after him.
If the Spartans were able to get Wilder to commit, he’d be a massive late addition to their 2026 class. Rivals industry rankings list him as the No. 1,493 overall player nationally, the No. 109 offensive tackle, and the No. 26 prospect from Michigan.
Michigan State and Fitzgerald may ultimately decide not to pursue Wilder and could be satisfied with their 2026 class heading into the upcoming transfer portal window. However, if the Spartans are searching for a late addition to their offensive line, targeting Wilder would be a wise move.
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Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.