Recap: Michigan State Spartan Football and Coach Jonathan Smith Secure Commitment from LB Charles White

Coach Jonathan Smith and the Michigan State Spartans secure another one of their top priorities on the recruiting trail in LB Charles White

Michigan State's defensive coordinator Joe Rossi works with the linebackers during the Spring / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State coach Johnathan Smith has taken another step towards rebuilding the Spartans football program. Coach Smith and Spartans Defensive Coordinator Joe Rossi offered linebacker Charles White a scholarship in December. White responded by setting his official visit to Michigan State for June 7. 

However, White would also have an unofficial visit to East Lansing during the Spartans’ spring practice in early April. Shortly after, White was projected as an eventual Michigan State signee. Those predictions were correct, as the spring game was enough to convince White that MSU was the place for him. 

According to 247Sports, White is ranked as the 605th-best overall player in the site’s 2025 recruiting composite rankings. He is ranked as the 67th-best linebacker and the tenth-best player from the state of Michigan in the 2025 recruiting class. After getting off to a late start on the recruiting trail, White is undoubtedly one of the top players on Coach Smith and the Spartan’s wish list. 

White received ten scholarship offers from Power 5 programs. In addition to Michigan State, multiple other Big Ten schools, including Penn State, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Indiana, West Virginia, Kansas, and Rutgers, offered the talented linebacker scholarships.

Rossi, who joined Michigan State as their defensive coordinator after spending four seasons as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, was pivotal in recruiting and signing White. During his 2023 campaign, White registered 76 tackles, eight of which were for a loss, and he also forced two fumbles.

Rossi was able to use his ties and connections to his former positions at Minnesota to flip another prized recruit from the Gophers to the Spartans. Four-star linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, a Top 500 prospect initially committed to Minnesota, will join Rossi in East Lansing.

White is a versatile athlete. He participates in track and is arguably equally as good at wrestling as he is at football. His success in multiple sports will undoubtedly translate to the football field as Coach Smith and Coach Rossi look to build around White moving forward. Coach Smith and the Spartans have been looking for good news as they face an uphill battle on the recruiting trail. Signing White could be a positive sign of things to come.

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