Michigan State Offers Scholarship to Defensive Lineman from Oklahoma

Michigan State continues to do its best to build its defense by creating a formidable defensive line.

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith has shown the ability to devise and stick with a plan.

That is what the new Spartans coach has done so far on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. Smith has offered another scholarship to an unranked athlete with untapped potential who has a year or two left before college. On the surface, the plan could work out well for the Spartans, as it is clear Smith has put a lot of thought into the program's future.

The Spartans recently joined a list of other historically significant football programs to offer a scholarship to Tajh Overton of Owasso, Oklahoma. He is an unranked defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class. While Overton has already received offers from other notable football programs nationwide, the Spartans were on the earlier side of things, becoming one of the first 10 schools to offer Overton a scholarship.

Smith and the Spartans hope their belief in Overton early in the recruiting process will eventually pay off.

As a sophomore, Overton recorded 64 tackles, five sacks, 25 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries. The 6-foot-3, nearly 300-pound high schooler still has room to grow mentally and physically.

According to 247Sports, Michigan State joins Oklahoma, Miami (FL), Texas, TCU, Kansas State, Arkansas, Houston and SMU, among other programs, in offering Overton a scholarship. Oklahoma will undoubtedly give the Spartans a run for their money on Overton, as he is a native of Oklahoma.

Still, the Spartans have a chance to secure Overton’s commitment. Overton announced Michigan State's scholarship offer on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Smith has shown that he understands recruiting is mainly about relationships and about making an impression on impressionable young men. He and the Spartans offering visits and scholarships to players who are talented but have potential and doing so while many of them are sophomores and juniors in high school will go a long way towards bringing in high-character recruits who will remember Smith’s belief in them early in the process when other programs overlooked them.

This could lead to multiple significant commitments for the Spartans down the road. The Spartans hope physically gifted players like Overton will choose them as they begin to rebuild in East Lansing.

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