Michigan State Football 2025 3-Star LB Target Sam Haley to Announce Decision Friday

Michigan State could be adding to its roster soon, as one of its recruits is set to announce his decision Friday.

Ensworth s, Sam Haley, stands for a portrait during the Tennessean's media day at Lipscomb Academy / Nicole Hester / The Tennessean / USA

Michigan State and Coach Jonathan Smith have had difficulty securing talent in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail. They have also lost numerous players, including some of their most talented players, to the transfer portal.

Michigan State has essentially had a mass exodus of players and is trying to replenish the lost talent. So far, the Spartans have slowly begun signing prospects in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail, but they still have much work to do if they hope to field a competitive team this season.

The good news for Coach Smith and the Spartans is that they still have time to add players. One of their recruits will announce his decision on Friday night. Sam Haley, a three-star linebacker from Nashville, Tennessee, recently announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, the final eight schools he is considering, and Michigan State is one of them. The linebacker has scheduled his commitment announcement for Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

Among Haley's final eight schools were South Carolina, North Carolina, TCU, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Missouri and West Virginia. According to 247Sports, Haley is the 78th-best linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. The site ranks him as the 886th-best player overall in the class and the 26th-best player from Tennessee. 

On paper, it seems that Michigan State should have a decent shot of securing Haley’s commitment, as the football programs it is competing with for Haley are mostly in somewhat similar situations. Or, at the very least, their conditions aren’t much better than Michigan State's. The Spartans’ most significant competition will undoubtedly come from Tennessee, as Haley is from Tennessee, and the Volunteers have arguably the best situation of any of the schools in Haley’s final eight.

However, Michigan State and Coach Smith did secure a transfer commitment from a player who chose Michigan State over Alabama, proving that anything can happen on the recruiting trail, even when it seems unlikely. Exposure, playing time, and NIL deals give most schools a fighting chance on the recruiting trail. Coach Smith and his coaching staff will anxiously await Haley’s decision on Friday night, as securing his commitment could be a meaningful signing for the Spartans.

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