Michigan State Offers Scholarship to 4-Star ATH from Detroit

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith continues to express the Spartans' interest in some of the top in-state talent.

Michigan State's Chris Williams runs the ball during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State has recently had the best week since Coach Jonathan Smith took over. The Spartans saw many players enter the portal earlier this offseason. While things have looked bleak for Coach Smith and Michigan State on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, things have recently begun to look up for the Spartans.

No matter the results of their recruiting efforts, Coach Smith and his coaching staff have consistently recruited talented players from Michigan as they try to rebuild Michigan State’s football program. 

As Coach Smith looks to build on his and the Spartans' success lately, he continues prioritizing in-state talent, offering scholarships to many talented players around Michigan. Smith has provided scholarship offers to talented in-state players even if they have already committed elsewhere. He has shown fearlessness on the recruiting trail, especially with in-state recruits.

Coach Smith and Michigan State recently offered a scholarship to C.J. Sadler of Detroit, Michigan. According to 247Sports, Sadler is ranked as the fifth-best athlete and 54th-best overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. He is ranked as the top player from Michigan in the 2026 recruiting class.

The four-star athlete recently announced the Spartans’ scholarship offer on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Blessed to be re-offered [by] Michigan State University,” Sadler said.

According to 247Sports, Michigan State is one of over 30 schools offering Sadler a scholarship. Other notable schools nationwide also offered scholarships to Sadler. Michigan State joins Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Miami(FL), Tennessee and Oklahoma.

While the chances may or may not be slim for Coach Smith and the Spartans to secure Sadler’s commitment, their offer may come into play down the road. Many players have taken advantage of the transfer portal. While Sadler may not commit to the Spartans, a scholarship offer early in his recruitment could be something he remembers down the road, should he ever end up in the transfer portal looking for a new home.

Coach Smith understands how quickly things can change with college football players.

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