Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast: Football Recruiting Picking Up

On this latest edition of the Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast, recruiting beat writer Caleb Sisk joins host Aidan Champion to discuss the latest on Michigan State football recruiting.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith leaves the file after the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State has had a very strong to start to official visit season.

The Spartans have already landed two class of 2026 scholarship commits in linebacker Braylon Hodge and safety Brayden Thomas after having just four going into this past weekend.

In less than 24 hours, the outlook on Michigan State football recruiting flipped to one that is very promising, as it's clear the Spartans are already doing something right on their official visits.

They began their second wave of official visits on Tuesday with a group that could very well consist of more future commits.

On this latest episode of the Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast, our Aidan Champion is joined by recruiting beat writer Caleb Sisk to discuss the latest on Spartan football recruiting.

You can watch the episode below:

Michigan State was able to flip Thomas, who had initially been committed to Iowa State.

"It feels great to be a Michigan State commit, and I can’t wait to get this place turned around," Thomas told Sisk. "I committed yesterday as soon as I got home from my OV, and Coach (James) Adams (safeties coach) and everyone were very excited."

Hodge, meanwhile, is a linebacker from Colorado, whom Michigan State had only just offered last month, just like Thomas.

Monday saw several crucial targets come to campus, most notably four-star edge rusher Tyson Harley, who has Michigan State in his top five, and four-star defensive lineman Carter Gooden, who also has high interest in the Spartans.

Gooden is the No. 1 class of 2026 prospect in Massachusetts.

"This kid (Gooden) has the potential to be your highest-rated commit when it's all said and done," Sisk said on the podcast. "He definitely brings a lot to the table. He has a lot of official visits lined up; that's because there's a lot of schools who are really hitting hard for him.

"So, getting him on campus is huge. Any time that you get a prospect on campus for an official visit, you have a chance to win."

We'll see if the Spartans pick up any more commits by the end of the week.

Follow along with all your Michigan State recruiting news when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and share your thoughts when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Make sure to also follow us on X @MSUSpartansOnSI.