MSU Must Improve In-State Recruiting
The Michigan State Spartans were dealt a tough blow when Portage Northern High School four-star offensive tackle Gregory Patrick committed to Notre Dame.
It does not bode well for Jonathan Smith when a player whose father played at MSU and went to high school just 65 miles from campus decides to go elsewhere.
While Smith is still learning the Midwest landscape, he must strengthen his connections in-state. He has allowed out-of-state teams to come into Michigan and land players he should have had an easier time landing.
The Michigan Wolverines did a good job bringing in homegrown talent in the 2025 class, landing the top overall player, quarterback Bryce Underwood and top-100 player Elijah Dotson.
MSU landed eight of the top 20 players in the state of Michigan, but lost recruiting battles to its in-state rivals for players like offensive linemen Avery Gach and lost four-star offensive lineman Darrin Strey to Kentucky.
All things considered, Smith did a fine job recruiting the state in the 2025 class, even landing big fish like defensive lineman Derrick Simmons and linebacker DJ White. But 2026 has been another story so far.
Six of the top 10 players in the state (per 247Sports) have committed to out-of-state schools. MSU got a commitment from three-star quarterback Kayd Coffman, but the Spartans still have more work to do.
The top player in the state, top-100 player CJ Sadler, has not committed to any school, so MSU has a chance to get involved in his recruitment. However, it does not appear high on his list, so Smith would have to put in some extra legwork.
There is no reason why MSU shouldn’t be a big player for talent in its own state. While talent in Michigan is not what it used to be, the Spartans should still try to strengthen their inroads with local high schools.
MSU can put together competitive NIL deals for top talent, so that is not an excuse for why it cannot land players. Smith must make a statement and improve recruiting in the state of Michigan.
If he does, he will inevitably land big-time talent, and the Spartans will be winners on the field again, something they have not been for a few years.
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