Michigan State Finalist for Class of 2026 LB From Missouri
Michigan State football is once again in the running for a quality prospect from the class of 2026.
Mason Marden, a linebacker from St Louis, Missouri, announced his final five schools on social media on Wednesday. The Spartans are among the finalists.
Michigan State is competing with Wisconsin, Kansas, Arizona State and Oklahoma. He has an official visit with the Spartans lined up for May 30.
Marden is rated a three-star by 247Sports, which has him ranked the No. 10 class of 2026 prospect in Missouri and the No. 84 linebacker in his class.
The 6-3, 225-pound linebacker totaled 170 tackles, 20 for loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions for Ladue Horton Watkins last season.
Marden has official visits scheduled with two of his other finalists as well -- Kansas on June 6 and Wisconsin on June 12. He already went on an official to Arizona State last weekend.
The Spartans won't get to make the last impression as far as official visits go, so his visit to East Lansing at the end of the month will be crucial.
Michigan State has lost out on a number of prospects this spring after being in the running. What it ultimately seems to be coming down to is the fact that the Spartans just haven't recently had the same success as some of these other programs that are being chosen. And the lack of NIL fundraising has likely been a factor as well.
Michigan State has just four scholarship commits so far from the class of 2026, its last one coming way back in February. All four came in the first two months of the calendar year, setting up what was expected to be a promising turn in recruiting. But crickets so far this spring, as far as 2026 goes.
The Spartans also have yet to land a defensive commit from the class, which would make a commitment from Marden their first.
Michigan State will have to make a strong pitch, given its competition. We'll see if the Spartans can start turning things around with their recruiting of the class of 2026.
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