REPORT: Who Are Some Spring Visitors to Watch For MSU?

The Michigan State Spartans will host several 2026 targets and more this spring. Which ones are key?

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith, center, walks with the team to Spartan Stadium before the game against Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State has a big spring in store on the recruiting trail.

In fact, that trail will lead home.

SpartanMag's Jason Killop recently wrote a list of under-the-radar names to know who will be visiting this spring. Cornerback Sean Johnson, a 2026 product of Archbishop Spalding (Maryland), is one of them. He was the first offer of new safeties coach James Adams, who had also offered Johnson at Wake Forest.

"The defensive back will visit for a spring practice on March 21," Killop wrote. "Johnson has one official visit locked in for June so far, with Maryland for the weekend of June 20. The Spartans and Terrapins were joined by programs such as Penn State, Florida State, NC State, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Indiana, and Syracuse on his top schools list earlier this month. Michigan State will look to secure a June official visit with a strong practice visit next month."

St. Xavier (Cincinnati) linebacker Aden Reed, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect, is set to visit on April 5, per Killop.

"Reeder holds other offers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Indiana and others," Killop wrote. "The linebacker logged 72 total tackles, 15 for a loss, along with three forced fumbles and three sacks as a junior in 2024."

Milford Mill Academy (Maryland) running back Damon Ferguson, a Keith Bhonapha target, will visit East Lansing for the first time in late March. He was offered in late January and told Killop about his relationship with Bhonapha.

"Coach KB was cool,” Ferguson said. “He was giving me more information about what he wants to accomplish and how I fit into what they want to do. Coach KB said he loved the way I hit the hole and can take it the distance. He also said he liked that I could catch and how I played physical on defense.”

Michigan State is also hosting a top linebacker target in Jacob Savage (Union, Kentucky) and edge rusher Anthony Charles out of McDonald, Pennsylvania. Both are versatile players with a lot of tools to work with and are likely better than where they are or will be rated.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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