Wisconsin Commit, Michigan Native to Officially Visit Michigan State

Despite a tumultuous 2025 season so far, Michigan State and Jonathan Smith are still doing everything they can to keep things going on the recruiting trail, even if that means going after players committed to other schools.

On Tuesday, 247Sports' Allen Trieu reported that the Spartans will be hosting Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.) 2026 recruit Jack Janda on an official visit. Janda's trip to East Lansing is set for Nov. 15, which is when MSU is scheduled to face Penn State during the final game in Spartan Stadium this year.

Janda is a three-star recruit who is ranked 796th overall in the 2026 class, according to his Rivals Industry Ranking. If he were to flip to Michigan State, that would make him the ninth-best commit in the Spartans' next class, according to the same rankings.

Several different sites list Janda as a tight end, but Trieu also reported that MSU is recruiting him as a defensive lineman. According to both 247Sports and Rivals, though, tight ends coach Brian Wozniak is the primary recruiter for Michigan State.

Janda's Current Status

Novi Detroit Catholic Central‘s Jack Janda stretches out but fails to pull in the pass while being covered by Cass Tech’s Lamont Wilcoxson in the fourth quarter during the MHSAA semifinals of the state playoffs at Troy Athens High School on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As of now, Janda is currently committed to Wisconsin, but the Badgers' head coach, Luke Fickell, has seen his seat get warmer after his team has begun the year 2-5 and 0-4 during Big Ten play. Through four conference games, Wisconsin has been outscored 122-20; the negative-102 point differential is the worst in the Big Ten.

Janda has been committed to UW since June. Michigan State was actually set to host him that month, but it was canceled after Janda gave his verbal pledge to the Badgers.

The new official visit is also not the only new trip on Janda's schedule. Before he sees MSU, Janda will visit Iowa when the Hawkeyes take on No. 6 Oregon on Nov. 8.

MSU Connections

What is also notable is that Janda is teammates with four-star Michigan State wide receiver commit Samson Gash. He is the brother of current MSU redshirt sophomore defensive back Caleb Gash, who was set to play a significant special teams role before suffering a season-ending injury.

Even then, the Spartans are going to have to fight to keep Samson committed to them. He has an official visit set up with Alabama for its game against LSU on Nov. 8.

Samson is one of just three four-star commits Michigan State has in the 2026 class. He is ranked 364th overall and sixth in the state of Michigan, according to his Rivals Industry Ranking.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith walks the sideline during the fourth quarter in the game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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