MSU Among Final Group for 4-Star DL From Minnesota

Michigan State is still in the running for another blue-chip recruit it wants on its defensive line.

On Saturday, 4-star Shakopee (Minn.) defensive lineman Nehemiah Ombati announced via Rivals that he was down to three schools: MSU, Nebraska, and Missouri. Ombati is ranked 373rd overall in the class of 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. He's 42nd among defensive linemen and second among all recruits from Minnesota.

🚨NEWS🚨 4-star DL Nehemiah Ombati is down to Missouri, Nebraska, and Michigan State, @AllenTrieu reports‼️

Read: https://t.co/dtOxEID1Rs pic.twitter.com/IzqBsoqe29
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 2, 2026

Timeline for Ombati

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State Spartans defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III observes drills during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The next month or so will be a critical period for the Spartans' and other teams' hopes of landing Ombati. Late spring and summer are the official visit season for college teams. Ombati is scheduled to go up to East Lansing on June 5. He'll go to Missouri next week.

Nebraska doesn't currently have an official visit scheduled, but the Cornhuskers' inclusion on Ombati's "Final 3" list likely means a date will be set soon. There is no clear leader for Ombati right now; no school has a crystal ball prediction in its favor on either 247Sports or Rivals.

Piecing Together the 2027 Class

Michigan State's head coach Pat Fitzgerald addresses the team at the end of the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III has been aiming very high early on in his time at Michigan State. DeLattiboudere just recently helped MSU land 4-star recruit Ohimai Ozolua, who committed to the Spartans on April 24. Ozolua is ranked 411th overall in the class of 2027 on the 247Sports Composite.

Ozolua is also currently the only 4-star prospect that the Spartans have in their seven-man class right now. It currently ranks 32nd in the nation, according to 247Sports. Recruiting rankings in May mean very little, but it has been a pretty positive start for Michigan State on the trail. Landing Ombati would be another huge step toward both improving MSU's ranking and helping set MSU's future at defensive line.

Current DL Situation

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

MSU's pursuit of Ombati indicates that it is willing to take on multiple new interior defensive linemen this cycle. The Spartans have only one player at the spot whose eligibility will expire this upcoming season: Ben Roberts. Next to him is redshirt junior Eli Coenen and, potentially, redshirt freshman Derrick Simmons.

Whenever there is a chance to add a 4-star, blue-chip guy, though, Michigan State is not in a position to turn them away. Ombati's visit in June will be a big one, but MSU probably wishes it were in line to have the last word. Recruits sometimes want to save the best for last, and recency bias can also help push recruits towards the last destination on their list of trips.

MSU — Sep 7, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Michigan State Spartans helmet on the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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