Spartan Nation

MSU Extends Offer to One of Missouri’s Top Players

Recently, Michigan State offered to the No. 10 player in the state of Missouri.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during practice on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in East Lansing.
Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during practice on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan State Spartans

After picking up a few big offers in the last week, Michigan State is the latest to throw its name in the mix for DL Jocques Felix. Felix is a three-star player who is both a defensive lineman and a defensive end, according to his social media bio.

Standing 6'4'', 280 pounds, Felix is the No. 10 player in Missouri. Nationally, he's ranked No. 1004 and is the 115th defensive lineman in the Class of 2026. In the past few days, Felix has received offers from both Iowa State and Kansas State.

Seeing as Felix is a Missouri native, both the Cyclones and Wildcats hold a slight advantage over the Spartans. While not all recruits pick the college that is closest to home, both Kansas State and Iowa State have solid football programs that give him something to think about.

Oct 16 is the date when MSU extended an offer to Felix. 247Sports Allen Trieu wrote, "Michigan State offers St. Louis Cardinal Ritter senior DT. Spartans are in STL today."

Clearly, the team liked what they saw. Sitting at 3-3, defense has been a huge issue for the Spartans' three-game skid. After starting 3-0, including a double overtime thriller against Boston College, the defense was never really questioned until the past few weeks.

Sure, giving up 40 to the Eagles isn't ideal, but the Spartans have given up 121 points in their last three games. It's hard to argue giving up 45 to No. 25 USC, a team that now finds itself at No. 20 in the AP Top 25.

Could Recent Struggles Hinder?

Regardless, giving up 38 to Nebraska and UCLA is unacceptable. While they may be late bloomers in the hunt for Felix, he could be a huge addition. Felix isn't the type of player that would make an immediate impact on the team, but there are plenty of hidden gem three-star recruits that turn out to be far better than anyone could've imagined.

With No. 3 Indiana looming, Michigan State's defense is once again going to be put to the test. Felix hasn't had an official visit since May 30 with Appalachian State, according to 247Sports. Should the Spartans set up a visit with him in the future, they'd choose to do so against a lesser opponent.

If anything, bringing him to town against the Hoosiers would show just how much help their defense needs. With just five games remaining after October 18, the time is ticking on landing players like Felix.

Nov 24, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A Michigan State Spartans helmet sits on a bench during the second half game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.