MSU Football Lands 2028 QB Commit in Middle of Washington Game
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Some interesting recruiting news dropped during the middle of Michigan State's latest game.
During the second quarter of MSU's eventual 21-14 defeat to Washington on Saturday, 2028 quarterback prospect Grayson Thurston announced his verbal commitment to the Spartans. He's the first player Michigan State has been able to add to that class, and it also means that spot in the class is already accounted for before the Spartans' staff truly starts to seek out more commitments during the spring and the summer.
Thank you @coachfitz51 @FBCoachSheridan @CoachJ_Mc I’m proud to announce my commitment to @MSU_Football #agtg ✝️@DLSFootball_MI @coachrohn @JamesALight @AllenTrieu @C_Robinson247 @ryanobleness @JasonKillop pic.twitter.com/U1b5KE0kVj
— Grayson Thurston (@GrayThurston1) November 14, 2026
Glancing at Thurston
Thurston fits the profile MSU is looking for. He attends De La Salle in Warren, Mich. Obviously, the Spartans want to prioritize in-state talent. Thurston checks that box, but that's also not the only reason Michigan State is taking his commitment. He's currently ranked 590th overall in the class of 2028 on the 247Sports Composite rankings, also placing 41st among quarterbacks and 13th among all players from Michigan.
Thurston, listed at 6'2" and 180 pounds, also drew other Power Four interest. Cincinnati, Iowa, and Minnesota are his other major offers, and Thurston also holds several others from MAC schools and UConn. MSU officially offered Thurston back on June 16.
He and Traverse City West's Brayden Tillman looked like Michigan State's two main targets for the 2028 quarterback spot. Tillman has 4-star status right now, though, and the winds seemed to be shifting away from the Spartans' sails, as far as that goes.
As for Thurston's skills, he's probably more of a pocket passer. He can run, but it may be more like Alessio Milivojevic's legs, where it is only something that gets used occasionally. Thurston seems to have a knack for layering throws, though that'll be something he has to be careful with in the jump to the next level as he starts facing bigger, faster, and smarter opponents. De La Salle plays one of the tougher schedules in Michigan high school football, though, which could help.
MSU's QB Succession
Pat Fitzgerald's program will have no shortage of quarterback options in the coming years, either. Nothing is ever set in stone at the position during the transfer portal era, but Michigan State's roster (or future rosters) is packed with younger guys.
Milivojevic, the current starter, will have two more years of eligibility remaining after this one. He's probably done enough this year to get another year, but that doesn't feel like a complete certainty. Former 4-star recruit Kayd Coffman has four more years of eligibility. There's also Leo Hannan, who is eligible through 2029, but he's a likely portal entrant, with Milivojevic and Coffman boxing him out.
MSU is also bringing in Eli Stumpf next season. He's a 3-star recruit from Big Walnut, Ohio, ranked 1,139th overall and 57th among quarterbacks in the class of 2027, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Pat Fitzgerald Post-Washington Press Conference
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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