MSU Football Lands Pat Fitzgerald's Son as a PWO

Pat Fitzgerald's son, a class of 2027 recruit, has committed to the Spartans.

Michigan State Spartans head football coach Pat Fitzgerald points while introducing himself to the crowd at a men's basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Fitzgerald was officially hired by MSU on Monday. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Being a head coach's son can have its perks.

On Saturday, Loyola Academy (Ill.) wide receiver Brendan Fitzgerald announced that he was committing to Michigan State as a preferred walk-on. Brendan is the son of head coach Pat Fitzgerald and will join the Spartans' 2027 recruiting class.

More on Brendan Fitzgerald

Brendan is the youngest of three brothers in the Fitzgerald family. His older brother, Jack, also played for Pat while he was at Northwestern. Ryan Fitzgerald is entering his redshirt freshman season as a quarterback at Iowa.

This is another addition to Michigan State's string of 2027 commitments. Linebacker Matthew Brady committed on Wednesday, linebacker Henry Sakalas did so on Thursday, cornerback Shyne Parham pledged on Friday, and EDGE Lawrence Kanneh also committed on Saturday. All of those commitments are scholarship players. Something tells me the sell job for Pat was a bit easier, though.

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald watches the action going on during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Once Brendan arrives on campus, he'll be one of a few preferred walk-on receivers on the roster. The Spartans currently have Jack Yanachik, Atticus Carridine, Nick Hardy, and Colin Charles on the roster at the position as PWOs. Each of them will still be eligible for the 2027 season.

Adding a coach's son, despite the youth sports stereotype, can have a positive impact on a locker room at this level of athletics. Brendan has first-hand experience and knowledge about the time and effort that college football takes. He's probably learned a thing or two about the game itself from his dad, which can lead to productive conversations with teammates who didn't grow up around the game quite as much.

2027 Recruiting Class Outlook

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State Spartans head coach Pat Fitzgerald patrols the field during his team's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The size of the Spartans' next class is now at 12, though Fitzgerald is the first recruit to accept status as a preferred walk-on. Most PWOs commit later on in the process when they don't have any scholarship options that are attractive enough.

Michigan State just added Holt (Mich.) tight end Ethan Melville to its 2026 roster as a preferred walk-on a few days ago. MSU's 2027 class is currently ranked 50th in the country and 14th overall on the Rivals Industry Rankings.

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

All 10 scholarship commitments have been for three-star prospects, according to the same ratings system. More commitments could be coming in soon, though. The Spartans are still hosting recruits on campus right now, and more will be on campus over the next couple of weekends.

It's official visit season, after all. Most teams build much of their classes during the summertime.