MSU Inches Closer to Top LB Prospect
Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith does not care about the stars on a recruit's 247Sports or Rivals profile. The tape and intangibles matter most.
That being said, four-star linebacker Nick Abrams II, McDonogh School (Maryland), has all of it in abundance. Which is why he is so high up on the Spartans' wish list for the 2026 class.
On Wednesday, per Rivals, Abrams set a commitment date of July 16. The Spartans sit in his top 10 list of schools alongside Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Duke, Oregon, Penn State, USC, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
The July 16 date gives Michigan State plenty of time to sell itself to Abrams.
Per 247Sports, Abrams has yet to set any official visits; the competition will be tough, though, as there are only so many to go around. An official visit is the tell-tale sign of a program's chances of landing a player for that reason.
Why use that time up on a school you aren't interested in?
Michigan State Spartans On SI recently spoke with Abrams, and he highlighted a strong (if still growing) connection with defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi.
"Yes, we have a great relationship," Abrams said. "Coach Rossi has been really great talking to me, coming to my school and really setting out the plan he has for me, and I've been up to Michigan State, so I'm just trying to find a time to get back up there to really talk with him, go to spring practice and really see where this relationship goes."
It doesn't just stop at the Xs and Os when it comes to Abrams' admiration for the coach, either. Rossi is a family man, Abrams pointed out, and that says something much deeper to the linebacker prospect.
"Coaching takes a toll on your time that you have with your family," Abrams said. "But he makes time for [family], and it shows a lot, especially because I look in a school, I look for a family atmosphere and it's good to see that.
"It's good to see that he has that capability that he has that want to be a family man and not just sitting in a film room and create game plans. It's good that we've been talking for a minute now, I got to see him at school. He's come by to visit twice, so the relationship is definitely there, and I don't take that lightly."
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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