How Unfortunate is Tyson Sanford's Duke Commitment for the Spartans?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Caleb Sisk | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 8:00 AM ET

It is no secret that the Michigan State Spartans have done a great job in the class of 2026 recruiting cycle.

They went from having less than a handful of commits going into the month of June to now sitting at 22 total commits and ranked inside the top 35, according to 247Sports. This is nothing to be upset over, as the Spartans have had some recruiting struggles in recent years.

While the class isn’t perfect, it is worth mentioning that they have landed many of their top targets at a plethora of different positions, with their recruiting board having many of the number one prospects committed at this time. While it is great to celebrate these wins, every team has its losses. This includes the Spartans.

The Spartans have missed on many targets who would’ve been difference-maker type of players. There are many names that come to mind, but one name that comes to mind immediately is Tyson Sanford, who committed to Duke over the Spartans back in June, despite the fact that Michigan State has multiple defensive back commits. It is worth noting that Sanford has something different that some of these commits do not have.

Sanford is able to play not only cornerback, but also safety, as he can play both safety spots along with nearly every cornerback position. He was originally recruited by many to play safety, but at Duke, he will play cornerback. He expressed the trust he has in the Blue Devils and them having the trust that they have in him to flex and play wherever he needs to in the defensive back room.

This is something that could easily get him playing time very early in his career where instead of other players who are also freshman, will likely have to wait with them only being able to play one position in the defensive back room Duke got a steal in Sanford, but the Spartans are still looking for defensive backs to be able to do this and they have multiple who can.

While on paper, this wasn’t the biggest loss that they have had this offseason, some just don't understand exactly how unfortunate this loss is.

Sanford expressed with Michigan State Spartans On SI that he is very grateful for the recruiting job that Michigan State did with him. He also expressed that the Spartans were second in his recruitment, following behind the Blue Devils, which is a tough pill to swallow.

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