Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during the fourth quarter in the game against Rutgers on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Report: MSU Recruiting Way Behind Among Conference Competitors

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 9, 2025 3:57 PM ET

It's no secret that Michigan State's recruiting under the Jonathan Smith regime hasn't been ideal.

While much of the Big Ten continues to get better by way of the recruiting trail, the Spartans are showing no signs of progress.

Fox Sports' Michael Cohen has the Spartans ranked 17th in his recent rankings of Big Ten class of 2026 recruiting.

Michigan State has just four scholarship commits so far, including just one four-star: quarterback Kayd Coffman of East Kentwood High School.

"At this point, the lack of recruiting fireworks from second-year head coach Jonathan Smith, formerly of Oregon State, is probably a bit concerning for Michigan State fans," Cohen wrote. "Smith’s first recruiting class, in 2024, ranked 42nd nationally and only included two players ranked among the top 450 overall. His second recruiting class, in 2025, slipped to 57th in the national rankings and only included one player among the top 450 prospects.

"The story in 2026 seems to be more of the same with Coffman, who chose the Spartans over additional scholarship offers from Iowa State, Ole Miss, Duke and Syracuse, among others, being the only commit ranked among the top 550 nationally.

"If high-end prospects aren’t committing, Smith will need his returning players to make significant leaps forward in Year 2 for the sake of building an enticing recruiting pitch around player development. Otherwise, the Spartans are in real trouble."

There's no doubt Jonathan Smith joined a tough situation when he came into East Lansing. He was tasked with rebuilding a program from the rubble at a point where this new landscape of college athletics was really taking off.

So, Smith gets some grace, but there has to be progress this upcoming season. Michigan State needs to, at the very least, make a bowl game, something it hasn't done since 2021.

Once Michigan State starts unveiling a clearer direction of where the program is heading, recruits will likely feel more confident in the possibility of prospering with the Green and White.

Obviously, NIL plays a factor as well, and with a new athletic director, that department could take a turn for the better.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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