Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith talks the media on the first national signing day for college football recruits Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two Football Targets MSU Needs to Get on Campus

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Michael France | Last updated Feb 25, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The official visit is where the deal is done.

If a prospect is willing to slate you for an official in June, limiting opportunities to visit other schools and receive the red carpet treatment, your chances of landing said recruit are looking good.

Michigan State has already undergone the official visit schedule in February, but June is a long way out, and it has plenty of room to add to its visitors list.

Below are two targets Michigan State should press hard for.

CJ Sanna, LB, Olentangy (OH)

Sanna is 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, with explosive athleticism and a high IQ. When Joe Rossi talks about his prototypical linebacker as long, athletic, smart, and physical -- Sanna is it.

He has also developed a strong relationship with Rossi.

"Right away when you talk to him about football, you can tell he's a really intelligent coach," Sanna said. "There's a lot of coaches who like the yelling and the real in-your-face coaching style, and that's just a different kind of coaching style. But he seems really calm and collected. Just informative, almost, and that's a coaching style that I can appreciate. ... Just really good conversation, just talking about football. We had some really good back-and-forth talking about schemes or he'll talk to me about our defensive plan for the week -- for my games. So pretty good relationship with him overall."

Luke Sorensen, TE, Servite (CA)

Sorensen is a rising tight end in the 2026 cycle; his route running and playmaking abilities are stronger by the day, and his work ethic is unmatched by most. He was a teammate to 2025 Spartans quarterback Leo Hannan, who spoke well of his Sorensen.

Sorenson is the No. 45 tight end in the class, per 247Sports, and his non-negotiables for his own target program are achievable by Michigan State. The connection is strong, they just need to pull the trigger.

"I want a program that's going to develop me, first of all," Sorensen said. "I'm a young player -- I just turned 16; I should be a 2027 right now, maybe a 2028, but I just turned 16, and so I'm still new to football, I'm still a young kid and have time to grow. So I want a program that's going to develop me to be the best player I can be. ... Whoever can make good tight ends, work me in the weight room, help me with my routes. I want a school that has a good education because, at some point, football can end whenever, you never know when you've played your last snap, so you want a school that's going to set you up later in life."

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.

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

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