Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during the third quarter in the game against Purdue on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Samson Gash's Alabama Offer Means for MSU

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans have had a hot month of June on the recruiting trail.

MSU’s 2026 class now sits at No. 24 overall on 247Sports. Jonathan Smith has started to build the program the way fans hoped he would.

The latest commitment came from four-star wide receiver Tyren Wortham, who flipped to the Spartans on Sunday afternoon after previously being committed to UCF. Courtney Hawkins worked his magic quickly and landed MSU a prime recruit.

However, wide receiver recruiting has been in flux for the Spartans over the past month. Landing Wortham and Zachary Washington is a good start, but there could be one more piece to the puzzle.

Lansing Catholic three-star receiver Samson Gash has been a priority recruit for MSU, and things were once trending in the right direction for Smith and Hawkins in that regard. But that could be in doubt due to recent developments.

Gash received an offer from Alabama over the weekend after visiting Tuscaloosa and working out.

He announced the offer on social media:

After a GREAT workout and conversation with @CoachShephard I am blessed to receive an offer from Alabama!⚪️ @KalenDeBoer @TonyJones_810 @AllenTrieu @TheD_Zone @adamgorney @SWiltfong_ @DCCfootball pic.twitter.com/W2FWqR1xAi
— Samson Gash 3⭐️ATH (@GashSamson) June 21, 2025

Alabama has been the face of college football for the past decade-plus, and it has also developed numerous receivers who have gone on to the NFL at a high rate. MSU now faces an uphill battle to keep Gash home.

Wortham’s flip to MSU may also impact things, as the team now has two receivers already in the fold. Does Gash want to make it a crowded room, or would he prefer to join a better program?

It is not set in stone, but Gash landed an offer from the Crimson Tide after a workout, indicating that the team is interested in bringing him on board. What could Hawkins counter with to keep Gash home and get him to commit to MSU instead?

Gash’s brother, Caleb, plays for the Spartans, and the staff offered his younger brother, too. Could staying with family be important to Gash?

Winning a head-to-head recruiting battle against Alabama would be a major win for Hawkins and the staff, as Gash has been a fast riser in recent weeks.

Hawkins has pulled off big-time pulls before, but this would no doubt be his most impressive.

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