V-Cast: Michigan State checks off a lot of boxes in initial phase of Smith's first recruiting class

East Lansing, Mich. – Nobody in college football has been busier during that last three weeks than Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith, who has been tasked with recruiting his own roster and limiting outgoing transfers, assembling a coaching staff, and building a recruiting class with just two official visit weekends to work with leading up to national signing day on Wednesday.

All things being equal, Smith and his coaching staff exceeded expectations to a large degree in quickly addressing several positions of critical importance in a short time span. After Smith’s first signing day press conference at Michigan State, SpartanMag staffers Jim Comparoni, Jason Killop, and Paul Konyndyk weighed in with a Signing Day V-Cast analyzing a recruiting class ranked No. 54 overall on signing day and No. 15 in the Big Ten with 19 high school commitments.

The Spartans also signed a strong five-man transfer class headlined by Oregon State transfers Aidan Chiles and Jack Velling, along with Purdue wide receiver TJ Sheffield, Middle Tennessee State defensive end Quindarius Dunnigan, and Wisconsin linebacker Jordan Turner.

V-CAST TOPICS

Addressing Quarterback: Smith assessed only the high school prospects in this class, so he said nothing about prized transfer Aidan Chiles. He did, however, speak glowingly of the two high school prospects signed by the Spartans in the Class of 2024. Both of those prospects were committed to other schools before flipping to Michigan State. Alessio Milivojevic had been a Ball State commitment. Ryland Jessee was committed to Utah State before signing with Michigan.

Pretzlaff joins Spartans: Gaylord linebacker Brady Pretzlaff committed to Michigan State during a signing day ceremony at his high school minutes after Smith concluded his first signing day press conference as Spartan head coach. Pretzlaff spent most of the past year committed to Minnesota, as the result of a dogged recruiting effort by then Golden Gopher d-coordinator Joe Rossi, who now holds the same role on Smith’s staff. With the commitment of Pretzlaff, Michigan State signed two players ranked in the Top 5 in Michigan by On3 during this recruiting cycle. River Rouge wide receiver Nick Marsh and Pretzlaff are both ranked in the On300.

More to come: The success that Michigan State enjoyed on the recruiting trail during a hastily assembled first phase to its 2024 class is a prelude to busy off-season. Smith indicated that he is committed to using all available resources and the entire recruiting calendar in his building effort at Michigan State. Smith also reasserted his commitment to re-establishing Michigan State’s recruiting presence in the Midwest. As the first-year head coach of the Spartans Smith is already working to network with high school coaches in the state of Michigan.

Jadyn Walker: Athletically gifted Portage Northern linebacker did not commit to Southern California during an official visit last weekend, but the Michigan State commitment did make the decision to put off signing a Letter of Intent until the late signing period in February. With linebacker a position of need, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and recent Spartan signees Brady Pretzlaff, Nick Marsh, and others will have their work cut out for them to keep Walker home. Rossi had yet to be hired when Walker took an official visit to Michigan State in early December. Walker is easily the most underrated player in the state during this recruiting cycle.