Thursday marked yet another major milestone for the Michigan State Spartans football program, as head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff continued their hot streak on the recruiting trail. The Spartans are showing no signs of slowing down, and the program’s 2026 recruiting class has quickly transformed into one of the most talked-about in the country.
Just over a month ago, Michigan State had only two verbal commitments for its 2026 class. Fast-forward to July 4, and that number has skyrocketed to 22. This meteoric rise has propelled the Spartans from the 70s in national recruiting rankings all the way up to No. 26, demonstrating the immediate impact Smith and his staff are having in reshaping the program’s future.
On Thursday, Michigan State landed a commitment from promising edge rusher Chris Addison, a three-star recruit from Winnsboro, Louisiana. Though he may not be the highest-ranked player in the class, Addison’s recruitment drew serious attention from several major programs, which underscores how valuable a pickup this was for the Spartans.
Addison’s journey to committing to Michigan State included several high-profile visits. He traveled to East Lansing for his official visit on June 13, then visited Florida State—one of the top programs in the country—shortly thereafter. Before those visits, he also toured Arizona State and UCLA, making his final commitment to the Spartans a noteworthy recruiting win for Smith and his staff.
While Addison is ranked No. 548 overall and the No. 52 edge rusher in the class according to the 247Sports Composite, his offer list was far more impressive than those numbers suggest. He held offers from a range of Power Five programs including Florida State, UCLA, Arkansas, Arizona State, Baylor, Mississippi State, North Carolina, TCU, Texas Tech, and Vanderbilt. His decision to commit to Michigan State over such a competitive field speaks volumes about the direction and energy of the program under Smith’s leadership.
Addison is now the third-highest-rated commit in Michigan State’s 2026 class and joins fellow edge rushers Cory House and Fameitau Siale, giving the Spartans a solid trio of pass rushers for the future. He’s also the No. 16-ranked recruit in Louisiana, a state known for producing elite-level football talent.
Jonathan Smith’s recruiting efforts are clearly resonating—not just with recruits but with the fan base as well. The surge in recruiting momentum is injecting optimism into a program looking to rebound. If Smith can turn this recruiting success into wins during the upcoming 2025 season, Michigan State could be poised for an even stronger 2027 class. For now, the Spartans’ recruiting momentum feels not only real but also sustainable, and excitement is steadily building in East Lansing.
