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4 days ago
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Michigan State football recruiting: Jonathan Smith's 2026 class at 9 with 3 more commits
Jonathan Smith and his Michigan State football staff had a busy recruiting weekend. The Spartans landed commitments from three three-star prospects, picking up a pledge from Georgia cornerback Kelsey 'KJ' Deriso on Saturday and adding Texas defensive lineman Christopher Knauls Jr. and Florida safety Eliyjah Caldwell-Hardy on Sunday. That brings Smith's 2026 class up to nine players. Advertisement The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Deriso is rated the nation's No. 79 cornerback in his class and the No. 954 overall player, according to composite rankings. The product of Whitewater High in Fayetteville, Georgia, picked MSU over offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and a number of mid-major Football Bowl Subdivision programs. Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during practice on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in East Lansing. FOOTBALL FIRST: Plenty to do for J Batt, but Michigan State football is clear priority Knauls, a 6-4 and 262-pound product of Lone Star High in Frisco, Texas, is rated the No. 105 defensive lineman and No. 1,020 player in 2026 per composite rankings. He had offers from Colorado, Oklahoma State, California, Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech and others. Advertisement The 6-foot, 185-pound Caldwell-Hardy, from Jacksonville, Florida, is ranked as the nation's No. 115 safety according to 247Sports' internal rankings. The product of Global Impact Ministries Academy had an offer from UCLA among a number of other mid-tier programs. Smith and the Spartans held their high school prospects camp in East Lansing over the weekend through Sunday. The early signing period for 2026 prospects will be in December. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football: Jonathan Smith adds 3 more 2026 commitments
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22-04-2025
- Sport
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Austin Clay, Jaylan Brown leaving Michigan State football via transfer portal
Jonathan Smith's first recruiting class appears to be losing a two more players, both wide receivers. Austin Clay has entered the transfer portal, a Michigan State football spokesman confirmed, while Jaylan Brown is expected to follow him, according to his trainer, Sean Cooper. The school did not immediately have confirmation on Brown's official transfer status. Advertisement The two true freshmen were part of the 2024 class Smith assembled after taking the MSU job in November 2023. Both were three-star recruits, and neither saw game action last fall. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Brown (Nagadoches, Texas) was ranked as the No. 155 receiver according to composite rankings and the 6-foot, 170-pound Clay (Cleveland) was the No. 175 wideout in his class. They are the second and third members of MSU's 21-player recruiting class in 2024 to enter the portal. Defensive back Jaylen Thompson, a 3-star native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, entered the portal after the season and signed with Memphis. The Spartans lost four receivers to the portal after the season – Jaron Glover (Mississippi State), Jaelen Smith (Texas-San Antonio), Aziah Johnson (North Carolina) and Antonio Gates Jr. (Delaware State). Smith and his staff brought in four other transfer wideouts for spring practice in Chrishon McCray (Kent State), Omari Kelly (Middle Tennessee State), Evan Boyd (Central Michigan) and Rodney Bullard Jr. (Valdosta State). More: Nick Marsh, Jack Velling hope to benefit from Michigan State football's revamped WR group Advertisement Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Austin Clay, Jaylan Brown leave Michigan State football in transfer portal
