Michigan State football makes top 9 for high priority 2026 target

Michigan State football made the cut for one of its top targets in the 2026 class. Who else made the top nine?

One of the top local talents in the 2026 class, has narrowed down his list of potential schools Monday. Michigan State football is included in his choices. Four-star 2026 Portage Northern (Mich.) offensive lineman Gregory Patrick announced his top nine on Monday via social media.

The top nine are: Michigan State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Penn State, Alabama, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Minnesota.

Thank you to the amazing coaches & programs who have invested time in recruiting me. I’m extremely humbled & grateful for their interest. Going into my junior year, I will be focusing on these 9 schools, but most of all on my @PNHuskieFB brothers & pursuing our goals! #RollSkies pic.twitter.com/swCJaxaQdP

— Gregory Patrick (@gregpatrick75) July 29, 2024

As you can see from the schools above, Patrick has offers from some blue blood caliber schools. In total, he holds 22 offers. According to the 247Sports Composite, Patrick is the second-ranked prospect from the state of Michigan in the 2026 class. He also ranked 155 in the nation and he’s the 13th-ranked offensive lineman in 2026.

To say he comes highly touted would be an understatement.

Patrick has great measurables for his age as well. Currently the high school junior stands almost 6-foot-5 and weighs in at about 275 pounds. He is a natural athlete who plays both basketball and baseball for Portage. He has started for the varsity team at his high school every year so far and has quickly made a name for himself. Patrick also finds himself listed as one of 247’s “Rising Juniors”.

The four-star has been traveling a lot so far in his recruitment. He has taken multiple visits to multiple schools. Most recently he attended Michigan’s BBQ at the Big House. So far in 2024, he has visited the Wolverines, Spartans, Crimson Tide, and Fighting Irish twice. Penn State and Nebraska also have gotten a visit. Last season, MSU, Michigan, and Oklahoma got visits during games from Patrick.

Michigan State fans have seen Patrick mentioned quite a bit over the past few years. His dad, Joseph Patrick, played offensive lineman for the Spartans back in the early 2000s. Patrick would be a huge addition to the Spartans offensive future. The type of cornerstone offensive line prospect that could anchor the unit for years to come.

While there is no timeline for a decision for Patrick since he is a class of 2026, so far it seems like he may look to wrap up his recruitment quickly. Hopefully Jonathan Smith and Jim Michalczik can keep the good momentum up with him as he has shown a lot of love toward MSU.

The legacy factor is a powerful one as well but as we have seen in other recent recruitments, it does not make getting him a sure thing.

Let’s hope this one is different.