Michigan State Football Offers Intriguing Illinois Three-Star Athlete

As Michigan State football continues their march throughout the country looking to make headways on Pat Fitzgerald’s first Spartan class, their latest offer is an intriguing one. The Spartans and Max Bullough offered Henry Sakalas, a linebacker/defensive back hybrid from Nazareth Academy (Ill.).

What to Know About Henry Sakalas

Sakalas is a 6-foot-3 athlete from La Grange Park, with his official 247Sports page listing him as a safety. While junior year stats were not available on MaxPreps, the talented athlete put up 809 yards on 56 receptions as a sophomore, hauling in 12 touchdowns while also picking the ball off three times on the defensive side.

His 2025 highlights show at least four interceptions and multiple pass breakups, additionally.

Among his class, he ranks no. 844 overall, per the 247Sports consensus. Among safeties, he ranks no. 87 in class, and no. 30 among players from Illinois.

Flipping on the highlights, it is clear to see why he is being evaluated as a linebacker. In his first clip, Sakalas trucks through a receiver, with the opposing staff begging for a targeting call. He tracks the ball well in the air with a very solid catch radius, and if moved to linebacker, can hone his instincts that already show up well on film.

Who is Michigan State Football Competing With?

Unsurprisingly, the lengthy and talented athlete finds himself on multiple Big Ten radars, with Nebraska offering Sakalas a day before the Spartans. Additionally, Sakalas has set official visits with Minnesota and in-state threat Illinois.

Among other Power Four programs, in-state Northwestern and West Virginia have each been among the offers and in contact.

The Spartans will be looking to replace safety Nikai Martinez, along with linebackers Caleb Wheatland, Jordan Hall, Dion Crawford, and Cam Stodghill upon the end of the 2026 season, and Sakalas is a player that makes sense to be next in line. It is worth noting that, pending the NCAA “five years of eligibility” ruling, Crawford and Hall could be eligible for one more fall.

One way that Sakalas could impact the program is becoming the typical pass formation linebacker very early on. Last season, that role belonged to Darius Snow and Semaj Bridgeman, and is a role Stodghill could fill this season.

Follow along for more Spartan recruiting updates as they come along. My X is @E_Matasovsky57 and I will be keeping things as up-to-date as possible.