Michigan State football: Overview of 2026 recruiting class – offense

The 2026 Michigan State football recruiting class is coming together nicely, so let’s take a look at the offensive commits.

Now that we are just two days away from the start of the season, it is time to take a look at the next bunch of recruits Michigan State football has accumulated in its 2026 recruiting class.

From flipping highly-ranked athletes, to defeating bigger athletic programs in crucial recruitments, Jonathan Smith and Co. have switched up their strategy, and it has been working like a well-oiled engine.

Plus, with the addition of former Georgia Tech athletic director J Batt, the program is currently seeing growth and production Spartan fans alike have not seen in years.

Let’s take an individual look at the separate offensive players that have pledged their allegiance to the green and white.

Tyren Wortham, 4-star WR

The first thing that comes to mind with Tyren Wortham’s tape is his athletic ability. It’s no wonder why he is projected as an athlete on recruiting sites all around the nation. Sure, the former UCF commit has made some daring grabs inches in the air, or sped off to a two-foot lead against a defender in coverage, but what is so special about Wortham is his ball vision.

There are so many cases where the defense surrounds Wortham in the middle of the field with 4-5 defenders, and using perfect moves to make every defender miss, he somehow seems to find the smallest of holes and take it for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Sarasota, Fla., product is currently ranked as the 59th-best wide receiver in his class, and the 57th-best player in the state of Florida. Standing at 6-foot-0 and 175 pounds, according to 247Sports, Wortham is a prime slot receiver build that could be seen as a hybrid athlete in offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren’s offense.

The 2026 class currently has three wide receiver commits including Wortham, but the other two players in the class, are not seen as program-breaking prospects in the same way his athletic ability jumps off the charts.

And with senior wide receiver Omari Kelly graduating after this season, that opens up another spot that could be claimed by the Florida demon. This year’s wide receiver room is full of speculation, and Wortham’s true spot will be found at minimum, the half-way point of the 2025 season.

Collin Campbell, 4-star OT

Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik seems to has his eyes on a specific frame and outline of what players he’s recruiting this cycle. Collin Campbell, standing at an astounding 6-foot-7, 280 pounds at the high school level, is a perfect example of that.

Besides Michigan State football, Campbell took visits to other schools out west like Utah and Washington, but ultimately, Jonathan Smith’s westward ties took ahold once again in this recruitment and landed a verbal commitment from “a top offensive line prospect out west”, per Greg Biggins, a 247Sports national recruiting analyst.

Currently expected to play left tackle at the next level, Campbell is not the only member of his family to play college ball. His father, Steve Campbell, was a backup quarterback at Arizona State University between 1995-98. The athletic lineage in Campbell’s bloodline certainly boosts him up in terms of potential, and excitement.

Campbell, the 33rd-best offensive lineman in the nation and third-best player in all of Arizona, is the kind of nasty player we all saw in the Mark Dantonio days down in the trenches. The Williams Field product doesn’t really have much of a problem getting to the second level, and while he is raw in some areas, that will work itself out, especially under a coach like Michalczik

No matter what position Campbell would slide into as a Spartan, he would most likely see third string reps if any at all during his freshman campaign. Stanton Rami, a redshirt sophomore, is projected as the starter at left tackle this season, and on the right side, stands junior transfer Conner Moore.

Kayd Coffman, 4-star QB

Michigan State football grabbed their signal-caller early in the cycle. The East Kentwood, Mich., product currently ranks as the 19th-best quarterback in the class itself, and the fourth-best overall player in the state of Michigan, according to 247Sports.

Coffman in his junior campaign threw for nearly 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns, to only two interceptions. He lead his East Kentwood team to the playoffs last season, but fell out in the district semifinals to eventual state runner-up, Hudsonville.

Scouts and analysts in the region do mention some impressive athletic traits that Coffman possess that could help him move around the pocket and deliver key passes at the colligate level, but what really stands out is his leadership. Before his junior season, Coffman recommended to his high school coach, Tyrone Spencer, that the entire team read the book ‘Getting to Neutral’ because Russell Wilson read it and it would be good for the team. Keep in mind, this was only a few months after Coffman transferred in from South Christian High School.

After Coffman graduates as a Falcon next spring, he could be seen as a potential redshirt as he would come in at the fifth spot on the depth chart at his position, right behind Aidan Chiles, Alessio Milivojevic, Ryland Jessee, and Leo Hannan.

Whatever comes for the highly-touted signal caller, MSU has a leader that will hold teammates and the rest of the coaching staff accountable, something that’s rare in today’s game.

Samson Gash, 4-star WR

“A winner.”

That is what Samson Gash said when he was asked what he wants to be remembered as during his time with the Spartans.

The Detroit Catholic Central product is current ranked as the 63rd-best receiver in his class, and the seventh-best player in the state of Michigan, according to 247Sports. Standing at 6-foot-0, 180 pounds, Gash is a prime example of Courtney Hawkins portfolio on receiver prospects. Small, but speedy demons that can route any defender on them.

Gash also shows a keen sense of confidence in his mental game that separates him from most of his competition. In a game between Catholic Central and Bryce Underwood’s Belleville team last season, Gash put up 153 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns and even intercepted one of Underwood’s passes.

Gash also runs for the track team at Catholic Central where he set a state record with a 10.41 in the 100-meter dash in the state finals as a junior, so imagine what he can do with another year under his belt in that department.

It wasn’t only track, though, that saw Gash put up big numbers. In his junior season on the football field, Gash caught 42 passes for 731 yards and 12 touchdowns. His versatility showed as well rushing for over 300 yards and eight more touchdowns on the ground as well during an all-state campaign.

Although Gash might not be a day one contributor on offense, his presence will surely be felt on special teams as a returner and a utility man.

Eli Bickel, 3-star OT

The North Branch, Mich., product is currently ranked as the 11th-best player in the state of Michigan. Standing at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds as a high school senior, Bickel continues to common theme of big players Michalczik has been recruiting.

Michigan State football was not Bickel’s only offer on the board as Northwestern, Central Michigan and Cincinnati all offered the young tackle.

While there is not much written on Bickel, the first clear thing that jumps off of the page when you watch his tap is his acceleration off the line. Bickel buries his opponents and while most of them are many shoe sizes smaller, that does not mean they can get away from his intense attack. His pass pro game is very raw and needs development on his footwork techniques, but in the run game, Bickel consistently shoots off the line and creates holes wherever he is at the time.

When the North Branch product arrives on campus, he will not have an immediate impact on the field and could even be eligible for a redshirt, but over time with some key development from Michalczik, his role will increase on the playing field.

Zachary Washington, 3-star WR

To round out the receiving corps in this class, Hawkins grabbed highly-touted prospect Zachary Washington out of Wheaton, Ill. If Bickel was not highly-touted as a player, Washington is the exact opposite.

Do not let his 777th national ranking fool you, Washington possesses offers from many big-time programs including Ole Miss, Indiana, and Missouri, and if that does not convince you of his underrated ranking, his 4.37 40-yard dash time certainly will. Do keep in mind also that Gash, the state record-holder in Michigan, runs a 4.38 40-yard dash.

His build at 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, according to 247Sports, shows the same common theme of big-build, speed demon guys that Hawkins and staff love to recruit.

Something else to mention in this recruitment, is that Washington’s former quarterback during his junior season is current Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic. The Spartan backup quarterback definitely played a key role in bringing his favorite high school target to East Lansing.

Washington’s varsity career this far has seen him average 17.4 yards per catch. Those are astounding numbers even for a junior in high school. With 51 total receptions in just 15 total games, Washington has put together 887 receiving yards as a high schooler.

Washington’s usage early on in his college career will mostly be seen at kick/punt returner, though once again, as time goes on and more size is added to his frame, he is a key player that could be a main reason Michigan State football takes another step towards champion status.

Quinn Buckey, 3-star OT

The 6-foot-7, 280-pound tackle has a similar size and build as his fellow classmate Eli Bickel according to his Hudl profile. Quinn Buckey (Bakersfield, Calif.) is the 63rd-best recruit in California in 2026 and the 68th-best offensive tackle in the country on 247.

The first thing that jumps off the screen when taking a quick look at his film is how much Buckey loves contact. He finishes plays through the whistle, consistently putting his defensive opponents on the ground and engaging first, especially in the open field. His footwork might be a bit raw for the college game, as well as other issues including Buckey being used to playing against players that do not share his big size, however, playing against MSU defenders in practice everyday will clean that up when he arrives on campus next year.

Something else to note is that Buckey comes from an athletic family. His father, Jeff Buckey, played at Stanford and was a seventh-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 1996 NFL Draft. His two older brothers, Zach and Grant, currently play collegiate football at Stanford and UCLA, respectively.

Buckey’s time in college will start slow, but his intense side to the game will boost him onto the field very quickly. He shows versatility at multiple positions on the offensive line, but his main spot will be at right tackle, where he’s most comfortable.

Eddie Whiting, 3-star TE

A common type of recruit that Michigan State football has gone after are underrated three-stars with multiple Power Four offers. Whiting is yet again a great example of this. Currently holding offers from Alabama, Michigan, Colorado, and Florida, Whiting was a highly-touted player before verbally committing to MSU.

Of the two tight ends in the class, Whiting ranks higher at 809th nationally, 44th-best at his position, and second-best in the state of South Dakota. Standing at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Whiting holds the size to be a formidable force on the offensive side of the ball.

Whiting’s defensive experience at edge rusher really helps him understand what to do on offense as a blocker, and while he has some highlights catching the ball, he is more of a blocking tight end with his vast size and IQ then a vertical threat one.

Whiting is one of the smarter recruits I have seen in the class, however. Multiple times, he consistently settles down in an open zone on a route and torches the defense. His size helps of course but the bigger point is that he does not seek a touchdown every play but rather takes what he can get which will help him a lot at the next stage.

Joey Caudill, 3-star TE

Athletic freak.

Two words to describe Joey Caudill who is the second tight end of the 2026 class for the Spartans. Do not let his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame fool you, though, as Caudill routinely plays quarterback for his high school and takes runs straight to the house on multiple occasions.

His surprising speed makes him an intriguing player that they Spartans could mold into many forms. His lack of blocking experience shows a unique possibility of a massive tight end running around the field, racking in passes along the way. Similar to Whiting, Caudill seeks out contact rather than running away from it. On multiple touchdown runs during his junior season, Caudill strays off his path to engage in a broken tackle on his way to the house.

What worries me, however, is his indecisive ability. The only time this has been shown is on defense at outside linebacker, a position Caudill will not be playing at MSU. However, it could signal a lapse of judgement on offense, in the blocking terms. Most of the time, Caudill uses his athleticism to make up for it, but it might not fly at the college level.

Caudill, besides that one small crack, is a very good recruit. His offers from Kentucky, Purdue, and Maryland show just that. And with another year under the belt, his ability is only going to grow.

Tristan Comer, 3-star OT

Tristan Comer is a tenacious and technique-driven prospect, exactly what Smith and Co. want MSU to be. What excites me the most about Comer is that he plays against teams who share his size — 6-foot-6, 262 pounds is not something to squander at, but taking a look at his game tape shows that Comer is not always the biggest on the field.

During his junior year of high school, in only 11 games played, Comer totaled 47 total pancake blocks. That means that Comer put his opponent on their back 47 times. With his insane performance, he was selected to the all-region and all-state teams in Michigan.

Comer’s head coach, Kyle Townsend, on 247Sports states, “That’s the big thing the recruiters saw was the basketball court, and they saw it from a football standpoint. He always thought he was going to be a basketball player and marketed himself as that. He played on elite travel teams and somewhere, it got sparked that football was his best next-level opportunity. Football coaches really loved the footwork and flexibility from basketball. We ran the T so his job was to be aggressive, fire off the ball and attack. And you can see plays where he blows somebody back and drives them 40 yards down the field. Schools came into our weight room and asked him to kick step for them and I think from basketball, where he had to slide and shuffle to defend, he could do that, so they saw the potential to grow and develop.”

His offer list of West Virginia, Northwestern, and Oregon State does not reflect how strong of a player he is, and how exciting he can become. Comer can easily see play-time if he continues this projection upwards, but with his style of play, Comer could be one of the most game-ready prospects on the board right now for Michigan State football.