Michigan State Football Offers Top Safety
Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith is making it simple on the recruiting trail.
The priority is the state of Michigan. After that, it is about rebuilding the Midwest. The state of Ohio is a hotbed for talent, and both big Michigan schools have pillaged the state's gems.
The Spartans have two Ohio natives in their 2025 class -- wide receiver Braylon Collier and edge rusher Cal Thrush. They just offered 2027 safety Darius Dennis while he visited during their game against Prairie View A&M. Dennis, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete (per 247Sports), is long and physical.
Dennis is a target of safeties coach Blue Adams. Adams told reporters last month what stood out to him about recruiting the Midwest.
"It's a lot of ballplayers in a short radius, there's some ballplayers," he said. "And so sometimes you end up at some schools that you gotta get on a plane to go find some players or just put some gas in the car. You'll find a couple. Very close."
Dennis would qualify as one of many ballplayers the Spartans like from Ohio. Spartans tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator Brian Wozniak, who is more than familiar with the region, takes pride in it and had fun looking for talent.
"I love it ... you get to go down and hang out in Ohio for three or four days," Wozniak said. "You kidding me? It's awesome. Got to spend some time in my own college stomping grounds, Wisconsin, and then you get to recruit the state of Michigan. Really, really good high school football. It's been a lot of fun. To me, it doesn't feel like a new landscape, but it almost does because I haven't been in it for so long. So it's cool seeing those older high schools that maybe I knew growing up, playing against, or even my own high school, going in and seeing it. It's been a lot of fun."
At Big Ten Media Days, Smith said that his staff made an emphasis on going out to as many schools as they could. Spread the word of the new Spartans. When they bring recruits to East Lansing, they take advantage of the opportunity, too.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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MICHAEL FRANCE