EXCLUSIVE: Spartans Coaches Make a Difference For Elite Jonathan Smith WR Target
Mason James is one of the best wide receivers in the 2026 class. Not bad for a player that has only played the position for one season of high school football. That season was so good that he earned an offer from Michigan State.
James' relationship with the Spartans began with a FaceTime call with wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins and his assistant, Cordale Grundy. James told me that his relationship with Hawkins is strong, the two having built the bond over the phone and during James' recent visit to East Lansing.
"He's definitely a player's coach," James said. "I can tell that he looks out for his players. He's not just their football coach, I'd say he's their mentor and football coach. So that's definitely a good sign."
Hawkins has endeared himself to James through those player's coach tendencies and the family-friendly approach that the Spartans staff is quickly becoming known for under Smith on the recruiting trail.
"How well he can get to know about my family. Not just to me, he gets to know my whole family," James said. I like that a lot."
With Grundy, the relationship is still a very personal one for James. James said that most of their conversations don't involve football.
"They are maybe how I'm doing mentality, how I'm doing in school," James said. "How my family is doing. So I like how he cares about stuff like that, not just football 24/7. He's also taken the time to get to know my mom, dad, my brother -- so that's definitely is really good. ... I say it's really important to me, especially for my mom, being able to send me off somewhere she knows is going to take care of me and coaches that she can trust while I'm there."
James is the No. 30 wide receiver in his class, per 247Sports. He is a Top 200 prospect nationally, slotting in at No. 174 on their recruiting rankings. The Norman, Oklahoma native is being recruited by some of the top schools in the country -- Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee, Oregon, Penn State, Oklahoma and Washington.
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