EXCLUSIVE: What Elite Jonathan Smith, MSU Football 2026 Target Wants Most in Program
2026 safety Xavier Lherisse of Eau Gallie High School in Florida is one of the top players in his class. Lherisse holds 43 offers from top programs such as Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC and Oregon. The Michigan State Spartans are among the contenders for Lherisse. I spoke with him and he told me how he first came into contact with the Green and White.
"It was actually during the school year. It was half way through the season, my coach had told me that they had seen my film and they really liked it," Lherisse said. "And then one of my close friends ... he got the offer. So I texted [Coach Christopher Sands] like 'What's up with that, I thought they really liked me?' So Coach Sands had hit them up and told them about how I was actually interested in them. So [cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin] came to the school to offer me."
Lherisse knew Martin's background and prowess for producing NFL-level defensive backs, as well as where he coached prior to Michigan State. That experience stood out to Lherisse, whose goal is to make to the NFL someday.
"I feel like he has a really good idea of what he's doing, where he could put me in the best position to make plays and to go far," Lherisse said. "He was super cool, you could tell he is somebody that wants me to be great and he's a person that would push me to be the best me."
Lherisse said he wants to play where he will get the most playing time.
"I wanna go somewhere I can make an impact right away and start playing," he told me. "If a school has a bunch of seniors already playing there, and they're getting a bunch of transfer guys in the portal, I wouldn't really consider going there."
Lherisse also said that feeling at home with a school will be a huge factor in his recruitment and where he ultimately chooses.
"Where I am far away from home but I still feel comfortable staying there," Lherisse said. "Where my parents can come up easily and it's not a hard problem for them to get up there."
Lherisse is the No. 22 safety in the 2026 class, per 247Sports, and the No. 240 prospect overall.
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