EXCLUSIVE: What Top Jonathan Smith, MSU Football Target Thinks About Program
The Michigan State Spartans have been recruiting big, long, athletic tight ends under head coach Jonathan Smith. Tight ends coach Brian Wozniak wants a vertical tight end that can be a downfield playmaker, and one just needs to look at who they have secured, and who they have offered, to see their prototype.
Emmett Bork, three-star tight end commit, 6-foot-6. Another commit, Jayden Savoury, 6-foot-6. 2026 tight end offer Lincoln Keyes, a top-tier in-state target from Saline, is 6-foot-6, 240 pounds. He told me he had been working to get his weight up, originally weighing around 220 pounds.
"I've just been eating everything," he said.
Keyes said he doesn't feel the difference physically, and he's been told he has carried it well. He said he is running a 4.62 40 time right now.
Keyes had a dominant summer competing at camps down south at top programs such as Georgia and Alabama. He received offers from both schools. Keyes also showed out at Ohio State, and picked up an offer there as well. The Spartans are recruiting him hard, for good reason, and it seems to be paying off.
"I have a really good relationship with Coach Wozniak, especially," Keyes said. "We're pretty close, we talk a lot ... I really like what he's doing. We've looked over a lot of film and I like how they use their tight ends. I think he's a great coach and he has lots of knowledge of the game and he likes to use tight ends not just blocking but also spreading them out and letting them stretch the field."
What could help Michigan State's case is the offense they run. Keyes echoed similar sentiments to what other tight end prospects I've spoken with have said, such as Brock Harris. They want to be playmakers. They want an offense that allows them to be playmakers.
"I definitely want to play in more like an air raid offense for sure," Keyes said. "I'm a really good split-out guy, I can also get on the line and block someone. One of my big strengths is stretching the field and running my routes and one-on-one coverage. So using me on the outside, slot, and putting me on the line, I can do all of that. Just being able to use me [in a versatile way]."
Both of Keyes' parents attended Michigan State, and he said that the Spartans are among his top teams so far in his recruitment.
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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