Michigan State Football Offers Intriguing Wide Receiver
The Michigan State Spartans are recruiting the Midwest heavily and the position of wide receiver is a consistent target for the program under wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins.
The Spartans, boasting alum such as Jayden Reed, Jalen Nailor, and Keon Coleman, might be the foremost destination for wide receiver talent, despite being relatively overlooked by recruits. The Spartans just offered 2026 wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Northrop High School product is the No. 85 wide receiver in the class, per 247Sports, and the No. 3 player in Indiana. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound wide receiver has 13 offers, and they are very telling -- Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, Miami, and Tennessee.
The offers have been recent, too, signaling a bit of a rise in his stock. Could Guilford be one of the gems of the class that gets overlooked and proves successful at the next level?
Hawkins is a world-class scout, recruiter, and developer. Just look at his track record and the star freshman he has on the roster right now -- Nick Marsh.
Hawkins, a former Spartan, is a competitor with NFL experience. When asked about his recruiting tendencies, he was clear what was sought after.
"I'm recruiting guys to knock me out of the Top 10 (for school receiving records)," Hawkins said. "There's no way after 30 years or however many years it's been, that I should be in the Top 10. Especially with the kind of offenses of today's offense versus the offenses then. So everybody I'm trying to get here at Michigan State should be able to knock me out, hopefully."
Hawkins has been praised by just about every recruit he's targeted. His experience and honesty is a big hit, as well as his way of connecting with prospects. They trust him to develop them as men off the field. Hawkins is one of the big perpetuators of the Spartans' family-like culture that the recruits tout.
That Hawkins and so many elite programs are after Guilford is eye-opening as to what his potential might just be. More offers are likely to come -- programs are quick to hop on the bandwagon for a recruit when they discover who else is after said player.
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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