MSU Football Offers Elite Defensive Prospect
Michigan State is recruiting the Midwest and the state of Ohio heavily.
There are several big linebacker prospects that the Spartans like in Ohio, especially in the 2026 class. Add one more to the list. The Spartans recently offered linebacker CJ Sanna of Olentangy High School.
You might recognize that name -- it is also home to four-star safety and priority Spartans target Kaden Gebhardt. Gebhardt was a late summer offer of the Spartans.
Sanna is a highly-rated three-star linebacker -- he is the No. 31-ranked linebacker in the class and the No. 19-ranked player in Ohio's 2026 class. Sanna has good measurables, a matured 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. He could definitely rise in the rankings heading into his senior year.
He might even get another star.
Sanna has eight offers, but he will likely get a lot more when all is said and done. Sanna has blown up in the month of September. He is on seemingly everyone's radar now. In fact, every offer he has gotten has arrived in the month.
First, he snagged offers from Liberty and Iowa State. Then Iowa offered, followed soon by Power 4 programs like Purdue, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Spartans were next in line.
Sanna certainly fits the measurables for defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi.
"Long, athletic, and smart," Rossi said. "That's what we look for and that's a sliding scale, OK. And what I mean by that -- if a guy's 6-foot and runs 4.4, that's cool. But if you're going to be a low 4.8, you better be 6-foot-3 and a half. So my point is -- it slides, but the ideal thing, if I'm just giving you three, it's length, it's athleticism, and it's intelligence. Not necessarily in that order."
Not all Rossi linebackers are the same. That goes for his recruits in the most recent classes, too. 2025 linebacker Di'Mari Malone is a solid 6-foot-2 while DJ White is a lengthier 6-foot-3. Both have defensive back backgrounds.
2024 four-star Brady Pretzlaff was a little bit of both Malone and White, lengthy with a solid frame. He, too, was good in coverage but might be the true Mike of the bunch, whereas Malone and White measure up as strong or weak-side backers.
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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