New MSU Football Hire Makes First Offer to Intriguing DB
It looks like Michigan State may have hit a home run with the hiring of James Adams (formerly of Wake Forest) as their new safeties coach. Adams has been praised as a recruiter and as a strong football mind and leader.
He has already made an impact on the 2025 signees, such as cornerback Aydan West, who formed a strong relationship with Adams prior to his hiring at Michigan State. Adams targeted West extensively during his time at Wake Forest.
The new coach has been busy on the recruiting trail from the jump, and he just made his first offer for the Green and White with 2026 Archbishop Spalding (Maryland) cornerback Sean Johnson. The Spartans recently made a large-scale effort to hit the trail and visit some schools; Wide Receivers coach Courtney Hawkins went to Texas, others went to the southeast, and as always, the state of Michigan was well covered.
The East Coast wasn't neglected, and Adams made his presence felt.
“Coach Adams came to the school to see me,” Johnson told SpartanMag. “He told me that he fell in love with Michigan State as soon as he got there. He loves everything about it and said that they are building something special at Michigan State.”
Johnson was targeted by Adams when the coach was still at Wake Forest, and the move to the Midwest did not shake the interest from the coach. Johnson cited that loyalty as a big plus in his recruitment and the relationship he is building with Adams.
“It is a blessing,” Johnson said. “It shows that he still has interest in me and likes the way I play, because he offered me at Wake Forest and is now continuing to offer me at his new job at Michigan State. I am interested in any school that thinks I can help their organization win games.”
Johnson, an East Coast product, admitted he did not know much about the Spartans prior to Adams' visit and offer.
"But, Coach Adams was telling me it’s a very good academic program and that it’s a real good college for all of the out of football aspects," Johnson said. "He says everybody really cares about each other.”
Johnson has not yet been rated by 247Sports, but a look at his offers can tell the story of how sought after he is; the recruit holds offers from Boston College, Kentucky, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.
His 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame offers a lot of intrigue for a program that likes big, rangy defensive backs.
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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