Jonathan Smith bolsters the 2026 class
East Lansing was the scene for a number of official visits this past weekend. In total, seven high school athletes were on campus to get a glimpse of life as a Spartan. Of those seven, three have given their commitment to Coach Smith and the MSU football program. All three are on the defensive side of the ball, all three are three-star recruits, and all three come from outside Big Ten territory, even in the traditional sense.
The first new name of the 2026 recruiting class is Kelsey “KJ” Deriso. Deriso is a cornerback from Fayetteville, Georgia. Per the 247 composite, he is the 79th ranked CB in his class. He received offers from a number of SEC and ACC schools.
Sticking in the secondary, MSU also received a commitment from Eliyjah Caldwell-Hardy. Caldwell-Hardy is a safety out of Jacksonville, Florida. 247 has him as safety #115 in the class. Despite being from the Sunshine State and having held an offer from UCLA, he is bringing his talents to the Mitten State.
And rounding out the weekend’s scores is Christopher Knauls, Jr., a defensive lineman from Frisco, Texas. At 6’4” and 262 pounds, Knauls checks in as 247’s 105th ranked DL. The Texas product had offers from a number of Big 12 programs and whatever conference California is in now.
These names put MSU’s 2026 class at nine recruits. Five of those are on the defensive side.
Are you excited about any of these new recruits? Share your thoughts in the comments.