The 2027 class is going to be Pat Fitzgerald’s first official recruiting cycle as the head coach of Michigan State football. He signed most of his 2026 class already, but it was mostly put in place by the previous staff, led by Jonathan Smith, but now he must turn his attention toward 2027.
Offers are going out, but when the coaching staff is finalized, we can expect more.
Michigan is going to have some serious in-state talent in 2027, but these three guys need to be Fitzgerald’s biggest priorities.
1. Dakota Guerrant, 4-star WR
This is the top recruit in the state of Michigan in 2027, and Dakota Guerrant has already said how excited he is to see Courtney Hawkins back in East Lansing since that was his primary recruiter.
Guerrant is going to have offers from every major program by the time he commits, and Hawkins is going to have the Spartans in this recruitment until the very end. He’s ranked the No. 52 overall recruit and seventh-best receiver in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports. If he commits to Michigan State, he could become the next Spartan receiver great.
2. Dewey Young, 4-star OL
Champions build in the trenches, and that’s exactly what Fitzgerald is going to do. Now that he has his offensive line coach in place, he can target his top options in the 2027 class, and Dewey Young should be one of them. He should actually be the top in-state offensive line target.
Young is the No. 121 overall recruit and the 12th-best offensive tackle in the class. He holds nearly two dozen offers, and he’s Michigan’s third-best prospect.
Can Fitzgerald get the best players in Michigan to go to Michigan State again?
3. Gideon Gash, 4-star DB
Does the last name sound familiar? That’s because Gideon Gash’s older brothers are already connected to Michigan State. Caleb Gash is a defensive back on the current roster, but he missed most of the 2025 season due to an injury. Samson Gash is a Michigan State receiver commit in the 2026 class, and he’s called himself and his younger brother a “package” deal.
Gash is a four-star cornerback from Detroit Catholic Central and he’s going to be one of the most sought-after in-state recruits in 2027. This is a prospect that Fitzgerald needs to land, especially if Samson signs.