The early signing period is officially over, and new Michigan State football coach Pat Fitzgerald has signed the No. 46 class in the country, keeping most of the group together after being hired.
Michigan State did lose a few commitments after Fitzgerald was hired, starting with Jordan Vann, a three-star safety who announced his flip right after the new coach was announced. Then he lost Christopher Knauls Jr. and Fameitau Siale as the early signing period began.
There’s another important recruit who many believed that the Spartans had lost because he was rumored to be signing with another program to end the early period. However, he didn’t sign.
That means that Fitzgerald is getting a chance to recruit him until February.
That recruit is four-star receiver Samson Gash from Detroit Catholic Central.
I did not sign today. I will sign in February. 🤞🏽
— Samson Gash 4⭐️WR (@GashSamson) December 6, 2025
Gash has an older brother, Caleb, who plays for Michigan State and a younger brother, Gideon, who was being recruited heavily by Jonathan Smith, and I’d bet that Fitzgerald also puts in the work to make him feel like a priority in the 2027 class.
Right now, however, Samson is the top remaining priority in the 2026 class, unless Fitzgerald identifies targets before February’s signing day — which will happen.
Michigan State’s 2026 class isn’t bad for a program that just suffered its fourth straight bowl-less season and just fired its head coach after two years. Fitzgerald was able to keep the class together and even land a couple more guys of his own in Jack Ziarko and Jonathan Granby. He’s also retained Joe Rossi and safeties coach James Adams. It feels like he’s building on the culture while also keeping some for continuity purposes.
If Fitzgerald brings Courtney Hawkins back, I’d feel a lot better about the Spartans hanging on to Gash when February’s signing day gets here.
Leading up to Friday’s early signing period finale, Gash was trending heavily toward Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia. Before that, Alabama was all the talk. After Fitzgerald was hired, Gash said he liked it and that he’s keeping his commitment to Michigan State but he’s also reopening his recruitment so other schools can make a run at him.
Not signing this week is a good sign for the Spartans.