We’re three weeks into the Pat Fitzgerald era, and offers are being extended left and right.
New Michigan State offers are going out to the 2027 class with Fitzgerald building relationships around the state and in the Midwest after being out of the game for a couple of years. He’s working on in-state recruits and he knows that winning some battles for local recruits is going to help in his quest to get Michigan State back to the top of the Big Ten.
Fitzgerald offered one of the top recruits in the state a week ago and now that prospect is already planing to get to campus to start building a relationship with the new head coach.
Myles Smith received an offer from Fitzgerald last week, and according to Allen Trieu, he’s planning to visit East Lansing for junior day next month.
Farmington (Mich.) EDGE Myles Smith planning on Michigan State junior day next month after a recent offer from head coach Pat Fitzgerald.https://t.co/EV6cYiWZnq pic.twitter.com/aHqc9hv6bm
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) December 26, 2025
Smith, a Farmington, Mich., native, received an offer from Fitzgerald on Dec. 18 and he’s now up to about a dozen offers, including Michigan, Illinois, and Kansas over the past couple of months. He’s one of the top prospects in the Midwest in the 2027 class and he’s sure to have his pick of the litter regarding where he wants to play college ball.
Fitzgerald is hoping that’s Michigan State.
Pat Fitzgerald has turned his focus toward 2027
While there’s still a chance Fitzgerald works on the 2026 class before February’s signing day, the 2027 cycle is taking center stage. He still has a little over a month to secure some last-minute 2026 commitments, but signing a strong 2027 class is important for the future of the program.
Smith would be a first “big fish” for Fitzgerald. He’s the No. 186 overall recruit in the class, the No. 20 edge rusher, and the No. 4 Michigan-based prospect.
Guys like Dakota Guerrant, Charles Britton, Dewey Young, and Gideon Gash should all be at the top of Fitzgerald’s in-state big board for 2027 along with Smith. Getting a few of these guys would be huge for the future of Michigan State’s in-state recruiting. With Michigan also breaking in a new head coach this offseason, there’s a good opportunity for Fitzgerald to get a head start on in-state recruiting.