Pat Fitzgerald is already prioritizing elite in-state talent in the 2027 class

Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald was on the road Thursday, right before a huge recruiting weekend in East Lansing. He spent the day in the state, visiting some of Michigan’s top recruits.

Fitzgerald has been at the helm for a little less than two full months, and he’s already embracing one of the most important aspects of being Michigan State’s head coach: in-state recruiting.

This is important for any program, but especially at Michigan State where in-state prospects are some of the best in the country, and the Spartans have to battle Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and now Indiana for those elite recruits. That makes winning in-state recruiting battles that much more important. Building relationships with elite in-state programs and recruits is important if Fitzgerald wants to have any success in East Lansing.

He’s already gotten a head start on that, and he’s working to land some of the state’s best players in the 2027 class. On Thursday, Fitzgerald stopped in to see two of the state’s best 2027 prospects.

Fitzgerald stopped in to see four-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant at Harper Woods and then went to Detroit Country Day to check in on Anthony Cartwright III who will be on campus Friday.

Landing either of these guys would be a massive win for the Spartans because both are being recruited heavily on a national level. These aren’t just local stars, these are elite national prospects, and Michigan State’s new head coach is making sure the Spartans have a shot to land both.

Pat Fitzgerald is facing a huge recruiting weekend

WIth the Michigan game taking place in East Lansing on Friday night, it made sense that Fitzgerald would schedule several visits with in-state and Midwest targets.

Cartwright will be on campus on Friday to take in the big hoops matchup, but there are other priority targets who will be in town, too. The most important, however, happens to be a 2026 commit. Samson Gash is the lone Spartan commit who hasn’t signed in the 2026 class, and he’s been considering Penn State as well as Michigan State. Fitz could secure his eventual signing this weekend.

In-state recruiting is what contributed to Mark Dantonio having so much success in East Lansing, and FItzgerald is making sure to prioritize it early on.