Michigan State football lands No. 1 RB in Michigan for 2025

After a slow start on the 2025 recruiting trail for Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith, things have quickly picked up.

The Spartans picked up their third class of 2025 commit in the past three days on Tuesday when East Lansing native Jace Clarizio pledged his services to the green and white. He was a big priority target for the Spartans.

Landing him earlier in the cycle can play major dividends for the staff.

Corey Robinson of 247Sports broke the news of Clarizio's commitment.

Clarizio is a three-star prospect. He stands 6-foot-0 and weighs 190 pounds. He is the 10th highest-ranked prospect in the 2025 class from Michigan, per 247Sports and the No. 1 running back in the state. He held 15 other offers prior to committing to the Spartans, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, USC, Iowa, and Pitt.

The East Lansing native is a rather solid all-around back. He is good at all aspects of the game. He has some breakaway speed for the high school level, though 247Sports reports no official times have been given. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and should project to a very reliable piece for the Spartans in the future. 



Running backs coach Keith Bhonapha thought the same and has made Clarizio a focal point. He has visited campus a handful of times since being offered by MSU back in November. Clarizio has built very close relationships with both coach Bhonapha and Smith.

Adding Clarizio to the backfield to pair with 2025 quarterback commit Leo Hannan and tight end commit Emmett Bork gives the Spartans several offensive play makers in the class already. The three above all have mentioned how comfortable they feel with their fit in the offensive system and their comfortably with the new offensive staff. Certainly good signs if you are an MSU fan.

Should Clarizio stay committed, he will join 2024 freshman Makhi Frazier and Brandon Tullis in the backfield of the future for the Spartan offense. All three figure to make key contributions in the green and white.

Each back brings a different skill set. Clarizio will definitely be an all-purpose, jack-of-all-trades kind of player. Tullis has top-end speed and is a former high school track star. He will be able to outrun a lot of people. Finally, Frazier figures to grade out as the more physical back. Weighing 215 pounds already and having played outside linebacker in high school, he is no stranger to contact and will embrace the heavy lifting.

Kudos to Smith and staff for really ramping up the recruiting efforts recently. With the new portal commitments to come along with new high school pledges for next season, the hype around MSU football is starting to come back in full force.