Michigan State’s defensive line class took a bit of a hit on Monday evening as another one of Pat Fitzgerald’s top targets at the position committed to the SEC power that was pushing for him.
The Spartans were finalists for Marcellus Young Casario from Rabun Gap, Ga., and he was just on campus 2.5 weeks ago. He loved his visit, by all accounts, and it sounded like he was truly torn on where he wanted to go. He could stay home and go to Georgia Tech or Georgia — his other two official visits — or he could take a chance and head north to play for Michigan State.
Unfortunately for Fitzgerald, he opted to stay home and play for the SEC powerhouse in his own backyard. The three-star defensive lineman who has been rising in the rankings picked Georgia.
100% Committed! Go dawgs🐶! @KirbySmartUGA @CoachSchuUGA @TravionScott @CoachBrumbaugh @coachdtwhite @coachBuckhalter @Coach_Danny92 @247Sports @benjaminwolk @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ pic.twitter.com/eJShwL9D5k
— Marcellus Young Casario (@marcellus_yc) June 15, 2026
Michigan State felt pretty good about its chances following that May 29 visit, but Young Casario couldn’t say no to the program in his own state that could promise him national title contention. Georgia has a history of getting defensive linemen in the NFL as well and Kirby Smart didn’t have to try to hard to convince him that Athens was his best option.
Once Fitzgerald starts winning games, he can be in these battles. He’s beaten out some big programs for top targets already, but when Michigan State starts winning games, he’ll have no problem wrestling a top-600 kid away from Georgia.
Young Casario is the 2027 class’ No. 553 recruit.
Michigan State has to be selective with its scholarships
It feels like high school classes are getting smaller every year with the transfer portal taking center stage in the offseasons, so Fitzgerald has to choose wisely to finish off this class. If he’s planning on diving deep into the portal, signing a slightly smaller class (20-25) makes sense.
I’m assuming that’s the plan considering it’s his first class and he knows that he needs to win games in order to improve high school recruiting. Transfers help speed up that process.
So assuming he only has 5-10 more spots to fill, he can be far more selective and really hone in on his top remaining targets like Anthony Cartwright, Jameer Henry, Dallas Ward, Corey Laga, and Zay’vion Smith. I think that if he can end the class with those five guys, everyone would be pretty content with that as a 20-man class.
Heck, make it 21 and flip Gideon Gash from Texas Tech (pipe dream).
Add us as a preferred source on Google