3 MSU Football Recruiting Flip Candidates

No recruitment cycle is perfect. With any program it is inevitable that a commit will be lost late in the process, perhaps sooner rather than later. It is a very competitive business, especially in the era of NIL. Michigan State just lost a gem in tight end Emmett Bork, who transferred to Wisconsin.

Michigan State has offered several major targets that are already committed to other schools. Head coach Jonathan Smith has made it clear that he and his staff will be aggressive on the course and go after whoever they deem fit to wear the green and white. Committed or not.

As one renowned high school coach and producer of Division I talent told me, everyone is fair game until the ink is dry on signing day.

The Spartans are playing it aggressively on the road, but who are the most likely candidates?

Elijah Dotson, Belleville (MI), committed to Pittsburgh

Dotson is an elite four-star athlete and track star (a junior Olympian) who is committed to Pitt. He is the No. 118 player in the class according to 247Sports and the Spartans have invested heavily in him despite his efforts.

He visited before the Iowa game. He seems to like the Spartans and has good relationships with some commits and players.

Allen Trieu of 247Sport wrote“Versatile and can play deep in the secondary or get into the box, as well as match up one-on-one with slots and tight ends. Most likely projection is safety, but it’s not out of the question a school could try him if a big corner background speaks to his athleticism and has enough speed in the straights to recover and finish the plays.”

Bariate Kara, Loganville (GA), committed to Duke

Kara is a 6-5, 260-pound, four-star defensive lineman. He is the No. 32 defensive lineman in the class and his basketball background makes his explosive gifts even more intriguing. The Spartans tendered him late and he would be a more than welcome addition to their 2025 season.

He committed in July and the Spartans are on the rise with the added bonus of a talented staff and proven football tradition.

Grant Beerman, Lakota West (OH), committed to Purdue

The Spartans, for better or worse, are hot right now with a new regime and a bright future. Not the Boilermakers. They’ve been struggling all season. I know for one fact that it came down to Michigan State and Purdue – and it was a exciting race for Beerman. Purdue won by a hair.

With Purdue’s struggles and Joe Rossi’s impeccable defensive leadership, it could be just enough for Michigan State to get the four-star linebacker.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated’s recruiting beat writer at Michigan State and covers all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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