michigan state university Recruiting remains hot.
The team committed for the third straight day. In-state running back Jace Clarizio gave his verbal commitment to the team on Tuesday.
The playmaker is the fifth commitment from coach Jonathan Smith’s 2025 recruiting class, who is completing his first full cycle as the Spartans’ coach.
Clarizio is 6-foot, 190 pounds and has good size, which will be helpful heading into the Big Ten. He’s not your typical big back, but when you watch him on film, he certainly doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s also good at taking hits and gaining more yards after contact.
The East Lansing High School standout also ran well behind the pads and showed good vision.
Clarizio rushed for 1,335 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior last fall. He shows good short-yardage speed and explodes when he sees an open spot. The Michigan native is a solid running back who should excel at the college level.
This is an important moment for Smith and his program for many reasons.
For new hires, it’s always beneficial to target in-state talent. Michigan regularly produces great high school football players. If the program is going to move forward under a new staff, the Spartans need to get their fair share.
Another takeaway here is that the Spartans will likely keep Clarizio away from their conference opponents.Before committing he told rivals he would make an official visit Wisconsin May 31, Minnesota June 7 and pittsburgh June 21st.
Any time you can find good players and not have to face them for four years, that’s a good thing.
Having Clarizio cancel other official visits also speaks to the closing ability of Smith and his staff. The team is on a hot streak now after securing commitments from linebacker Demari Malone (May 12) and tight end Emmitt Burke (May 13).
We’re seeing the Spartans gain momentum as we approach June, which is already shaping up to be a big month for recruiting.
