It took a couple of months, but Jonathan Smith has finally secured his first four-star recruit for the 2025 season.
As the first-year coach of Michigan State football, Smith has been making steady progress in recruiting this year, signing some highly-regarded three-star prospects. However, up until recently, he hadn’t landed a four-star recruit, which had become a top priority for him.
That changed on Tuesday with the updated On3 industry composite rankings. One of Michigan State’s commits, Jace Clarizio, received a promotion to four-star status, becoming the first in the Spartans’ 2025 class. This recognition is a testament to Clarizio’s national standing, now ranked No. 395 overall and the 30th-best running back by On3. ESPN also awarded him a fourth star, and he’s close to achieving that status on both On3 and 247Sports, which contributed to his elevation in the composite rankings.
Jace Clarizio is now a 4-star according to the On3 industry ranking pic.twitter.com/hSqINFiLY4
— Cory Linsner (@Cory_Linsner) June 11, 2024
Clarizio’s rise represents a promising discovery for Jonathan Smith, highlighting his knack for finding hidden talent. Clarizio is now ranked as the sixth-best prospect in Michigan for 2025.
Smith has been assembling a class of seven commits, slightly underrated but tailored to fit his team’s system and style. Clarizio’s upgrade in the rankings is just the latest example of a Spartan player receiving well-deserved recognition, and Smith anticipates more of his recruits, like Leo Hannan, Di’Mari Malone, and Braylon Collier, will soon earn four-star status as well, believing they are currently underrated.
Overall, the trajectory of this recruiting class has many excited about its development.
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