Michigan State Spartans receive commitment from Cal Thrush

The Michigan State Spartans are in high form on the evening of June 26. 2025 edge rusher Cal Thrush announced his commitment to play for head coach Jonathan Smith, making this the Spartans’ 14th commitment and ninth of the month. Just hours earlier, three-star offensive tackle Justin Bell announced his commitment to the Spartans.

Thrush is the No. 97 defensive player in the class of 2025 and the 47th-ranked player in Ohio. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive player visited East Lansing the weekend of June 14.

Allen Trieu of 247Sports had reported that the Spartans were likely favorites to defeat the Upper Arlington High School product. Thrush told Trieu that he liked the culture the Spartans established in the Smith era.

“Their building is full of good people,” Thrush said. “That was also evident in the time I spent with players. Players who arrived six months ago and six years ago have all hung out together and you can tell they really care about each other. It’s a really good culture to be in and it’s impressive that the new staff has accomplished that in their short time on campus.”

Thrush also promoted the Spartans’ offer.

“Another thing that stands out is the resources that MSU offers,” Thrush said. “It’s a huge football school, and it shows. The people on campus are all in, and there are so many opportunities available to me if I were to go there, which was one of their main points of the weekend.”

Thrush had 16 offers, including from Cincinnati, the Army, the Air Force and Toledo.

Thrush’s signing finally gives the Spartans what they desperately needed in this recruiting class – a defensive player. The Spartans made admirable additions on the front line through the portal, but they needed depth and youth at the position, as well as long-term potential.

Now defensive coach Legi Suiaunoa will get his defensive player in the class of 2025 after being unable to decide on Brad Fitzgibbon of Marist High School, who committed to Iowa earlier this week.

The Spartans had the potential to recruit a huge number of new recruits in June, and so far June has lived up to that expectation.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated’s Michigan State recruiting reporter and covers all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive coverage of the Spartans recruiting.

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