Rising Michigan State University football star Jalen Thompson hosts youth camp

When Mel Tucker left Michigan State football and handed over the reins to Jonathan Smith, the issue of culture had to be addressed.

There were some quality players that came through the program, but towards the end it felt like everyone was only looking out for themselves – and you can’t blame them, because their head coach was the same way. But now that Smith is in charge, he’s changing the culture.

The players Smith is bringing in and the guys who have returned from the Tucker era seem to be strong character players and we see that almost every day.

Several players have already announced they will be hosting youth camps this summer, including Jordan Turner, Aidan Chiles and Jordan Hall (I’m sure there are others). Now, second-grader Jalen Thompson has announced he will be hosting his first annual youth football camp in Lansing, sponsored by Cleats for Kids.

And the camp is a pretty good deal. It’s geared toward third- through eighth-graders and costs just $35 for a three-hour camp on July 13. All campers will receive a shirt, cleats, and food and drinks. All while learning from a potential FBS starting defensive end.

It’s great to see these young players using their platform to host camps for young athletes who look up to them as heroes and want to be like them. This is exactly how players should earn NIL money.

Smith seems to have a team full of strong characters, and Thompson is the latest addition to that group.