Simote Katoanga, the football target of Michigan State University, likes the pipeline

2026 edge rusher Simote Katoanga is one of the best in his class. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound product of J Serra Catholic is the No. 26 edge rusher in his class and the 345th-ranked player nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Katoanga already has 16 offers, including one from the Michigan State Spartans, and that number is sure to grow.

I spoke to Katoanga on Saturday. He’s in the middle of summer ball, which he describes as mostly individual drills and one-on-one games with offensive linemen. No gear. He’ll put that on in a few weeks.

Katoanga told me he considers Michigan State a “prestigious school” both on and off the field. His main recruiter was Legi Suiaunoa, the Spartans’ defensive line coach, who is from Oceanside, where Katoanga said he is also from. The two have a strong bond.

“What struck me the most was that he used to go to Oregon State University and he’s from the West Coast,” Katoanga said. “He’s trying to bring the (Polynesian) pipeline to Michigan State.”

Smith has targeted many Polynesian players in his West Coast network. Katoanga is not the first Polynesian player to notice and mention this to me.

Katoanga said it makes him very proud to see Polynesians succeed. Katoanga’s favorite player and inspiration is edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who was selected 15th overall by Indianapolis in the 2024 NFL Draft. Latu is a UCLA product and shares the same Polynesian roots as Katoanga.

“I’ve been watching his highlight video and just trying to see things that he sees and I don’t,” Katoanga said.

Katoanga’s recruitment is still young. He won’t sign until February 2026 and most players don’t sign until the summer before their final season. However, Katoanga has made a mental note of what he wants to see in the programs he is offered.

“What I want to see more than anything is the culture and the environment that they have,” he said. “Just the bond that they have with each other as a team, as a place and as coaches.”

With June 15 already past, the Spartans can now directly contact 2026 recruits and increase the pressure. Smith and the Spartans coaching staff have as good a chance as anyone for Katoanga right now, and it’s imperative that they keep the pressure up.

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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