Michigan State Spartans target David Schwerzel makes Big Ten football hot

There could be many reasons that draw elite four-star edge rusher David Schwerzel to Michigan State. His grandmother, D-Na, attended the school. He liked what he saw when he attended a camp there with Tracy Ford, head of Ford Sports Performance, which brought a number of Washington State’s top talent to the school. Schwerzel wasn’t the only one who graduated with a scholarship offer.

Schwerzel told me he liked his recruiter, defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa, and perhaps the 6-foot-4, 250-pound O’Dea product could come to East Lansing because of the prospect of playing against some of the best opponents Division I has to offer.

“It means a lot to me just to be able to go out there and have the opportunity to play against some of the best guys at that level. And, you know, the Big Ten is really on the rise and I feel like it’s on par with the SEC with all the new schools coming in,” Schwerzel told me. “So I think it would be a great opportunity to just showcase your talents against some of the best. And, you know, iron sharpens iron, so it’s the best against the best. The best against the best.”

Schwerzel is the No. 24 edge rusher in the class of 2026 according to the 247Sports Composite rankings and the No. 284 player nationally. He currently has 10 offers. That number will likely explode.

Brandon Huffman, national recruiting editor for 247Sports, evaluated Schwerzel. He liked what he saw.

“Schwerzel is one of the top prospects of his class and just missed the top 100 for the class of 2026. But he’s all but assured of a top 247 in the spring and with his size, speed and strength, he’ll easily be one of the most highly sought-after players in the region in his class,” Huffman wrote. “Schwerzel … kind of reminds us of former Eastside Catholic and current Ohio State star JT Tuimoloau … Schwerzel plays with his hands on the ground and can line up as an end or a three-tech and if necessary, he can drop into coverage and cover a tight end or back, using his size and athleticism to run. But his future will be getting to the quarterback and he shows some natural movement and a quick first step that allows him to get around his blockers with relative ease.”

Schwerzel’s versatility on the defensive line could be a dream come true for Suiaunoa and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi. He will enter his crucial junior year and teams will likely end up lining up to try and sign the pass rusher. The Spartans will be hot on his heels.

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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