Jonathan Smith has his first public commitment as head coach of Michigan State, as 2024 three-star athlete/running back Makhi Frazier pledged to the Spartans on Tuesday.

Frazier was previously committed to Oregon State under Smith, assistant head coach/running backs coach Keith Bhonapha and several other of the coaches who have made the move from Corvallis to East Lansing.

Thanks to an already strong familiarity with the coaching staff, Frazier felt comfortable committing to the Spartans.

"Everything is right for me and my goals in the future on and off the field," Frazier told Spartans Illustrated about his decision to commit to Michigan State.

Frazier took an official visit to Michigan State this past weekend, Dec. 8 through Dec. 10, and that was enough to show him where he wanted to play his college football.

While he already knew many of the staff members quite well, Frazier was able to meet some new faces, too.

"It was everything I thought it would be," Frazier said about the official visit. "My favorite moment was getting to know the coaches I didn’t know more."

He had visited East Lansing on an unofficial trip back in April under the previous coaching staff. Frazier would later end up committing to OSU in May. However, shortly after the coaching change, he announced his decommitment from the Beavers on Dec. 1.

In addition to being able to connect with the coaches, he was able to meet up with recruits who he knew previously, such as fellow running back Brandon Tullis (who is still currently committed to the Beavers, but took an official visit to MSU this weekend). Former Oregon State tight end commit Wyatt Hook was also on campus, who Frazier already knew as well.

He also was able to start building bonds with other players in his class who he just met for the first time this past weekend.

"I knew Brandon (Tullis) from Oregon State, and I got to connect with other recruits as well," Frazier said.

Additionally, Frazier mentioned he spent a lot of time with assistant running backs coach Erik Highsmith and redshirt freshman defensive end Ken Talley.

The 5-foot-11, 215-pound athlete will play on the offensive side of the ball for the Spartans, but he was also a standout linebacker for McKinney High School in Texas.

As a senior in 2023, Frazier earned first-team all-district honors as a defensive utility player in District 5-6A.

In addition to Michigan State and Oregon State, Frazier had scholarship offers from Arkansas, Boise State, Minnesota, Missouri and several other programs.

The coaches, support staff, current players and fellow recruits all made Frazier feel welcome in East Lansing. He also enjoyed the campus.

"The people and environment of the place," Frazier said when asked what stands out to him most about Michigan State.

While he expects to sign in December, Frazier told Spartans Illustrated that he will be a summer enrollee.

Frazier is currently the only running back prospect committed to the Spartans. With Frazier's commitment, Michigan State's 2024 recruiting class grows to eight pledges as of press time. He joins wide receiver Nick Marsh, defensive back Jaylen Thompson, athlete/defensive back Justin Denson Jr., defensive back Keshawn Williams, offensive lineman Mercer Luniewski, offensive lineman Charlton Luniewski and linebacker Jadyn Walker.

The Spartans' 2024 recruiting class currently ranks 90th in the nation, but will likely be seeing quite a few more additions in the near future.

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