Michigan State plans to add a new long snapper to the roster in 2024, as James Madison transfer Kaden Schickel announced his commitment to the Spartans on Tuesday morning.
Head coach Jonathan Smith, assistant head coach/running backs coach Keith Bhonapha and the rest of the staff identified Schickel as a transfer portal target and were able to hold off Indiana and others in the pursuit of him.
Of course, the interest from Indiana makes sense. Schickel played for Curt Cignetti at JMU, and Cignetti was hired as IU's head coach on Nov. 30. Several of Schickel's former teammates with the Dukes had already decided to follow Cignetti to IU as well. He was comfortable with the staff there.
In fact, Schickel was verbally committed to the Hoosiers after taking a visit to Bloomington on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10. However, things changed after Smith and Bhonapha were able to get the long snapper to East Lansing during the weekend of Dec. 16, and afterward, Schickel ultimately decided to flip to the Spartans.
Sean Schickel, Kaden's father, said that Bhonapha was "unrelenting" in his recruiting approach and that MSU made Kaden a priority. That went a long way.
It was Smith who convinced Kaden to take the visit, but Bhonapha's vision for his development as a player helped seal the deal. Additionally, director of player engagement Kurt Richardson was able to catch Kaden's attention as well by talking about life after football and the networking opportunities he would have at Michigan State. After all of that, Kaden chose to be a Spartan.
Kaden had a previous connection to Michigan State as well.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Kaden is close with Michigan State kicker Jonathan Kim, who just completed his redshirt senior year in 2023, which was his first season as a Spartan. Kim will return to MSU in 2024.
Kim and Kaden both attended Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Kim is slightly older and played with Kaden's brother, Evan Schickel, while there. Kim and Evan are good friends. Kim lives roughly five minutes away from the Schickels when he is at home in Virginia.
Additionally, being from Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Schickel family is very well-acquainted with current Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall and his family. Hall just finished his freshman year at Michigan State in 2023.
While at James Madison, Kaden played in all 13 games in 2023. He played 123 special teams snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and recorded two tackles and a fumble recovery as a redshirt sophomore.
He redshirted in 2021 as a true freshman and was named to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in the spring of 2022. He did not see game action during the 2022 season as a redshirt freshman, but earned JMU Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete honors in the fall of 2022 and the spring of 2023.
Kaden will be a scholarship player at Michigan State, and he will have two years of eligibility remaining. He will enroll in January.
Coming out of Massaponax High School in 2021, he was ranked as a five-and-a-half-star long snapper by Rubio Long Snapping and a five-star prospect by Kohl's Kicking.
Michigan State lost starting long snapper Hank Pepper to the transfer portal during the 2023 season, following the firing of head coach Mel Tucker. He will play for USC in 2024.
The starting long snapper spot with be up for grabs for Michigan State in 2024. Kaden will join Drew Wilson on the roster, who appeared in eight games and played 55 special teams snaps in 2023. Additionally, linebacker Sam Edwards saw reps as a long snapper this past season, while Central Michigan transfer long snapper Aiden DeCorte will attempt to walk-on at MSU this coming spring.
So far, Kaden Schickel is the sixth transfer portal player to commit to Michigan State since Smith was hired in late November. He joins former Middle Tennessee State defensive end Quindarius Dunnigan, former Oregon State quarterback Aidan Chiles and tight end Jack Velling, former Purdue wide receiver TJ Sheffield and former Wisconsin linebacker Jordan Turner.
To keep up with all of Michigan State’s transfer portal activity, please visit the Spartans Illustrated Transfer Portal Tracker.
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