The Michigan State Spartans have made it back-to-back days with big-time commitments.
Less than 24 hours after picking up a commitment from high-three-star Kentwood, Michigan quarterback and priority target Kayd Coffman, the Spartans have landed a pledge from four-star tight end Eddie Whiting.
Whiting is Michigan State's third commitment overall in the 2026 recruiting cycle, joining Coffman and fellow tight end Joey Caudill. The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native picked the Spartans over 16 other scholarship offers, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and Wisconsin.
While programs nationally joined the sweepstakes for the 6-foot-6, 235-pound tight end, his stock in the recruiting industry also rose, including here on Rivals. In this month's most recent update on the 2026 recruiting cycle, Whiting jumped from unranked to the nation's 209th overall prospect and 12th-best tight end.
"Stars don’t mean much, but it does feel good to be recognized as one of the top tight ends in the entire country," he said about the recognition.
Since being offered by MSU in October, Whiting has been able to build a strong relationship with numerous members of the Spartans’ coaching staff, including head coach Jonathan Smith and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak.
"A big reason why I committed was because the connection I had with Coach Woz and Coach Smith was unlike any of the other relationships with other schools," Whiting told Spartans Illustrated.
Whiting took a game-day visit to East Lansing in November of 2024 to watch the Spartans play Rutgers.
More recently, Smith and Wozniak visited Whiting in South Dakota in January, with Wozniak making a second trip to The Mount Rushmore State to see Whiting at his home later that month.
"I would say that I can do everything," Whiting said when asked to describe himself as a player. "I’m a true tight end that has good ball skills and I can block a defender while still being able to run a vertical route."
Despite now holding a pair of commitments from 2026 tight ends, the Spartans are not necessarily done at the position. The Spartans are still interested in some tight end targets, including Detroit Catholic Central three-star prospect Jack Janda.
Janda has a strong offer sheet of his own, including offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Notably, the Spartans took only one tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle in Detroit, Michigan native and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s standout Jayden Savoury, which gives MSU flexibility to add multiple players at the position in the 2026 class.
As of now, the Spartans are only set to lose one tight end following the 2025 season in Jack Velling, which would leave them with six returning tight ends for the 2026 season as things currently stand,, not counting the 2026 commitments of Caudill and now Whiting.
- DT
- RB
- WR
- CB
- OLB
- PRO
- OLB
- CB
- OT
- TE
