Michigan State has received a commitment from Wisconsin transfer outside linebacker/edge rusher Anelu Lafaele.
He took a visit to East Lansing on Dec. 21 and Dec. 22.
After redshirting in 2024, Lafaele will still have all four years of eligibility remaining.
Lafaele is expected to play rush end for the Spartans. He will now play under head coach Jonathan Smith, assistant head coach/co-special teams coordinator/running backs Keith Bhonapha, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi, defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa, co-special teams coordinator/rush ends coach Chad Wilt and the Spartans.
The Lafaele family already had strong connections with the Michigan State staff. Many of the current coaches previously recruited Lafaele while they were at Oregon State. Suiaunoa was his lead recruiter while he was with the Beavers. Meanwhile, Lafaele's father, Mike Lafaele, was college teammates with Bhonapha at the University of Hawai'i.
Mike Lafaele was hired as head coach of Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawaii ahead of the 2024 season. This is the same high school that Anelu Lafaele attended as a senior in 2023, when his dad served as defensive coordinator for then-head coach Daniel Sanchez. The young Lafaele previously attended Saint Louis School in Honolulu before that.
The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Anelu Lafaele did not appear in a game for the Badgers in 2024.
The young Lafaele officially entered the transfer portal on Dec. 20. Following his entry into the portal, he publicly posted offers from Michigan State, Fresno State, Middle Tennessee State, Nevada, UNLV and Western Michigan. He was also being recruited by SMU.
As a prospect in the class of 2024, Anelu Lafaele was rated as a high-three-star outside linebacker. He ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the state of Hawaii and the No. 39 player at his position.
In addition to scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Oregon State and the University of Hawai'i, he had additional scholarship offers out of high school from Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington, Washington State and others.
Lafaele is the 11th transfer portal addition for the Spartans this cycle. He is the fifth pledge on defense.
To keep up with all of Michigan State's 2024-2025 transfer portal activity, please view the Spartans Illustrated transfer portal tracker.
