Michigan State’s football program has extended a scholarship to RJ Clem, a 6‑foot‑6, 265‑pound offensive lineman from Logansport, Indiana. Clem, who has flown under the radar of major recruiting services, announced the offer on his X account, sparking excitement among fans of the Spartans.
Although unranked by 247Sports, Clem’s size and high‑school production have attracted attention from several other schools. In addition to Michigan State, he holds offers from Wake Forest, Central Michigan, Liberty, Western Michigan, New Mexico, Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Pennsylvania.
A Big Ten first
Michigan State is the first Big Ten school to offer Clem, marking a notable early foothold for the program in the Midwestern recruiting landscape. The offer comes as the Spartans look to bolster their offensive line with size and athleticism.
Yale is the only school among his suitors that has scheduled an official visit with Clem, underscoring the Ivy League program’s intent to evaluate the prospect in person. The visit could serve as a litmus test for other programs considering a similar recruitment push.
What the offer means for the class
Clem’s commitment would add a physically imposing piece to Michigan State’s 2026 recruiting class, which is already shaping up to be one of the most diverse in recent memory. The move also signals the Spartans’ willingness to look beyond traditional hotbeds, tapping into Indiana’s under‑the‑radar talent pool.
As recruiting continues to evolve, offers like Clem’s illustrate how coaches are leveraging social media announcements and direct outreach to secure commitments from players who might otherwise slip through the cracks. The next few weeks will reveal whether Clem’s official visit to Yale will sway his final decision or if the Spartans’ early offer will be enough to lock him in.