Michigan State Spartans Lose Class of 2026 Recruiting Battle to Missouri for Coveted Offensive Tackle Khalief Canty Jr.
After beating out SEC's Alabama for in-state wide receiver Samson Gash, the Michigan State football team was hit with the news that another in-state prospect decided to take his talents elsewhere.
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Not only did the offensive tackle commit to a different school, the Spartans went 1-1 with the SEC conference on Tuesday.
Michigan State offensive line coach Jim Michalczik.Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Khalief Canty Jr., a three-star out of Detroit, Mich. decided that Missouri was the place for him on June 24. He is the No. 434 overall recruit, No. 38 interior offensive lineman from the class of 2026, and No. 9 student-athlete out of his state.
Michigan State made it down to the wire in his commitment decision. The Spartans were of the top two schools Canty Jr. was considering, and home advantage definitely gave Michigan State an edge over the other schools he received offers from.
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Despite going with Missouri, he teased the Spartans on Monday with a post stating, "Hometown Hero?" in the green and white uniform. However, it's been a pattern this season of recruits fostering excitement among fanbases just to switch entirely and go with another school. So, it can't be too surprising that Canty Jr. chose the Tigers instead of following through with the sequence of his social media.
Not landing Canty Jr. isn't the end of the world for head coach Jonathan Smith. Michigan State already has four offensive tackles committed from the class of 2026, including Collin Campbell, Quinn Buckey, Eli Bickel, and Tristan Comer. While Canty Jr. would've been a nice addition, five tackles work a fine line between security and overkill.
Related: Michigan State Lands Its Second Wide Receiver and 19th Recruit From the Class of 2026
Related: Spartans Miss Hopeful Running Back Target to Big Ten Foe and Are Forced Back to the Drawing Board
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
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