Michigan State is taking its recruiting pitch overseas, extending an offer to 2028 offensive tackle Adam Ibironke, a towering 6-foot-8, 300-pound prospect who plays for the NFL Academy in London, England.
Ibironke has already put himself on the national map despite being years away from a college decision. ESPN lists him No. 225 overall in the 2028 class, while 247Sports has him as a four-star recruit with a 90 rating.
That ranking puts him at No. 213 overall, No. 28 among offensive tackles and the top-ranked prospect out of England. His composite score sits at 0.9032, which keeps him on a four-star track and places him No. 292 overall, No. 30 among offensive tackles and again No. 1 in England.
The interest in Ibironke is hardly limited to East Lansing. He already holds offers from Michigan, Arizona, Auburn, Florida State, TCU, Minnesota, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt.
For Michigan State, the move fits the direction Pat Fitzgerald and his staff are trying to push. The Spartans are aiming to build a tougher team up front, one that can control games at the line of scrimmage and lean into the kind of physical football Fitzgerald has long been associated with.
That message has some real credibility behind it, too. Michigan State’s starting center from last season was drafted into the NFL, and the Spartans could have as many as three offensive linemen selected in the upcoming NFL Draft if the group develops the way many expect. That kind of track record matters when a staff is trying to sell future linemen on East Lansing.
Ibironke’s frame makes him an obvious fit for that vision. He already has the size to project as a high-end offensive tackle, and with several years still ahead of him, he has time to get stronger, sharpen his technique and keep climbing as a prospect.
The fact that he’s the No. 1-ranked player out of England only adds to the intrigue. His route to college football is unusual, and his development with the NFL Academy will be one to watch over the next few years.
Michigan State has made its move. Now the Spartans will try to turn that early interest into a real case for East Lansing.
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