Michigan State has added another name to its 2027 wide receiver board, extending an offer to Kyren Evans, a St. Louis product who already has schools taking notice even without a star rating from 247Sports.
Evans, who plays at Lutheran North High School, is listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. His recruitment is still in the early stages, but that hasn’t stopped programs from making their move. Northern Iowa and UCLA have already offered, and Michigan State is now the second Power Four school to jump in.
For the Spartans, the timing matters. Wide receiver has been a problem area this season, with separation issues and dropped passes leaving the offense searching for someone who can consistently change the game. Michigan State has already brought in some promising additions during the offseason, but those players are still waiting to fully emerge.
That’s where Evans enters the picture. Pat Fitzgerald and wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins are pushing to build a connection early, and Hawkins in particular appears to be targeting a player whose style fits what Michigan State needs.
Evans’ catch radius is part of the appeal, but the real selling point shows up once the ball is in his hands. He changes direction smoothly, runs with excellent balance, and keeps his legs churning through contact. He can take a hit, stay upright, and squeeze extra yards out of a play that looks finished.
He also has burst. Once he slips the first defender, he can separate in a hurry and turn a short gain into something much bigger.
That makes him a potential threat not just as a receiver, but also as a return man. His versatility gives him options, whether that means catching it in space or getting loose on a reverse.
Michigan State is still early in the process, but Evans is the kind of athlete who can make a recruiting staff stop and pay attention.
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For Michigan State, the focus is different. Pat Fitzgerald is not currently viewed as being on the hot seat, even as the Spartans have dealt with their own challenges. Still, any change in Ann Arbor would be felt in East Lansing, because the rivalry has become as much about shifting leadership as it is about the game itself, and another coaching shakeup would only deepen that familiar sense of upheaval. [Read more 🡒]
