In Ohimai Ozolua, MSU lands first Chicago commit under Pat Fitzgerald

Now that spring ball is over, Michigan State can get active on the football recruiting trail. Friday night, the Spartans got a big pickup.

Ohimai Ozolua, a defensive tackle out of St. Rita in Chicago, announced his commitment to Michigan State. As ranked by the 247Sports Composite, he is a four-star prospect rated 408th nationally. He measures 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, according to his X profile. Last season was his first year of organized football.

Ozolua is the first Chicago-area prospect to pledge to Pat Fitzgerald’s Spartans since the longtime Chicagoan took the reins in December. He is the first four-star prospect to commit to Michigan State in this class, which currently numbers six recruits.

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Since the 2025 class, Michigan State has gotten just four four-star recruits on campus, including incoming freshman Samson Gash and Collin Campbell, who both ranked inside the top 300 and are thought highly of in East Lansing. Derrick Simmons, defensive lineman, was a four-star ranked 245th nationally out of Frankenmuth who redshirted last season but looked promising in his appearances. Linebacker DeJae White came in as a four-star but redshirted. Getting a commitment from a player of Ozolua’s caliber is an early indicator of the talent this new staff can recruit.

Ozolua had 15 scholarship offers including including Iowa, Michigan and six other Big Ten schools. He has an official visit coming May 29 to East Lansing.

After Ozolua announced his decision, a number of Michigan State coaches chimed in with their excitement — something that hadn’t happened too much under previous head coach Jonathan Smith, who was fired last season after going 9-15 over two seasons.