Michigan State adds second QB to 2024 signing class
A late push was made by Michigan State to include a second quarterback in its upcoming recruiting class.
On Wednesday am, the first day of the early signing period that runs through Friday, Ryland Jessee, a three-star prospect from California in 2024, signed a contract with the Spartans. He joins the program as the second quarterback signee of the day, following three-star Illinois prospect Alessio Milivojevic.
Jessee, a graduate of La Mesa, California’s Helix Charter High School, committed to Utah State in June, but after initially courting Jessee to Oregon State, new Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith pulled off his second quarterback flip of the week. Prior to this, Milivojevic had committed to Ball State.
According to 247Sports Composite, Jessee, who is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, is ranked as the No. 98 quarterback and No. 1,757 talent overall in the 2024 recruiting class. Nevada, Oregon State, and San Diego State were among Jessee’s other offers.
Following his tenure of six seasons at Oregon State, Smith was appointed head coach of the Spartans on November 25. However, he soon lost the team’s three scholarship quarterbacks to the gateway. Redshirt junior Noah Kim is transferring to Coastal Carolina; true freshman Sam Leavitt is going to Arizona State; and redshirt freshman Katin Houser is going to East Carolina.
Aidan Chiles, a transfer from Oregon State, committed last week, making Smith’s addition at quarterback the biggest. Though he hasn’t been revealed as a signee yet, the former four-star prospect from Southern California performed admirably as Smith’s true freshman backup this season before using the portal and moving to East Lansing to follow his coach.
Michigan State needs depth at the position even if Chiles seems ready to take over as the starter come fall. The team has three scholarship quarterbacks in Milivojevic and Jessee, but Chiles, who is eighteen, only saw 100 snaps this season. It wouldn’t be shocking if Smith looked for an experienced player in the portal to fill the spot.
