EXCLUSIVE: Spartans 2025 LB Commit DJ White Talks Recruiting Process

Spartans coach Jonathan Smith made it clear from Day 1 that his goal was to re-establish Michigan State's recruiting presence in-state.

In April, Smith secured his first 2025 in-state commitment.

DJ White is a three-star linebacker from Orchard Lake St. Mary's -- just outside of Detroit. He is the No. 14 player in Michigan and No. 81 at his position nationally, per 247Sports.

White spoke to Spartan Nation about the process leading up to his commitment to the Spartans.

The prospect said his main contact was Michigan State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi.

"I clicked pretty fast with Coach Rossi," White said. "He knows how to do his job, I can say that."

Michigan State first contacted White in December. White recalled receiving a Facetime from the Spartans on the way to a school dance.

"Coach Smith [and I] talked for a minute, he was telling me how he liked my film, and he liked how I play linebacker, and then he extended the offer to me," White said. "Then I got in contact with Coach Rossi once he got hired -- we started talking a bit, [he was] getting to know me as a player. He said he saw my film, he was telling me that I'm a good sideline-to-sideline player and that he likes smart linebackers."

White said a big turn came in February when he visited East Lansing for "Junior Day."

"I didn't know what to expect," he said. "I was a Michigan State guy -- so I was overly excited, and then I got there ... we had the photoshoot, and then I got to talk to Coach Rossi personally. We caught up on stuff ... and then after that I got to talk to Coach Smith that same day."

White attended Orchard Lake St. Mary's basketball state championship at the Breslin Center in March. It was there that he reconnected with Smith and Rossi.

In April, White visited a spring practice.

"When I got there ... it felt like I'd known [the players] for years already," he said. "That played a big part. So then I was in the middle of spring ball practice, just feeling everything, just looking around, and I pulled out my phone and texted my [high school] head coach and I was like, 'I wanna go here.' And he was like, 'You wanna go there?', and I was like 'Yeah, let's make it happen.'

"[I] got pulled into Coach Rossi's office later that day, and we started talking about defense and stuff like that, and then he was like, 'What can we do to get you on the boat?' and I'm like, 'Coach, I'm already on the boat, we just got to start rowing this thing.'"

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