Alabama football misses out on NFL fullback’s son as 3-star WR opts for Big Ten contender

Michigan State wide receiver coach and nine-year NFL veteran Courtney Hawkins, or Coach Hawk as he’s affectionately known, continues to be a recruiting draw for the Spartans. 

Eleven Spartans including two wide receivers have gone on to the NFL since Hawk joined the coaching staff in 2020 — part of the appeal to the latest recruit. 

Being close to home and his brother being on the track team were just bonuses for Detroit Catholic Central’s Samson Gash, who verbally committed to Michigan State Tuesday afternoon. 

Despite taking an official visit to West Virginia earlier this month, the 6-foot, 170-pounder selected the Spartans over 14 offers, including Alabama, Illinois and Purdue. He was initially offered a Spartan roster spot May 15. 

The wide receiver told Spartans Illustrated: “I chose Michigan State because of the family feel it had and the history of Coach Hawk developing guys to the next level.”

Per 247Sports, Gash is ranked No. 4 among rising seniors in Michigan and has a rating of 89. He’s also an NFL legacy: his father Sam played college ball for the Penn State Nittany Lions before spending 12 years as fullback for the Patriots, Bills and Ravens. His younger brother Gideon is a 2027 three-star recruit, and received an offer from Michigan State June 18. 

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Grabbing Gash from Alabama — he was in Tuscaloosa June 21 competing in camp — is a strong move. During this summer commitment window, 16 athletes have verbally committed to the Spartans. Gash is the second wide receiver, following Zachary Washington from St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Ill..

Michigan State finished last season No. 14 in the Big Ten, going 5-7 (3-6). It failed to reach a bowl game in Jonathan Smith’s first season, but secured three conference wins over Maryland, Iowa and Purdue. It isn’t in desperate need of wide receivers, but Montorie Foster Jr. is with the Seahawks and this will be Alante Brown’s final year.

It’s a smart move given their existing roster, which is 13 deep at the position.