Spartans Make Surprise Move, Offering 3-Star LB Ben Wenzel a Spot—Could He Be Their Next Game-Changer?

When a hopeful linebacker from Wisconsin starts turning heads beyond his home turf, you know things are shifting in college football’s recruiting landscape. Ben Wenzel, hailing from Appleton, Wisc., just dropped some news that’s got Michigan State’s staff dialing up their excitement. The Spartans have now officially thrown their hat in the ring, extending an offer to this promising three-star linebacker who’s already piqued interest from heavyweights like Oklahoma and Wisconsin. With a solid rating tucked under his belt and a growing list of suitors, Wenzel’s recruitment saga is heating up—especially with an official visit to the Badgers in the offing. It’s shaping up to be quite the tug-of-war, and the Spartans are staking their claim early. LEARN MOREWenzel is ranked as the No. 98 linebacker in 247Sports’ rankings for the 2026 class. He is also listed as the No. 7 player from Wisconsin in the class.Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.Wenzel is listed as three-star linebacker in the 2026 class. He currently holds a rating of 86 on 247Sports.Michigan State football has extended an offer to a linebacker prospect from Wisconsin that has the interest of the Badgers and Sooners.

Michigan State is one of more than 10 schools to offer Wenzel, according to 247Sports. He also holds offers from Oklahoma (who he’ll be visiting next month), Kansas, Army, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Kent State, Wyoming, Lindenwood, North Dakota and North Dakota State. Wenzel currently doesn’t hold an offer from Wisconsin but is set to take an official visit there in a few weeks.

Ben Wenzel of Appleton, Wisc. announced on Thursday that he’s received an offer from the Spartans. Wenzel made the offer from the Spartans’ known by posting on his social media X account.