Surprise Commitment: 3-Star LB Mason Marden Snubs Michigan State to Join Arizona State!

June’s about to get pretty interesting for Michigan State football — the Spartans have lined up visits from more than twenty-five prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. Yet, amidst all that buzz, they’ve just lost a key linebacker target: Mason Marden. This 6-foot-3, 225-pound standout from St. Louis decided to pledge his future to Arizona State, turning down the Spartans along with Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Ranked as the No. 85 linebacker nationally and the 10th-best player in Missouri, Marden was a prime candidate to bolster Michigan State’s defense. With defensive coordinator Joe Rossi now forced to rethink his linebacker plans, the Spartans face a shift in strategy — and that official visit Marden had on the calendar for June? Scrapped. It’s these unexpected turns that keep recruiting seasons thrilling, and Spartan fans will be watching closely as the story unfolds. LEARN MORE

Marden took a spring visit to East Lansing, and was set to take an official visit in June, but that is no longer going to be the case.Michigan State football is gearing up for the massive month of June that will include the Spartans hosting over two dozen prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. One prospect that can be crossed off that list is linebacker Mason Marden.A 3-star prospect that ranks as the No. 85 linebacker in the nation as well as the No. 10 player in the state of Missouri, he was one of the handful of targets that the Spartans had at the linebacker position, which will now see defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi pivot in a different direction.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 Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner

Marden, a 6-foot-3 and 225 pound linebacker from St. Louis (MO), has announced his commitment to Arizona State. He chose the Sun Devils over the finalists that included Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan State.