EXCLUSIVE: Why Latest Jonathan Smith, MSU Football Commit Charles Taplin Chose the Spartans

The Michigan State Spartans added their eighth commit of the 2025 class on Friday when three-star wide receiver Charles Taplin announced his decision. Taplin, a Red Oak, Texas native, is the 155th-ranked player in the state and the 141st wide receiver in the 2025 class.

Taplin made his decision soon after he returned home from his visit, he told me. Taplin needed to consult his family and mentors. That was when he decided Michigan State was “the place to be.”

“Knowing that, again like trusting Coach [Courtney] Hawkins to develop me as a man, as a receiver, on and off the field,” Taplin said. “And also how [the Spartans] are family-oriented, you know. I’m gonna be a long way from home, so I gotta be taken care of.”

Hawkins’ track record of NFL receivers, including Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman, played a big part in Taplin’s trust of Hawkins. Hawkins congratulated Taplin upon his commitment announcement, and Taplin said he has already been given instructions from the coach on how to prepare for the college level.

“Him and Coach [Cordale] Grundy sent me some releases to work on,” Taplin said. “Just hitting the field after my summer workouts, to make sure I get some releases in. I go to a sandpit, I can do some releases in the sandpit. … [The releases] are nothing too difficult, but it’s what the pros do.”

Taplin said that next on his agenda is working out and being the best he can be, and he is looking forward to having a great senior season. Taplin told me the team’s goal is to win the Texas 5A state championship, something it failed to do last year when it lost to Aledo.

Taplin is part of an elite wide receiver trio that could be the best in the state of Texas. He is joined by four-star Taz Williams, rated the 51st receiver in the 2025 class, and four-star Brayden Robinson, the 28th receiver in the 2026 receiver class, per 247Sports.

Taplin told me he plans on enrolling to the Spartans early. He said he was most excited for “practicing against the best, playing against the best, [and] learning from the best.”

Taplin is the second receiver the Spartans have secured from the 2025 class. The first was three-star Ohio receiver Braylon Collier.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated’s Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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