We got some great news on Friday afternoon. Ethan Taylor, one of the top players in the 2026 recruiting cycle announced he would be attending Michigan State University next season. Standing over 7 feet tall, Taylor is widely considered the #2 center in the class, that according to both 247Sports and Rivals. Rivals has him as the #24 overall player while 247 has him at #27. Either way, he obviously is a tremendous talent, and most importantly, he is a top player at the one position that Tom Izzo really
needs to fill for next year.
With Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper both using up their eligibility this year, with Jesse McCulloch still being a question mark, and (I’ll say it) with the possibility of Cam Ward being a one-year player, MSU was desperate for someone to man the middle. And boy did we get one.
According to Ethan during his announcement, he is currently 7’ 1 1/2” and still growing. For reference, Zach Edey was 7’3”, so maybe Taylor gets to be that tall. And Edey was not ranked as high as a recruit as Taylor is.
More good news about Taylor’s decision to come to MSU is the fact that one of his current teammates at Link Academy in Missouri, Carlos Medlock Jr., is also coming to East Lansing. Now the PG/C combo can continue to develop their skills under one of the best coaches in the business.
Here is a quote from Ethan himself about his game.
I would say my game is a mixture of finesse and power. I rely on my footwork to get where I need to be and touch to finish plays while also powering through contact. I’m also working on my playmaking and ability to space the floor with my shot as well as working on becoming a more intimidating presence defensively.
Look for Taylor to be an immediate impact player for Michigan State in 2026-27. TOC will have another article on the full class later this weekend. It’s a good day to be a Spartan!
