Umenyiora’s addition came a day after three-star offensive lineman Quinn Buckey from California gave the Spartans a verbal pledge. His dad, Jeff Buckey, was an offensive lineman who spent four years in the league.They play on opposite sides of the ball and come from different sides of the country but Michigan State’s latest two additions share a common bond.
They’re both sons of former NFL players.
TJ Umenyiora, a 2026 three-star defensive back from Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, Ga., announced his commitment to the Spartans via social media on Saturday. His dad, Osi Umenyiora, was a standout at Troy and second-round pick by the Giants in 2003 who went on to become a two-time Super Bowl champ and All-Pro defensive end over 11 seasons in the NFL.At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Umenyiora is listed as the No. 87 cornerback in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. He has more than two dozen offers and, in addition to being in East Lansing earlier this month, took official visits to Northwestern, Mississippi State and Auburn.
Michigan State now has 13 players committed to its 2026 class and nine have come in June. The group is led by a pair of four-stars in quarterback Kayd Coffman and offensive tackle Collin Campbell while the rest are three-star prospects. Umenyiora is the fourth defensive back in the class, joining KJ Deriso, Brayden Thomas and Eliyjah Caldwell-Hardy.
