Michigan State freshman LB Jordan Hall benefitting from early enrollment, feels ready to contribute

East Lansing, Mich. – When Michigan State kicks off the 2023 season against Central Michigan on Sept. 1, many new Spartans will get their first taste of playing college football, including freshman linebacker Jordan Hall.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play Division I football and I’m excited to get out there and show everyone what we can do,” Hall said.

Hall, who early-enrolled at Michigan State in January, has witnessed the benefits of extra time on campus and at practice during the spring.

“I think it helped me a lot,” Hall said of enrolling early. “When I first got here last winter and into the spring, it gave me time to really learn the playbook and so now that I have a good understanding of the plays I can focus on other things, like what offenses are trying to do against me and that kind of stuff.”

Hall, a four-star recruit, arrived in East Lansing as the Spartans’ third highest-rated commitment in their 2023 class and the No. 194-ranked prospect in the country, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

But recruiting rankings tend to get left at the door when a player steps foot on campus, and that’s what Hall prefers. Hall has tried to emulate how veteran linebackers like Jacoby Windmon and Cal Haladay practice and workout.

“Being a freshman, you can kind of get that special treatment sometimes of making mistakes and getting away with it,” Hall said. “I don’t want that, though. I want the same treatment the upperclassmen get and I want to work like they do because they were in my footsteps at one time and that’s how they got where they are now.”

Several Michigan State players and coaches have raved about Hall’s maturity and potential since he arrived at in East Lansing.

“(He’s) a freshman but if you watch him run around out there, he really doesn’t look like a freshman, and that’s a great thing,” defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton said. “He can think with the upperclassmen, he understands the defense, you find out where he fits and he’s big enough to where he’s doing a great job and he’s going to play some for us this year.”

Hall has prioritized his work with the special teams unit while also competing in Hazelton’s linebacker room.

“I’ve been working with the special teams quite a bit,” Hall said. “I do everything besides kick block with the special teams.

“I’ve been working hard and just trying to do anything I can to get on that field and really help the team in any way that I can.”

Hall recognizes the importance of special teams and wants to contribute to Michigan State’s success in that area.

“I think a lot of people overlook the special teams because it’s not that exciting, but coach (Mel) Tucker has really emphasized how important special teams are and same with special teams coach (Ross) Els,” Hall said. “They always come with a game plan to get us better on special teams because you see so many games come down to special teams and execution.

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