Pickerington Central DB R.J. Holland gains Spartan scholarship offer at Michigan State camp
East Lansing, Mich. – When Ohio defensive back prospect RJ Holland rolled onto campus on Monday afternoon for the Michigan State Skill Position Camp, he had a clear objective in mind.
The 2025 cornerback/safety from Pickerington (Ohio) Central High School wanted a Michigan State scholarship offer.
After two hours performing at Michigan State’s skill position camp at the Skandalaris Football Center, Holland received a scholarship offer from Spartan defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin. Martin extended the offer right on the practice field.
“RJ was thrilled, excited,” said Holland’s father, R.J. Holland Sr. “It definitely was a goal. I felt very blessed to have that finally happen.”
Holland is the type of player that the Michigan State camp has served well over the years. He’s an emerging, underrated prospect from Ohio who hasn’t yet splashed into the rankings, but has scholarship offers from Mid-American Conference schools and some mid-majors. Now, a Michigan State offer has been added to the list, because he traveled north to display his skills.
“We’ve been talking for a while,” Holland said of himself and Michigan State coaches. “I talked to Coach Smith on the junior day and I talked to him today too, after the offer. He congratulated me and told me to keep working.”
Michigan State will play host to a big man camp for linemen on Tuesday. Next week, Michigan State will stage another skill position camp on Monday and another big man camp on Tuesday.
Last fall, Holland was exceptional with his pursuit quickness and form tackling at Pickerington Central.
“On my film they mostly saw tackles and stuff like that,” Holland said. “But I felt like they saw my cover skills today. They saw how I can cover.”
He knew they would be watching him closely.
“I felt like there was a little bit of pressure,” Holland said. “I felt like I had a point to prove. Go ball. I just have to showcase my talent.”
Michigan State defensive coordinator Joe Rossi (white shirt) gets ready to watch a gaggle of defensive back prospects, including RJ Holland (No. 26) during the Michigan State Skill Position Camp, Monday at the Skandalaris Football Center. (Photo by Jim Comparoni).
As the day unfolded, Holland realized he would be able to test himself against good competition. Top receivers at the camp included Elijah Durham and Kamren Flowers of West Bloomfield, Calondrey Hardy of Detroit Central and Jaielen Peacock of Troy High.
Flowers, a four-star prospect, is ranked the No. 5 player in Michigan and the No. 1 WR in the state in the On3 Industry Rankings. But Durham showed that he deserves equal billing, at least.
“There were two or three really good receivers at the camp,” he said. “Coach (Martin) wanted to see me play man-to-man, and some zone.”
All of the one-on-one reps at the end of camp were individual man-to-man scenarios with no safety help. All defensive backs were asked to play press man-to-man and off man-to-man.
“(Martin) also asked me to do a cover-three (zone) type of deal,” Holland said. “He had me to do it during one-on-ones. There was a certain way he wanted me to do it.”
When playing zone, Holland’s receiver ran a dig route to the inside. With no safeties on the field, Holland had to break off and track down the receiver. Holland showed good recovery speed and range.
“(Martin) would come over and tell me how to do certain stuff and how to fix things if it needed to be fixed,” Holland said. “I felt like I was doing well.”
Holland said he enjoyed being on the field with Martin and receiving pointers from him.
“I feel like he’s a good coach,” Holland said.
Michigan State offered Holland as a safety and a corner.
“That’s kind of rare,” Holland said. “Kent State, they offered me as a corner. Most of the other schools offered as a safety.”
Martin told Holland that he liked the way the Ohioan competed, and liked his attitude.
The offer obviously put Michigan State in strong position with Holland. But others could come into the picture. Holland will camp at Tennessee on June 23, and he might camp at Indiana.
In the meantime, he will be working with his trainer back home. And summer football workouts have already started at Pickerington Central, a team which went 8-4 last year.
“I feel that I will be able to showcase my cover skills more than I was last year because this year I will be playing all over the defense,” he said. “I will be playing, corner, safety, linebacker, strong safety, nickel, all that.
“Last year I was mostly in the slot and a little bit of free safety. And we played a lot of zone. This year, I think we will play more man-to-man.”
Holland is friends with former Michigan State walk-on defensive back Isaiah Henderson, and former Michigan State standout safety Xavier Henderson – both of whom are from Pickerington Central.
“When I was growing up, I watched Xavier when he was at Pickerington Central,” Holland said. “But I have more contact with Isaiah, so I will ask Isaiah about Michigan State and how things are up there.”
But Holland got an eyeful, and a heart full, while leaving campus on Monday.
“I like it there,” he said. “I feel like it’s very cultured.”
And the feeling of accomplishment for achieving his goal for the day?
“I was just very happy,” he said. “I don’t have the words.”
But he has the scholarship offer. And that was the main objective.
RJ Holland of Pickerington (Ohio) Central. (Photo by Jim Comparoni).
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