Zach Washington never wavered in choosing Michigan State.

Despite the Spartans parting ways with head coach Jonathan Smith on Sunday, Washington remained committed to the team he pledged to during the summer. A FaceTime call with new coach Pat Fitzgerald, a former coach at Northwestern and a former assistant at Loyola who was hired Monday, gave Washington a major boost.

“I was building a relationship with coach Smith before he was let go,” Washington said. “I loved coach Smith and when I heard the news, it was big news for me and my family... A day after, coach [Fitzgerald] called me and I was one of his first FaceTime calls. He really wants me to stay and he sees me helping Michigan State.”

A strong relationship with wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins, who will be staying at Michigan State, also provided the confidence Washington needed to affirm his commitment during the NCAA’s Early Signing Period this week. Washington, who helped lead St. Francis to the Class 5A state championship Tuesday, will be enrolling early.

“One of my biggest concerns was if coach [Hawkins] was going to stay,” Washington said. “Coach [Fitzgerald] really likes him and he’s an alumni there... Our relationship started around this time last year and ever since then, we’ve been on the phone every week. I got up to a lot of games during the recruiting process.”

Washington, a four-year varsity player at St. Francis and an All-CCL/ESCC honoree this year, will reunite with former teammate Alessio Milivojevic, a redshirt freshman who has become Michigan State’s starting quarterback in recent weeks.

Washington and Milivojevic, whose younger brother Dario is currently a senior at St. Francis, grew up together and have known each other for years.

“I was really close with Alessio and he’s been balling out lately,” Washington said. “It’s one thing to have a really good quarterback at the place, but to already know that quarterback and have some sort of chemistry with that quarterback is really big for me... I’ve been playing football with his brother, Dario, since I was like 6.”

An impact player in all three phases, Washington played wide receiver, defensive back and handled kick return duties on special teams for the Spartans. St. Francis capped off an 11-3 season with a 39-35 win over Providence in the state championship at ISU. Washington had three catches for 67 yards in the victory.

“My best strengths are my speed and my breaks,” Washington said. “When I break and I’m at my top-end speed... there aren’t a lot of people in the country who can keep up with me. I show really good late hands and I don’t give defenders anything to swipe or punch at. I think I can grab any 50-50 ball that I get my hands on.”

Washington, who was called up to the varsity team during his freshman season, helped St. Francis reach the state semifinals in three straight years prior to the 2025 season. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder from Naperville, one of the top-ranked 2026 prospects in the state of Illinois, held offers from multiple Division I programs including Kansas State, Nebraska, Purdue and West Virginia.

“He’s one of the main reasons we’ve been able to do what we’ve done over the last four years,” St. Francis coach Bob McMillen said. “He could’ve gone to any school he wanted and he helped build a program that was trying to win a state championship... His route running is polished and his blocking has gotten a lot better. He’s always been fast and he’s always been able to take the top off.”

Washington will graduate early from St. Francis and begin his college career next month. An IHSFCA All-State Honorable Mention this season, Washington has been recruited to play wide receiver at Michigan State, but his experience as a defensive back and return specialist give him a chance to impact the game in multiple ways.

“Returning kicks has definitely helped my field vision and awareness,” Washington said. “Being on defense, you have to hit and on offense, you’re trying to avoid the hit, but sometimes you have to take the hit. Playing defense has prepared me for that.”

Growing up in Naperville, Washington has looked up to his mother Andrea and his father Dean, who played college football at UW-La Crosse. A three-sport athlete as a kid, Washington was a running back and a defensive end in youth football before moving to wide receiver in high school. Washington, who played for the Naperville Patriots, grew up admiring NFL receivers Julio Jones and DeVonta Smith.

“I love scoring and catching the deep ball,” said Washington, who played baseball and basketball before shifting his focus primarily to football as a high-schooler. “It’s an amazing feeling... When I was younger, my dad and I always thought I was going to be a high-level defensive end because I was the bigger kid out there.”

Washington concluded his senior season with 51 receptions for 1,009 yards and six touchdowns. The Michigan State signee, who returned 17 kickoffs for 402 yards and two scores this year, had 44 grabs for 777 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Washington caught 32 passes for 655 yards, averaging 20.5 yards per catch, and nine touchdowns during his junior year. Washington, who currently ranks as the No. 2 wide receiver in the state by ESPN and 247Sports, said he wants to study business at Michigan State.

“He bought in to what we were trying to four years ago,” McMillen said. “His leadership... he’s become an unbelievable leader. He was a very quiet kid, but I thought he stepped up at times and became a leader this year. [Michigan State] is getting a player who’s going to start for them early. He’s going to help them win games. They should be excited about what he can do on the football field.”