Recruiting 2013: R.J. Shelton

Back in February the Spartans received a commitment from Wisconsin running back RJ Shelton.  This gave them two running backs in the class, which is likely all they'll take.

Shelton is a consensus 3-star recruit with good size (5' 11" and 185 lbs) and athleticism (4.4 in the 40).  He had offers from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Here is his video:

Folks, call me a Spartan slappy but Shelton reminds me a lot of Emmit Smith.  He kind of has that forward lean and his feet look like they are sliding along the ground as he runs.  More importantly, he does show good speed, great agility (shiftiness), and good vision.  I also like that, for a shifty back, he has pretty good strength and balance.  He doesn't go down easily.

Upshot: to me, Shelton is one of the most exciting prospects in the 2013 class.  He helps confirm that the MSU coaching staff has a sharp eye for talent (MSU was the first to offer Shelton).  Shelton doesn't have the elite speed of a guy like Nick Tompkins, but he's fast enough, and I'm thinking he has all the tools to be a star at MSU.