Thoughts on 2013 Recruiting Class

Unfortunately, I don't have time these days to write up detailed posts about each recruit the Spartans bring in.  But I do still want to take the time to write something brief about each recruit, now that signing day has passed.  At the very least, a post like this can help me better remember who the players are, and perhaps more importantly, I always like to go back and see what I predicted for the various recruits.

First, let me say that, overall, this is is a solid class.  I really don't think there are any players that I would consider "reach" players.  This class may not have as many 4-star recruits as we saw in 2009, but I think this may be the most athletic class of the Dantonio era.  With that, here are my quick thoughts on each player.

Offense

Damion Terry.  Most of Spartan nation is excited about this guy, and so am I.  He put up the big numbers in his senior year, but I'm more excited by his athleticism and skills.  He is the most athletic quarterback MSU has ever brought in, but the most exciting thing is that he has a strong, accurate arm.  The only thing that I can't evaluate from his videos is his decision making.  But I suspect it takes a high level of decision making ability to rack up the stats Terry had in his senior year.  So basically, I expect big things from Terry, though perhaps not until he is at least a redshirt freshman.

Delton Williams. This guy will do big things at MSU, but I just don't know where.  He would likely be an outstanding outside linebacker, but it sounds like he'll first get a shot at replacing LeVeon Bell at running back.  He has all the physical tools to succeed at running back, in fact, he looks faster than Bell and has the frame to put on about as much weight as Bell.  But there is not enough video to fully evaluate things like his vision and decision making.  We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Gerald Holmes.  This guy looks ready to contribute as a freshman and will definitely compete to take Bell's place.  He appears to have put on more mass for his senior year and to have gained more athleticism.  He also shows good vision and a good set of moves.  If the O-line steps up next year, Holmes could have a good year as a freshman.

RJ Shelton.  I love Shelton-like running backs.  He's speedy, shifty, and as I wrote in my write-up of Shelton, he reminds me a little of Emmit Smith.  Unfortunately, if the O-line struggles, Shelton will likely struggle as much as MSU's other shifty backs have recently struggled.  Speed and moves are apparently not enough against B1G defenses.  You gotta have some blocking, or you gotta be LeVeon Bell.

Dennis Finley.  He was the only O-lineman taken in this class and he looks like he has all the physical tools to be a pretty good O-tackle.  He looks pretty raw, but fortunately, the Spartans will have considerable depth at tackle next year, so he should definitely be redshirted.  

Michael Geiger.  Obviously, he is a highly rated kicker.  If he lives up to expectations, we're golden.

Jay Harris.  He is an interesting prospect at receiver.  I don't know that MSU has ever had anyone like him.  He looks more like a running back than a receiver, and he runs like a running back after he's made the catch.  There are some interesting ways he could be used, but unfortunately (for Harris), he likely won't play for a while, considering MSU's depth at receiver.

Trey Kilgore.  He's not as explosive a receiver as Burbridge, but he looks pretty athletic and he has good size.  Unfortunately for Kilgore, MSU's depth at receiver probably means he won't contribute for at least a couple of years.  

Dylan Chmura.  This is one guy I know almost nothing about.  He is very tall, and Dantonio seems to like his strength and blocking ability.  But otherwise, I can't find any video on him.  Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Defense

Jon Reschke.  Everyone has him pegged to replace Max Bullough and I think that's the correct assessment.  Reschke actually looks like a better athlete than Bullough, so the only question is whether he'll be as smart.  From what I've seen and heard, it sounds like he will be.  So MSU looks set at middle linebacker for the next 4 years.

Shane Jones.  He looks very smart, which is what you always want in linebackers.  Unfortunately, I can't find any senior-year video of him, and as a junior he doesn't look as athletic as I would like.  I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, considering that he was just voted AP Division I Defensive Player of the Year for Ohio.  He and Reschke should elevate MSU's already-stellar linebacker play.

Demetrious Cooper.  I'm excited about his speed and athleticism.  He is clearly too thin for a defensive end at this point, so he will need to redshirt.  But I think he'll be having a significant impact by the time he is a sophomore.

James Bodanis.  Physically, he looks impressive.  He's huge and pretty explosive, and that's why I think he has a lot of upside and could turn out to be one of the steals of this class.  I'm hoping for the next Jerel Worthy, but if he turns out to be at least as good as Anthony Rashad White, that ain't bad.

Noah Jones.  I'm really excited about Jones.  His video makes you think of Jerel Worthy.  He anticipates the snap count well, and he is explosive.  This guy looks like a steal, but unfortunately, defensive tackles can take years to emerge, so we'll have to wait a while to see what we have with Jones.

Devyn Salmon.  He is very quick for a defensive tackle.  However, he needs to get much stronger. I saw one video where he was dominated by a stronger, bigger O-lineman.  If Salmon does get a lot stronger, he could have the quickness to do something special.  Like with Noah Jones, it will likely take a few years before we know what we have with Salmon.  

Jalyn Powell.  Physically, this guy has all the tools to be an elite safety or outside linebacker.  In the video I saw, he is the best athlete on the field and he is a hard hitter.  We'll have to see how the tactical side of his game develops, but MSU looks so set at the safety position, for years to come.

Justin Williams.  I'm pretty excited about this guy.  He may be the best athlete in this class.  He's obviously track-fast but he also looks very quick and fast on the field.  That means he will likely contribute in several ways.  Williams could turn into something special, but probably not until his third year or so.

Darian Hicks.  For a corner, I'm worried about his speed; he doesn't look like a 4.4 guy.  But he does have good height, and decent athleticism.  Most importantly, he seems to have the ability to find the ball quickly and to get in good position to compete for the ball as a result.  I wonder if that combination of skills won't ultimately land him at safety.  But then again, Dantonio is the king of recruiting good corners, and Hicks was one of the guys he most wanted for this position.  So I will defer to his judgement.

Recruiting 2013: Delton Williams

The Spartans inched closer to wrapping up their 2013 recruiting class today with the commitment of Pennsylvania athlete Delton Williams.

Evaluations: Williams is considered a 3-star recruit by all recruiting services, except ESPN which rates him 4 stars.  He also holds scholarship offers from several good programs, including: Boston College, Illinois, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia.

Measurables: Williams is as 6'2" and about 205 lbs. Only 247 reports a 40-time for him: 4.6 seconds. For a linebacker that would be pretty good, but it's a little mediocre for other positions Williams might end up at.  Let's see what his video reveals.

Keep in mind that this is video from Williams' junior year, but it does look like the 4.6 speed is about right. Like I said, that's pretty good speed for a linebacker, but probably a little mediocre for a safety or receiver. Thus, I think his highest potential is at linebacker, especially since he shows pretty good tackling ability. However, the Spartans are already bringing in 2 linebackers and 2 wide receivers, so I suspect they intend to have him play safety. Maybe he'll look a little faster in this senior year video and then I'll feel more comfortable seeing Williams at safety or receiver.

Upshot: Williams has been a Spartan target for a long time and he finally committed. He should be a good addition to the class, and I'm really excited to see his senior year highlights.

Williams' commitment brings the Spartans down to about 1 or 2 scholarships, depending on if Fou Fonoti comes back next year. They may also lose LeVeon Bell and Will Gholston, and that would give them a couple extra scholarships. Otherwise, I suspect the Spartans are going to wrap up the class with a defensive tackle (Kyle Peko) and perhaps an offensive guard (hopefully Caleb Benenoch).

Scout Confirms MSU's Strong Recruiting Start for 2014

Scout recently came out with its first look at the top 300 recruits of the 2014 class. It is very early, but MSU is nonetheless well represented. Three Spartan commits made the list.

Drake Harris (WR) is the highest rated Spartan at 39.

Byron Bullough (OLB) came in at 205.

Deon Drake (OLB) came in at 290.


Several Spartan targets also made the list.

Malik McDowell (DE) at 15. He is the highest rated recruit in Michigan. He has shown interest in MSU, but he can literally go anywhere he wants, so it will be tough to get him.

Damon Webb (CB) at 33. He is a Cass Tech kid, which means he'll likely favor Michigan. But the Spartans now have two of his teammates coming to East Lansing, and MSU is "cornerback U."

Tommy Doles (OG) at 252. He is a teammate of Drake Harris, so the Spartans should have a solid chance of getting him.

Thaddeus Snodgrass (WR) at 122. He is the highest rated receiver in Ohio and has shown strong interest in the Spartans.

Clifton Garrett (MLB) at 45. He was in East Lansing for most of this past weekend.

Recruiting 2014: Deon Drake

The Spartans received a commitment today from Michigan outside linebacker Deon Drake. This is a big one for the Spartans.

Evaluations

Drake is still a junior, so he has only been evaluated by 247, which considers him a 4-star recruit. At this point, we can probably get a better sense of how good Drake is by looking at his offers. Depending on which sites you believe, it looks like he has offers from places like Notre Dame, Iowa, Nebraska, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

Measurables

Drake is approximately 6'1" and about 220 lbs. That's a solid size for an outside linebacker. Only ESPN has a 40 time for him: 4.83 seconds. That's not particularly fast for his position. Let's see what his video indicates.

Well, first thing we notice is that his video says he runs the 40 in 4.6 seconds. That's pretty solid. Apart from that, he actually looks pretty impressive for a sophomore. He has enough athleticism to play running back, and he looks like a solid punishing tackler -- did I mention he is a sophomore in this video?

Upshot

Drake is a huge pick up for the Spartans. He is or will be a highly rated recruit, which really gives a strong start to the 2014 class. Drake is the third commit of the 2014 class and it's quite likely that all 3 commits are going to end up as 4-star recruits.  The 2014 class is shaping up to be the best class of the Dantonio era.

Drake also comes from Cass Tech High, the talent goldmine and UM pipeline. The Spartans now have commitments from two Cass Tech guys (including OT Dennis Finley).

Drake is the second linebacker commit of the 2014 class (along with Byron Bullough) and this is likely all the linebackers the Spartans will take, unless they can add a 5-star guy. I gotta wear shades, the future is so bright.

Recruiting 2014: Byron Bullough

In August, the Spartans received their second commitment in the 2014 class from Michigan linebacker Byron Bullough. As pretty much everyone knows, he is the brother of current Spartan linebackers Max and Riley.

Ratings: Bullough is not rated yet, by any of the recruiting services. He doesn't have many offers, thanks to his very early commitment.

Size: He is a little short (6' 1") for middle linebacker, but his height is adequate for outside linebacker. Of course, he is only a junior, so he may still end up about as tall as Max (6' 3").

Athleticism: Only rivals has a 40 time for him (4.7), which would be a pretty good time for a linebacker.  There is no other info on his athleticism, so let's turn to his video.

OK, so like with Drake Harris, we have to remember that he is a sophomore in this video. This helps explain why Bullough doesn't look all that explosive. But he is able to excel, against kids that are likely 1 to 2 years older. And we can see that, on the few defensive plays in which he appears, he has a good instinct for which way the action is heading.

Upshot: Bullough will likely be a pretty solid linebacker by the time he gets to MSU. According to Max, Byron is a better athlete than he was at the same age. The big thing for me is that the Bulloughs come from a football family, a factor that generally produces football intelligence. So there is a high probability that Byron will be a smart and solid player for MSU. It's hard to tell what his ratings will be, but he probably won't be any lower than Riley (who was considered a 3-star recruit) and he may end up as high as Max (4 stars).

Consequences for rest of class: I suspect the Spartans will only take 2 linebackers in 2014, so Bullough's commitment leaves one spot open at that position. They may take 3 linebackers if they can get a 5 star guy to commit late in the process, or if a couple guys leave early for the NFL (like Denicos Allen and Max Bullough).

Recruiting 2014: Drake Harris

Well, recruiting is happening earlier and earlier -- might as well accept that.  At least it's starting to look like the class of 2014 will be special.  MSU already has commits from 2 excellent Michigan prospects, and they look to have a great chance with some of the nation's top recruits.

With that, let's take a look at MSU's first commit for 2014. Wide Receiver Drake Harris committed back in June. Harris is not currently rated by any of the recruiting services -- since he's only a junior! -- but he is widely regarded as the top wide receiver in the state, for his class. He's also considered a pretty good recruit for basketball.  It appears that Tom Izzo was involved in his recruitment and that he may get to be a two-sport athlete in college.

Harris is a large target (6' 4"), but there's not much info yet on his athleticism. Fortunately, there is some video of his sophomore year.

Harris does not look all that explosive (as a sophomore!) but his long legs cover a lot of ground. He seems to easily separate from defenders, both when he is running a route and after he's caught the ball. He also seems to have pretty good hands and can go up to win the ball in the air.

Upshot: It's hard to evaluate sophomores. In my mind it's a little too early to be looking at guys (at least, for bloggers to be looking at guys), especially because they won't be playing for MSU for at least 2 years and possibly 3 if he has to redshirt. Still, Harris will be one of the top 5 players in the state for his class, and that represents a huge get for the Spartans. If the Spartans can add Thaddeus Snodgrass (the top receiver from Ohio) to this class, then the makings of elite class are there. That kind of receiving talent will certainly attract a top quarterback.

Recruiting 2013: Dennis Finley

The Spartans now have their 13th verbal commitment in the form of Michigan Offensive Tackle Dennis Finley.

Finley is a 3-star recruit to all but ESPN, which gives him 4 stars. He had a solid list of offers from places like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Cincinnati.

Finley is a huge guy (6' 7" and between 280 to 300 lbs.), but there is little statistical evidence on his athleticism.  So let's turn to his video.

Finley does look massive and strong. He is able to use those assets to stop defensive ends cold in their tracks. He also flashes some mobility in some of the pulling plays.  The one concern is that he does look just a bit slow, and that could be a problem when facing fast defensive ends. We'll have to see if he can improve his technique and mobility in his senior year.

Upshot: This is a huge get for the Spartans, first of all, because Finley is a good prospect. He needs some work, but the Spartans have several guys ahead of him, anyway. So he'll have plenty of time to develop. Of course, the other significant thing about Finley's commitment is that he comes from Cass Tech high school.  As many of you know, Cass Tech cranks out several top-end recruits every year, but most of them end up at UM -- no surprise since their head coach is former UM player Thomas Wilcher. Finley's commitment hopefully represents an inroad for MSU into talent-rich Cass Tech.

Finley may be the only O-lineman the Spartans take in this class, though they would likely still take a guy like Texas guard Caleb Benenoch. They are relatively loaded at O-line and they are probably down to three scholarships, now. So my guess is that they go for a defensive tackle, a safety, and best player available (e.g., Benenoch, Montravius Adams, Robert Foster, or perhaps Ruben Dunbar).

Recruiting 2013: Demetrius Cooper

All caught up with the 2013 commits!

Today, the Spartans received their 12th commitment from Illinois defensive end Demetrius Cooper.

Cooper has been an under-the-radar guy up to this point.  He has only been evaluated by Scout and 247, who give him 3 stars. He didn't get much attention until the Spartans offered him at one of their camps, and then suddenly he received offers from places like Notre Dame and Purdue.

Cooper has great height for a defensive end (6' 5") but he will need to add a lot of weight (he is listed as somewhere between 205 and 225 lbs.) before he sees the field. He is supposed to be extremely athletic, but there is no reported time for his 40. We can't evaluate his athleticism through highlights because none seem to be available at this point.

Upshot: We're going to have to be patient until Cooper's senior year highlights come out, but at least we know that the Spartan coaches wanted him "bad." Word had it that he was unblockable at the Spartan camp he attended. As for the rest of the class, Cooper's commitment could make for some awkwardness. Illinois defensive end Ruben Dunbar was heavily favoring the Spartans and I'm not sure they have room for him anymore. I think they want to take one more defensive tackle, an offensive tackle, and a safety. I don't know, maybe if they can take 16, they'll take Dunbar as well.  We'll have to see how the coaches handle this.

Recruiting 2013: Devyn Salmon

Almost caught up on the 2013 commits.

Back in July, the Spartans received a commitment from their Florida defensive tackle Devyn Salmon. Salmon is considered a 3-star recruit by every site except 247, which gives him 2 stars. His top offers came from Cincinnati and West Virginia.

Salmon is on the short side for a defensive tackle (6' 1"), but he still packs a lot of weight (around 285 lbs.).  Only ESPN reports a 40 time (5.24), which is reasonable for a guy that big. Let's see what his video can tell us:

There's not much in the way of game film, but we can see above that Salmon can dominate, at least against lower level O-line talent. Below we see him struggle against more elite talent:

Upshot: I'll have to wait until senior year highlights come to make a full evaluation, but for now I'd say that Salmon is a good prospect because he has a natural leverage advantage (he's shorter, obviously) and he has excellent athleticism. He will, however, need to improve his technique and get much stronger before he can take on more elite O-linemen. Salmon is likely one of only two defensive tackles the Spartans will take, though they will always make room for a third DT if it is someone like Montravius Adams (the number one DT in the country).

Recruiting 2013: Jay Harris

Back in June the Spartans received a commitment from Pennsylvania wide receiver Jay Harris.

Harris is a considered a 3-star recruit by all the recruiting sites, except Rivals, which gives him 2 stars. His only other scholarship offers came from Old Dominion and Temple.

Harris is a smaller receiver (5' 11" and 175 lbs). Info on his athleticism is limited.  ESPN gives Harris a 40 time of 4.72, while 247 gives him a 4.6. That's a little slow for a small receiver, but perhaps his video tells us something different:

Well, the video seems to confirm Harris' speed; he does not appear to be a 4.4 kind of guy. But he is still an intriguing prospect. He's kind of a wide receiver in a running back's body. He has running back toughness and running back moves, both of which help him get open and allow him to run well, after the catch. He kind of reminds me of Macgarrett Kings, who was listed as a running back by Scout.

Upshot: I'm looking forward to seeing how Harris progresses in his senior year. If I recall correctly, Kings ended up being much faster in his senior highlights than in his junior highlights, and I wouldn't be surprised if the same happens with Harris. Otherwise, the Spartans should be finished taking wide receivers in this class, unless a guy like Robert Foster (the number 2 receiver in the nation) decides to commit.

Recruiting 2013: Trey Kilgore

Back in June the Spartans received a verbal commitment from Ohio wide receiver Trey Kilgore.  Kilgore is a consensus 3-star recruit, with offers from places like Boston College, Cincinnati, and Iowa.

Kilgore has good size (6' 2" and 180 lbs.), but there's little info on his athleticism.  So let's turn to his video:

First of all, his video says he runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds. And his performance suggests that's pretty accurate. Kilgore is a very good athlete, often the best on the field. He ran the ball quite a bit as a quarterback, which shows he'll know what to do after the catch. There's not a lot of video of him catching the ball, but the few plays you see show that he runs some good routes and that he can catch the ball.

Upshot: Kilgore could become a more athletic version of Cunningham -- same size, but faster. It remains to be seen if he can develop the same receiving skills as Cunningham (the hands, the route running, the ability to win the ball in the air).  But the tools are there.

Recruiting 2013: Dylan Chmura

Back in June the Spartans received a commitment from Wisconsin tight end Dylan Chmura -- the son of Mark Chmura, the former Green Bay Packer.

There is not much info on Chmura at this point.  No site had him rated at the time of his commitment, and currently he is only rated by Scout and 247, which give him 2 stars.

Chmura has good height (6' 5") for the position -- same height as his father, apparently.  But other than that, there is no info on his athleticism.  So let's turn to his video . . . well, there is no video, except his dad talking about him:

According to his dad, Dylan was a major contributor to his high school team (which won the state championship, apparently) as a sophomore and he is further along in his development than his dad at the same age.  Other than that, the only other indicator that Dylan is a good recruit is the fact that he impressed the coaches at an MSU camp.

Upshot: It's hard to say much about Chmura at this point.  This is certainly one of those occasions where you have to wait until he plays his senior year to find out more about him.  At least he comes from NFL stock, and at least the MSU coaches seemed impressed by him.  We'll have to be satisfied with that for now.

Recruiting 2013: Kenny Hayes

Update: needless to say, Hayes is not coming to MSU next year. So forget everything below.

Word is out that OSU defensive end Kenny Hayes is transferring to MSU.  He won't be eligible to play until the 2013 season, so I'll go ahead and file him under the 2013 recruiting class -- even though he comes from the 2011 class.

Hayes was a consensus 4-star recruit and was considered a top 100 prospect by Rivals, who had him as the number 7 defensive end in the nation.  ESPN was the least high on him, ranking him only 27th at his position.  Hayes did not have a long list of offers, likely because he committed to OSU very early.

Hayes is big (6' 5" and 285 lbs) and has a good time in the 40 for a defensive lineman (4.8).  Let's look at his video:

Well, he looks enormous and powerful.  He moves relatively well, but he seems to move more like a defensive tackle than like a defensive end. It looks like he also plays pretty hard, chasing down guys from behind.

Upshot: Hayes is a good pickup, who has elite size and strength.  His athleticism is probably not elite for a defensive end, but for a defensive tackle I think it is.  That's why I suspect he will end up at defensive tackle, but who knows, maybe he'll be faster and more explosive by 2013. Otherwise, I think the Spartans may be close to wrapping up their recruiting at defensive line for this year.  They may still take a guy like Demetrius Cooper (who is more of a speed rusher), but scholarships are starting to dwindle. So the focus now has to be on offensive linemen and perhaps one more guy that's built like a safety (either Delton Williams or Brandon Arnold).

Recruiting 2013: Darian Hicks

Back in June, the Spartans received a commitment from Ohio cornerback Darian Hicks.  Scout, Rivals, and ESPN consider Hicks a 3-star recruit, while 247 gives him 4 stars.  His offer list (which includes Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Pitt, and West Virginia) suggests that he's probably closer to the 4-star rating.

Hicks seems to fit the mold of a Dantonio cornerback: 6 feet tall, 175 lbs (though ESPN and 247 list as 5' 10".  ESPN is the only one reporting a time for him in the 40, giving him 4.71.  That would be slow for a cornerback.  Let's see if his video suggest something different:

Well, he doesn't look as explosive as some other guys, but you can tell that Hicks is a pretty good athlete.  He plays several positions, including kick returner, where he is able to outrun guys a few times.  On the other hand, you can also see him get caught from behind on the interception return.  I'm going to say that he's probably faster than 4.71 in the 40, but he's probably not a 4.4 guy.

I think it's difficult to evaluate cornberbacks in highlight videos because half the time they're not even in the video until the last second when they make a play.  So you can't see how they cover guys, or how they position themselves.  The main thing you can, though, is that Hicks has good hands (he makes interceptions and plays receiver) and that he is a solid tackler.

Upshot: Hicks looks like a really good pickup. According to rumors, the coaches wanted him pretty badly, and it's nice to see that they were able to get him, considering all the good offers he had.  My guess is that he will be a good cornerback for MSU, which is good since Hicks will likely be the only cornerback taken in this class.

Recruiting 2013: Damion Terry

Back in April, the Spartans got their quarterback of the 2013 class: Damion Terry from Pennsylvania.

247 and Rivals consider Terry a 3-star recruit, while Scout and ESPN rate him as 4-stars.  He had some pretty solid offers -- from Illinois, Duke, and Boston College --  but his early commitment may have diminished his offer list.

Terry is a pretty big quarterback (6' 4" and 210 lbs) and he is supposed to be mobile, though there aren't any numbers on his athleticism.  So let's turn to his video:

Terry does look pretty mobile.  He's probably faster than all of MSU's quarterbacks, except perhaps Connor Cook, who also runs pretty well.  Terry also has strong arm and can launch the ball down the field - with some touch.

Upshot: Terry becomes the third straight mobile quarterback recruited by MSU, so it seems safe to say that Dantonio and the coaches have developed a preference for mobility.  Terry has the tools to be an excellent quarterback, but the buzz is that he is pretty raw and will need time to develop.  That's OK because MSU will be loaded at quarterback for years to come.  So Terry will get his time to develop, but he will also need to make some serious progress, if he is to eventually become the starter.   If he succeeds, we probably won't see him take the field until he is a redshirt junior.

Recruiting 2013: Shane Jones

Back in April, the Spartans received a verbal commitment from Ohio linebacker Shane Jones.  He was the second linebacker taken and likely the last for the class of 2013.

Jones is a 3-star recruit to Scout and 247, but he's viewed as a 4-star by Rivals and ESPN (who has him rated as the top Spartan commit, up to this point).  Jones is 6' 1" and 215 lbs, so he's on the smaller side of linebackers, but the Spartan coaches seem to like that height for their linebackers (see roster).  There's no stats on his athleticism, so let's turn to his video:

Jones doesn't look particularly fast, but then he's probably about as fast as Max Bullough was in high school - and of course, we all know how Bullough has turned out.  He also shows good field awareness (seems to quickly see where the play is going) and strength (he drives back running backs a couple of times).  These attributes help him in stopping the run and in dropping back in pass coverage.

Upshot: Jones is a highly regarded prospect and who has earned rave reviews at various football camps, but I personally don't have enough information on him to get too excited.  In my experience, guys often look considerably more athletic in their senior year videos, so maybe I'll wait 'til that comes out before I say much more about him.

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.

Positions MSU Could Soon Dominate in Recruiting

As MSU continues its rise to elite status, the Spartans should begin to win more and more recruiting battles.  Eventually, MSU should be able to compete for top recruits at all positions, but for now, and perhaps over the next two years, we'll have to "settle" for recruiting victories at the following positions:

- Linebacker - The success of guys like Greg Jones, Max Bullough, and Denicos Allen is probably already paying off.  The Spartans are already getting 4-star guys like Jamal Lyles, Jon Reschke, and Shane Jones; and don't forget that 5-star recruit Lawrence Thomas was recruited to play linebacker, but he outgrew the position.  They will likely be in on some more 4-stars in 2014 (they may already have one in Byron Bullough), but I wouldn't be surprised if they are also able to compete for another 5-star linebacker that year.

- Wide receiver - MSU already has a bit of reputation as a developer of wide receivers, having produced guys like Plaxico Burress, Charles Rogers, and more recently BJ Cunningham and Keshawn Martin.  MSU also has a lot of talent at the position on the current roster, perhaps more than it has ever had.  But 2014 could take MSU's receiver recruiting to a whole different level.  They already have a verbal commitment from the top receiver in the state of Michigan, Drake Harris, and they have a chance to get the best receiver in Ohio, Thaddeus Snodgrass.  If that happens, hold on to your hats, folks!

- Cornerback - Mark Dantonio is kind of genius when it comes to the secondary, particularly in terms of recruiting and developing cornerbacks.  With guys like Johnny Adams and Darqueze Dennard set to have big years and with Adams looking like a possible first round NFL draft pick in 2013, MSU could develop a reputation as cornerback-U.  I suspect that by the 2014 recruiting class MSU will be able to compete for some of the top cornerbacks in the country.

- Defensive tackle - Jerel Worthy's success at MSU and in the NFL draft (second round) has caught the attention of the country's top defensive tackle recruits.  I don't think that will pay off this year, however.  I do suspect, though, that it will pay off in the 2014 recruiting class, after Anthony Rashad White become the Spartans' second highly drafted defensive tackle (I suspect he'll go somewhere in the first three rounds).  

- Running back - The success of guys like Javon Ringer, Edwin Baker, and LeVeon Bell is going to solidify MSU's status as a running back developer.  MSU has not recruited any 4-star guys since 2009, when they recruited Baker and Caper, but if LeVeon Bell leaves early and gets drafted in the first 2 rounds of the NFL draft, don't be surprised if that pays off big for MSU in the 2014 class.

- Defensive end - MSU is a little late in developing a reputation as a developer of defensive ends.  They were able to get 5-star William Golston, but don't forget that he was originally planning to play linebacker.  If Golston goes in the first round of next year's NFL draft (which is a real possibility), don't be surprised if MSU is able to get some top notch defensive end recruits in 2014 - starting, hopefully, with Malik McDowell, who is regarded as the top player in Michigan.

- Quarterback - MSU does a great job of developing quarterbacks as evidenced by the string of guys they've put in the NFL:  Drew Stanton, Brian Hoyer, and Kirk Cousins.  Andrew Maxwell will hopefully continue that string and hopefully he'll end up being drafted even higher than Kirk Cousins.  That could allow MSU to take its quarterback recruiting to another level.  MSU is already able to get 4-star guys (like Maxwell), but perhaps with a little more success at the position they could compete for guys ranked in the top 10 nationally.  If so, it probably won't happen until the class of 2015, after Maxwell graduates.

At the remaining positions the Spartans still need to do some work, but things still look promising:

- Safety - Trenton Robinson was recently drafted in the 6th round of the NFL draft, but otherwise, the Spartans have some work to do to build up their reputation as developers of safeties.  The Spartans currently have some serious talent at the position (e.g., Isaiah Lewis and Demetrius Cox), but it's relatively young talent.  It will probably take about 3 years to get this position up to the same level as some of the others.

- Offensive line - Under coach Dantonio, MSU has consistently improved their o-line talent every year.  Unfortunately, they have a ways to go before they are considered an NFL o-line factory.  It would help a lot if seniors Fou Fonoti and Chris McDonald have big years and get drafted in next year's NFL draft.  I have high hopes for both, but neither is likely to go in the first 3 rounds.  Nonetheless, if either of them just gets drafted, that will help.  Otherwise, the Spartans probably need about 3 more years before they are able to consistently compete for top o-line recruits.  Still, I expect the talent at o-line to keep getting better and better.

- Tight end - the Spartans have had solid tight ends recently, but Dion Sims could help get them to the next level.  Sims has all the physical tools to get drafted somewhere in the first 3 rounds of the NFL draft, but he needs to stay healthy and he needs to step up his game.  If Sims is successful, MSU could start to win some battles for top tight ends in about 2 years.

Upshot: I think that if MSU's recruiting and player development keep improving at the same rate they have over Mark Dantonio's tenure, there is good reason to believe that MSU could be like Alabama soon.  They could churn out top-level NFL talent year after year, and recruit top classes year after year.  They had 6 guys get drafted in the NFL draft this year (tied for most in the B1G with Iowa and Wisconsin), and I think they will have a similar number next year, if guys like William Golston and LeVeon Bell leave early.  Next year, however, they could get more guys drafted in the first 3 rounds than ever before (guys like: Golston, Bell, Johnny Adams, and possibly Anthony Rashad White and Fou Fonoti).  Slowly but surely, folks.  Slowly but surely.

Recruiting 2013: Gerald Holmes

Back in February, the Spartans received a commitment from Michigan running back Gerald Holmes.  Holmes is a consensus 3-star recruit whose only other offers are from CMU and Toledo.  He likely would have ended up with more offers if he hadn't committed so early.

Holmes will fill the role of big running back when he gets to MSU.  He is already 6' 1" and about 205 lbs, and he could put on some more mass throughout his senior year.  There's no info on his athleticism, so we need to take a look at his video.

Holmes is not a burner, but he has serviceable speed.  His best attributes are: good vision (he seems to be able to find the holes), some moves (he makes people miss when he needs to), he can be pretty physical (he goes after tacklers in a few plays and throws some good blocks), and he can catch the ball.

Upshot: I don't think he's as athletic as LeVeon Bell and Larry Caper, but it's always possible that he'll get faster and stronger by the time he gets to MSU.  If he doesn't become more athletic,  his vision and aggressive running style may still win him playing time, perhaps as the "thunder" of any "thunder and lightning" partnership, and he may even have the tools to become an every-down back.  At this point, Holmes looks like less of sure thing than other recruits I've looked at.  But I've also seen guys make dramatic improvements in their highlights from their junior to their senior years (e.g., Monty Madaris and MacGarrett Kings).  So let's wait 'til his senior year video comes out before making bold predictions about Holmes' future.

MSU Could Consolidate Its Eliteness Over the Next 2 Years

Folks, I don't have to tell you that we are currently living through one of the greatest epochs in MSU football history.  But how did we get here?  Of course, the coaches and talented players have a lot to do with it.  But if you think about long enough, you also start to see what seems like a little divine intervention (or a fortunate series of events).  You also start to see how this divine intervention could carry MSU to even greater heights.

Where I tend to see more divine intervention is in what happened to the top teams in the B1G during Dantonio's tenure at MSU.  We all know how Michigan faltered under Rich Rodriguez and how MSU was able to defeat the Rodriguez-led Wolverines three straight years.  That alone enhanced MSU's prestige throughout the state, but beyond that, Rodriguez' non-pro style allowed MSU to compete for recruits that may have typically gone to UM.  Guys like Edwin Baker and Larry Caper could have ended up at UM if Rodriguez was not there.

Ohio State experienced less of a collapse than UM when tattoo-gate brought Jim Tressel down.  But their stumble probably helped MSU defeat OSU in it's home stadium for the first time . . . in a long time.  The scandal also cost OSU a few scholarships, and while it's hard to quantify how that benefitted the Spartans, we can safely guess that it may have allowed MSU to pick up at least one more elite player than they normally would have - I'm thinking of someone like Ohio receiver Monty Madaris.

Now, UM and OSU do seem to be back on track.  Does that mean that the gods have stopped smiling on MSU.  I don't think so.  In fact, I think the gods have given MSU at least two more years to solidify their rise to the top.

Here's the deal.  I don't care what the preseason rankings say, the Spartans are going to be better this year than UM and OSU.  This year's Spartans are still more talented and farther along in their development than both UM and OSU, and OSU will likely experience some transition issues under Urban Meyer.  Thus, while MSU could still lose their game this year against either of those teams, I would say that if they played those teams 10 times, MSU would beat them 7 times.

We can start to get more worried in 2013.  That's when Brady Hoke's recruiting prowess will begin to pay off, and that's when OSU will likely have resolved all of its transition issues.  OSU in particular could be scary.  Braxton Miller will be a junior quarterback and the defensive line OSU will have that year could be monstrous.

So 2013 is when MSU will give way to the traditional powers?  Wrong.  Fortunately for us, MSU should be peaking in 2013 - depending on how many guys we lose to the NFL.  MSU should have a lot of seniors that year, and I'm talking star seniors, including: Andrew Maxwell, Le'Veon Bell, Dion Sims, William Golston, Max Bullough, Denicos Allen, Darqueze Dennard, and many more.  MSU will also certainly have it's wide receiver issues resolved.  Thus, I think that MSU could end up being stronger that year than both UM and OSU, and that should be Dantonio's best year to win a national championship.

So, in essence, I think the football gods have given MSU two more years to consolidate the eliteness of the football program.  During that time, MSU should be able to capitalize on its success and should be able to start competing for top recruits - not that the recruits MSU is getting now are chopped liver, but I mean that they should be able to win more recruiting battles.  By then, MSU should get several more guys drafted in the early rounds of the NFL.  We can already see how the success of guys like Jerel Worthy is starting to pay off on the recruiting trail - some top defensive tackles are looking at MSU.  That pay off should start to snowball over the next two years.

In short, if MSU does what I think it can do over the next two years, we don't need to worry about the rise of UM and OSU.  By 2015, MSU's status as an elite program could be pretty consolidated.