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Linking Laconically Mini-Recaps National Signing Day

By LVS

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  • Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio touts recruiting class with 'great versatility' | - MLive.com
    "This is a highly acclaimed, highly ranked class that shows great versatility," Dantonio said after getting the signatures of 21 players on letters of intent and scholarship papers Wednesday. "We addressed our needs first of all, but if you look at it, it’s a balanced class by position."

    Update: Rexrode has Dantonio quotes about each signee here.

    (Note before proceeding: recruiting is obviously not something we focus on intensely here at TOC.  But, it is national signing day, and you might have noticed that it's Kind Of A Big Deal amongst those on the internets who care about college football.  Plus, as BHGP reminds us, once our recruits sign the dotted line, caring is no longer creepy!  So, onward with our best efforts.)

    Today was the second consecutive drama-free national signing day for MSU: no unanticipating signings, and no last-minute departures from the class.  SpartanMag has a list of all recruits (with pretty pictures!) available for free on their site--and much more if you're willing to pay, of course.  Expert opinions on this class are mostly positive: Rivals has MSU's class ranked 29th nationally, Scout has us 32nd, and both services rate the class as the 4th best in the conference (behind Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State).

    The "cornerstone" (Dantonio's word) of the class is clearly Will Gholston.  The signals on him are a bit mixed: many expect Will to move to defensive end in East Lansing, and at least one national recruiting analyst has said that a redshirt year could be useful (to put on weight and to learn the new position).  But, at today's press conference, Dantonio stated that Gholston could "help right away," and then compared him to Julian Peterson (a linebacker, obviously).  So, all we know might be a LIE.

    The class as a whole is heavily slanted toward defense; after this year's abomination, that's probably a good idea.  Immediate help may be on the way in the persons of Max Bullough (4 star linebacker who has already enrolled), and CBs DBs Isaiah Lewis and Mylan Hicks.

    On offense, we add four speedy wide receivers (Kurtis Drummond, Jeremy Langford, Tony Lippett, and Keith Mumphery) (NOTE: As intrpdtrvlr notes, Drummond might will probably play defense, and Langford might see time out of the backfield); as Seer noted, we may be in the market for a big possession-type receiver next season.  Chelsea RB Nick Hill should add depth to what's already a very young and very talented MSU running back corps; there's also Leveon "And He Shall Be A Good Man" Bell, who may have an actionable claim against Rivals for using this as his recruting picture:

    Leveonbell4_16100_medium


    Additionally, if Joe Boisture can put a difficult senior season behind him, he should provide substantial competition for Andrew Maxwell at QB over the next few seasons.  Finally, there's maybe-sleeper maybe-out-of-his-league FB Niko Palazeti, who was recently the subject of this fawning Detroit News article.  How's this for a lede?

    It's almost as if time has passed Niko Palazeti by. Thirty years ago, top-level programs such as Michigan with Bo Schembechler and Ohio State with Woody Hayes would have eagerly sought a player with Palazeti's abilities.

    Finally, MSU signed only 21 players; we should have banked at least a few scholarships to use for next year's class. 

    Recruting content: FINIS.  More links, after the jump.
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