It was quite the week in MSU football recruiting. In just over a week, the Spartan coaches picked up five commitments, one of which was for the 2014 class.
Just when Caleb Benenoch decommitted and it looked like MSU football recruiting was starting to get behind, the class goes from six players to 10, with only a few more spots open. It really was an incredible week. Most of the 2013 players weren't highly-ranked, but the coaches appeared to be quite high on all of them. Now the majority of the focus can be put on a few positions, notably offensive line, defensive line and strong safety.
Before we get to the roundup, make sure you check out the "Welcome Aboard" posts for Darian Hicks, Dylan Chmura, Trey Kilgore, Jay Harris and 2014 two-sport star Drake Harris.
A lot of stories on those players have already been linked to and/or quoted in those posts, so this roundup is going to include newer stuff. Without further ado:
Harris: Two-sport natural (247) - While many high school athletes want to do the two-sport thing, Drake Harris is one of the few who legitimately can give it a shot. Pete covered his rankings in the Welcome post, but playing two sports was something MSU was more than willing to offer to Harris.
"I sat down with Coach (Mark) Dantonio and Coach Izzo at the same time," Harris said. "My Dad and I, just us four. I don't think they're going to be leaving. They'll always be there. The tradition they have at Michigan State stands out. The atmosphere of playing in your home state. It's not too far from Grand Rapids. It's only about 25 minutes."
The Harris Effect: Recruiting (247) - Sean Scherer of Spartan Tailgate takes a look deep into the crystal ball to see what situations Drake Harris will be entering by the time he reaches East Lansing.
More on committed and uncommitted prospects after the jump
Spartans get the tight end they wanted (Rivals) - There was a solid group of tight ends at the MSU camp two weeks ago. Rivals said Chmura was the top one, and the MSU coaches agreed. It didn't take long for Chmura to accept the recent offer.
Coach: New commitment 'is a bona-fide stud' (Rivals) - Unsurprisingly, Jay Harris' coach had plenty of good things to say about his player. Of note, the coach says Penn State was the first BCS offer, but PSU is not listed as offering on his bio. Anyway, the coach doesn't agree with Harris' lack of a high rankings, saying he is one of the most athletic receivers he has ever seen.
"This kid is a bona fide stud," (Mike) Matta said. "Obviously Michigan State agrees with me. He is going to be a play-maker for Michigan State. They got a kid that is going to be able to change the complexion of a game."
Dantonio visits with 3-star DE (247) - Three-star Wisconsin defensive end Alec James has had MSU, Notre Dame and Wisconsin as his finalists for a while. He visited MSU and Notre Dame in the past week and wants to go through all the visits before making a decision. Basically, James got to know the coaches better and got some more details.
Cali safety has Spartans out front (247) - Three-star California safety Brandon Arnold has had plenty of BCS offers coming in recent weeks. For a while, his talent level didn't match his offers, but that's not the case anymore. MSU and various Pac-12 schools have offered. MSU is one of his leaders right now, and it's for reasons you probably wouldn't expect.
"Right now Cal and Michigan State stand out for sure," he said. "I like the area, they're both in real good areas. I like Michigan State a lot because of the cold weather. I like the snow. I like to ski a lot. Cal has nice weather and everything. It's a real nice area. The facilities are amazing. It's got a real nice field, same thing with Michigan State."
Cooper already eyeing return trip (247) - Unranked Chicago defensive end Demetrius Cooper missed his junior season with a knee injury. Entering the summer, he had a host of MAC offers, but the BCS offers have come quickly, with MSU and Notre Dame among his recent offers. He plans to visit both schools again. Cooper initially wanted to make a decision by August, but that has been pushed back to October due to the increased interest.
Finley names current favorites (Scout) - Three-star Cass Tech offensive tackle Dennis Finley's stock has shot up in the past few months. He currently holds offers from MSU, Ohio State, Wisconsin and others. So that gives you an idea. Given the fact MSU still is without an offensive lineman in this class, Finley would be a big pickup. The good news is that Finley lists OSU, MSU and Illinois as his favorites, mostly because he's been able to visit those places. He doesn't plan on making a decision until mid-season.
Jones likes Spartan direction (Scout) - While MSU recently picked up a pledge for the 2014 class, they also offered some other 2014 kids at camp. One offer went out to Chicago offensive lineman Jamarco Jones. He spent some time with Mark Dantonio and came away impressed with everything MSU has to offer.
"Michigan State is good academically and they've been doing very well with their football program," said Jones. "They are headed in the right direction and they have a good head coach and staff."
QB says MSU one of his top schools (247) - 2014 Ohio quarterback Cody Callaway has been visited by MSU twice and is getting interest from Ohio State, Michigan and others. He does not have an offer yet.
Snodgrass has 3 on top (247) - 2014 Ohio wide receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass was recently offered by Notre Dame. He said the Irish are with Ohio State and MSU at the top for him right now.