20 TX 3* RB Donovan Eaglin Talks Michigan State Offer
Following an official visit to Michigan State where he received an offer from the Spartans, Manvel (TX) 2020 3-star running back Donovan Eaglin is close to making a decision and Michigan State appears to be in a good position with the 5-foot-11, 215-pound standout.
Spartan Nation recently caught up with Eaglin to recap his visit and discuss his recent offer from the Spartans and Eaglin said receiving an offer from Michigan State was a big deal for himself.
“It was a huge moment for me, (the offer) coming from Michigan State, coming from my background in life,” he said. “I’ve been patient in my recruiting, I’ve been talking to them since last spring and getting the offer from Coach D and their staff was great.”
After spending last weekend on campus in East Lansing, Eaglin told Spartan Nation that he came away impressed with the Michigan State campus and enjoyed how welcoming people on campus were while adding that he liked the Spartans’ family first atmosphere.
“The campus is big and it’s beautiful,” he said. “Just overall, I loved it. I loved the people, the athletes, all of the people were nice. Even if I wasn’t a recruit, they would have been nice. They just came up to me and talked to me because they’re nice. They (the coaching staff) talk about family first and then talk about football. They talked to me about building character and making me a better man. I like all of that about Michigan State.”
During his time on campus Eaglin was also in attendance for Michigan State’s win over Wisconsin in men’s basketball last weekend and said that he enjoyed the gameday atmosphere and seeing the support from fans.
“It was a good feeling,” he said. “Knowing that a lot of the students and a lot of the alumni come out and support Michigan State. There were a lot and it was loud. It’s good to know that there’s a lot of support for the people in the athletic department.”
Eaglin said that when he learned of his offer, he was understandably overwhelmed, but also added that, he feels that Michigan State is a good fit for him.
“It was an overwhelming feeling, but a blessing at the same time, a real blessing,” he said. “I feel like Michigan State is the best place for me.”
Eaglin also noted that his trip to Michigan State was the first time he’s seen snow, and told Spartan Nation that weather and climate won’t play a factor in his college decision and that he enjoyed the weather during his visit.
“Really, the cold weather has nothing to do with my decision,” he said. “I always wanted to see the snow and being out there, by Sunday, I was used to it. I really liked being in the snow.”
After suffering an injury as a sophomore that forced him to miss time as a junior, Eaglin put together a strong senior year, which included an impressive playoff run, where he rushed for over 730 yards in just three games, which likely caught the attention of Division 1 programs, including Michigan State.
Throughout his time being recruited by Michigan State, Eaglin said his main recruiter has been Spartans’ assistant defensive backs coach Terrence Samuel, who is from the Houston area.
“We talked today, we text almost every day,” Eaglin said of his relationship with Samuel. “We talk about recruiting, but I can talk about anything with coach Samuel, not just football. When I come up there and I may need someone to talk to, we already have that relationship.”
A 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back, who is known for being a power back, Eaglin said he considers himself to be an every-down type of back and feels his speed is an underrated aspect of his game, while adding he’s proud of being a team-first player.
“I would best describe my game as I’m an all around back,” he said. “I think people underestimate my speed and on film it shows I’ll be running away from defenders. I’m a very unselfish teammate, I’m not going to worry if I don’t get enough touches. As long as my teammates are playing well and we’re having fun, I’ll be happy.”
Although there’s still roughly two weeks until National Signing Day on February 5th, Eaglin admitted that he may not wait that long to make a decision and anticipates making his college choice after Mark Dantonio visits him in school next week.
“I will be committing next week,” he said. “After I meet with coach Dantonio, I will be committing the day after.”
Remember to stay tuned to Spartan Nation for all of the latest news on Eaglin and the Spartans!
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