“Da Bang Stick” Harlon Barnett Delivers Commitment #7 for 2011 Football Recruiting Class in DE Joel Heath

Much like last summer, Mark Dantonio and his staff have been receiving early commitments from highly touted prospects before their senior campaigns start. One

Much like last summer, Mark Dantonio and his staff have been receiving early commitments from highly touted prospects before their senior campaigns start. One of those highly touted prospects committed to the Spartans just last week. Joel Heath from Mount Healthy High School in Cincinnati has pledged his services to the Spartans. CLICK HERE TO watch his video.

Spartan Nation spoke with Heath over the Holiday weekend. Echoing the same sentiments many other recruits have stated about MSU, Heath had this to say about his visit. “Michigan State just felt like home and that I could go there and start over.” He also made it very clear that he was impressed with the MSU staff as well. He spoke highly of defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi. “He shook my hand hard. I like that in a man. It really impressed me from the start.”

His lead recruiter Harlon Barnett also received Heath’s praise as well. “I thought he was a great guy. He is one of the big reasons I went there. Every team wanted to sell me on coming to their school. MSU and Coach Barnett wanted to know me as a person and we became friends.”

He is a friendly individual off the field, but absolutely terrorizes offensive tackles while hunting the quarterback. Heath is a dominant defensive end who is quickly growing into his 6’5” body and will likely be one of the best defensive players in the state of Ohio this fall. Heath is 255 pounds. He told Spartan Nation that he runs a 4.7 second forty-yard dash. His ‘forty’ appears to translate impressively to his game film. When watching clips of Heath, it is easy to understand why the Spartans extended him an offer.

Heath has an explosive first step. He has one of those explosive bursts that cannot be taught. When watching his film, he overwhelms offensive tackles so quickly that it is very difficult for them to reestablish their base and keep him out of the backfield. Joel Heath regularly lives in opponent’s backfields.

He is nowhere near a finished product. Heath is tapered and can even be described as “thin” at 255 pounds. His length as well as his speed is just too much for most high school tackles to handle. He has the foot speed to be a factor on the line of scrimmage even when opposing teams run away from him. In addition to his first step, his overall length really presents a problem for offenses. He covers so much ground with one gallop that the play is “blown-up” before it ever starts.

Spartan Nation believes that he has a chance to see the field right away as a true freshman. He certainly has a great deal of natural ability and should be an excellent pass rusher. It is athletes like Heath that MSU needs to get pressure on the quarterback with only three or four down lineman. He will be a natural complement to Will Gholston and or Tyler Hoover when he arrives in the fall of 2011.

We asked Joel about his high motor and work ethic. “That comes from my mom. She had a lot of chances to play college basketball and she gave that work ethic to me. She had offers, but due to some personal reasons she couldn’t go.”

Joel spoke frankly about his growth and maturity the last three years. “My freshman and sophomore year grades were horrible. I had to learn what was in front of me. I think that scared some teams off, but I stepped it up and got 3.3 last year. I had to learn about maturity and I am real thankful that Michigan State noticed that.”

Michigan State has taken notice and the Spartan Nation is happy to have Joel on track to join the 2011 class. Heath looks like he could become one of those rare 300-pound defensive ends that so many college teams covet. MSU was fortunate to secure a commitment from Heath before the Buckeyes decided they had to have him. It should serve notice to everyone in the Spartan Nation why it is so critical that Mark Dantonio and his staff have such great relationships in Ohio. Joel Heath is a can’t-miss prospect that will only help MSU return to the days of the “gang-green” defense.

You can hear Heath tonight on Spartan Nation Radio. Simply CLICK RIGHT HERE or the link at the top of the home page of Spartan Nation.

Here is a complete list of the other six players joining Heath at MSU in 2011

RB Onaje Miller Lansing, MIÂ ARTICLEHIGHLIGHTSINTERVIEW

LB Lawrence Thomas Detroit, MI ARTICLEHIGHLIGHTS

QB Connor Cook  Hinckley,OH ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS INTERVIEWHIGHLIGHTS 2

WR/DB Andre Sims Jr  Snellville,GA ARTICLEHIGHLIGHTSINTERVIEWINTERVIEW

LB Taiwan Jones New Baltimore, MIÂ ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

TE Paul Lang of Cincinnati, OH ArticleInterview