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Michigan State Lands 10th Commitment, Corner Chuck Brantley

Venice, Florida’s Chuck Brantley, nephew of Spartan All American Herb Haygood becomes Mel Tucker & Michigan State’s tenth commitment for the class of 2021.

East Lansing, MI— After entering the month of April without a commitment for the 2021 class, Michigan State wrapped up the month with its 10th commitment, receiving a pledge from Venice (FL) cornerback Chuck Brantley on Thursday afternoon.

Brantley spoke with Spartan Nation about his decision to commit to the Spartans. Brantley said that between the coaching staff making him a priority to the academics offered at Michigan State were critical factors in him choosing Michigan State.

“When I get an offer, there’s not too many of them, but they just let me be, and they don’t build a relationship with me,” he said. “But Michigan State, ever since they offered, they consistently texted me and built that relationship and made sure that this is what I wanted. When I went on the virtual visit, they were showing me the academics, and they have what I want to major in, which is in the medical field, I want to be a pediatrician. That’s 12 years of college, but if I do end up going to the NFL, I can always come back and get my degree for what I want to major in.”

The pledge from the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Brantley is the latest in what’s been an impressive run for Mel Tucker and the Spartans on the recruiting trail as Michigan State has received four commitments from out-of-state players since Saturday.

One of the top-rated cornerbacks in the state of Florida, Brantley committed to the Spartans after receiving offers from Boston College, Florida State, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia, Washington State, and several others.

Considering the Spartan coaching staff made him a priority from the time he first received his Michigan State offer back in March, Brantley said that he feels that he can be a contributor early on in his college career in East Lansing.

“I feel like it means I’m going to hopefully be a true freshman coming in and playing in my freshman year,” he said. “But also, I don’t want to go there just to play football; I want to get my academics.”

Before Michigan State cornerbacks coach Harlon Barnett returned to Michigan State, he was recruiting Brantley. At the same time, he was the defensive coordinator at Florida State, where the two began to develop a healthy relationship.

“That’s my guy,” Brantley said of Barnett. “Ever since he was at FSU, we just had that bond. I knew that I was supposed to be playing for him, and he was supposed to be coaching me.”

In addition to Barnett, Brantley said that the entire coaching staff regularly checked in on him and developed their relationships with him, which Brantley said that was impactful to see during his recruitment.

“When they first offered me, it was a little bit before this pandemic came up,” he said. “Ever since then, the whole coaching staff, the academics - everybody on the staff, they kept hitting me up and seeing how I’m doing, just showing love and making sure I’m okay and helping me through the process.”

Brantley is the third defensive back commitment for the Spartans and second, from Florida, joining Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep 2021 cornerback Gabe Nealy and Baltimore (MD) DeMatha Catholic 2021 cornerback Antoine Booth.

An impressive shutdown cornerback listed at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Brantley described himself as a big-time cornerback and added he likes to trash talk when he’s out on the field as well.

“They’re getting a straight dawg,” he said. “A Jalen Ramsey type corner, a trash talker. I’m humble about it, but I like to talk trash. I got that dawg in me, and I like to play 100%.”

As mentioned, Brantley is the tenth commitment for Mel Tucker and the Spartan football class of 2021. He joins:

  • Tyson Watson Defensive End Warren, MI
  • Ethan Boyd Offensive Tackle East Lansing, MI
  • Davion Primm Running Back Oak Park, MI
  • Derrick Harmon Defensive Tackle Detroit, MI
  • Hampton Fay Quarterback Fort Worth, TX
  • Kevin Wigenton Guard Princeton, NJ
  • Gabe Nealy Safety Miami, FL
  • Antoine Booth Cornerback Hyattsville, MD
  • Kameron Allen Tight End North Forney, TX

Tell us what you think about Brantley and Michigan State football recruiting in the comment section below.

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