NSD Recap: Michigan State lands 2nd consecutive Top 25 class
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Michigan State football had an eventful National Signing Day on Dec. 21, and the Spartans wrapped up a December full of ups and downs on the recruiting trail with a strong finish.
MSU signed all 14 high school verbal commits that they had coming into the day, and added a 15th player to the class in the form of a four-star JUCO transfer at a position of need. That’s something to be proud of given the way the 2022 season went for the Spartans.
Michigan State’s 2023 class is currently ranked No. 25 nationally and fourth in the Big Ten by 247Sports team composite rankings. The Spartans have the third-highest average player rating in the conference, only behind Ohio State and Penn State.
However, while the ‘23 class may exceed recruiting expectations from the Mark Dantonio era, it doesn’t quite meet the expectations that Mel Tucker himself brought to East Lansing when he was hired in 2020. Michigan State suffered eight decommitments during this cycle – five of which were four-star prospects – which kept this 2023 class from being inside the nation’s Top 15 and the best in school history.
However, programs that chase four-star talent are going to suffer recruiting losses. That comes with the territory. Tucker wants Michigan State to throw its hat in the ring for some of the best players in the country. The Spartans didn’t land any of the big, five-star fish that they pursued in the 2023 cycle, but they tied a program record with nine four-star signees.
Michigan State was also very active in the transfer portal this offseason and on Signing Day. The Spartans have added 11 players through the portal so far, including a couple guys who will make an instant impact. Combining the high school signees and the transfer additions, MSU has 26 new players headed to East Lansing for 2023.
With the class overview out of the way, what were some of the biggest individual recruiting wins for Michigan State on Signing Day?
The first was JUCO transfer offensive lineman Keyshawn Blackstock. Offensive line coach Chris Kapalovic has gone into the junior college ranks before, getting Brandon Baldwin in the 2021 class. Blackstock was one of the best lineman in JUCO last year, and is likely going to play right away. He became the 15th member of the class and the ninth four-star when he signed with the Spartans on Wednesday. This is a major win for MSU at a position of need.
The next big landing was Texas A&M transfer defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye. An Under Armour All-American and highly-ranked four-star coming out of high school, the Spartans feel like they can unlock some of Adeleye’s untapped potential in East Lansing. After redshirting as a true freshman, Adeleye played in only three games for the Aggies in 2022, and recorded six tackles. He is currently ranked the No. 19 player in the transfer portal (via 247Sports) and has four years of eligibility remaining.
Michigan State also added USF transfer running back Jaren Mangham. Older brother of MSU safety Jaden Mangham, the elder Mangham had 128 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns last season. The Spartans added another former four-star defensive tackle in Dre Butler, who transferred from Liberty. MSU will be his third school, as he started his collegiate career at Auburn.
While Tucker and staff would prefer to build internally, the transfer portal is a necessity in this era of college sports. There is major upside in many of these players, with most of them having an opportunity to play next season. Expect a few more players to be added to the Spartans’ roster before February.
Even after a 5-7 season and losing top recruits, the Spartans have a top 25 recruiting class. Tucker and the staff have started recruiting for 2024, already with two four-star commits. If Michigan State gets back on track on the football field, they could have an even better class next year on the recruiting trail.
