Elite WR Nick Marsh will take final visit to Michigan State before decision date
The recruitment of River Rouge (Mich.) four-star wide receiver Nick Marsh has been a roller coaster ride.
The nation's No. 87 overall prospect (according to the 247Sports composite rankings) originally committed to Michigan State way back on July 31, 2022. He was the Spartans' first verbal pledge in the 2024 class, and the second-highest ranked prospect that head coach Mel Tucker had landed during his tenure at MSU.
Then, about seven and a half months later, Marsh decided to re-open his recruitment by decommitting from the Spartans, taking a step back and further evaluating his options. In a social media post, Marsh affirmed that Michigan State would continue to be a top option in his recruitment, and that came to fruition when the Spartans were included in the wide receiver's updated Top 12.
Now, Marsh is getting close to making a final decision, and four schools have emerged as likely landing spots. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder will take four official visits this June, ahead of his decision date on July 7, and Michigan State will be getting the final visit.
The visits will start with Penn State (June 9), who is considered the biggest threat to the Spartans' chances of bringing Marsh back in the fold. His visit to State College will be followed by trips to Kansas (June 14) and Auburn (June 16), before Marsh will head back to East Lansing on June 23 for his final visit.
This is one of Michigan State's most important recruitments in the 2024 cycle. Marsh is an in-state kid, the No. 3 player from the state of Michigan, and a Top 100 player. Tucker was brought to East Lansing to win these kinds of battles on the trail. Give credit to MSU wide receiver coach Courtney Hawkins as well, who has kept the Spartans alive in this recruitment despite Marsh's decommitment back in March.
Michigan State recently lost star wide receiver Keon Coleman to the transfer portal, and the chances of bringing the junior back to MSU appear slim. While a re-commitment from Marsh wouldn't help the Spartans in the 2023 season, it would add to what could be a highly-talent wide receiver room in the future.
Marsh has received a whopping 37 scholarship offers, including just about every major program around the country. Here's how 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu evaluates the four-star:
Big, physical receiver who has played up on the varsity since his freshman year. Has always been ahead of the curve as far as size and strength. Also has very good ball skills and the body control necessary to use his size. Contested passes are not really 50-50 balls for him as he comes down with a large percentage of them. Has improved his suddenness and straight-line speed. Still has to keep doing that, especially for a player of his size to create separation at the college level. Shows route-running craft and technique, just has to keep adding to his quickness. Will have a chance to play early because he will be physically ready. Will be a major red-zone threat and a physical mismatch for opponents and projects as an impact outside receiver at the high-major level.
For more coverage of Michigan State Athletics:
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @SpartanNationPodcast
- Follow us on Twitter: @mlounsberry34 | @a3danm
