Ohio Safety Drummond Closing in on Decision; Spartans Still Sitting at Top of List

Kurtis Drummond, a top Midwest safety prospect from Hubbard, Ohio, may begin winding down his recruitment soon. The good news for Michigan State fans is that the young man remains impressed with the Spartan program.

"Of all the places I've visited, Michigan State right now is at the top, but I've been talking to some other schools a little bit, too," Drummond told Spartan Nation. "I've been talking to Michigan State, West Virginia, Purdue — they're the main schools that I've been keeping in contact with."

For Drummond, the facilities, coaching staff and "just the bond that the players have with each other," make MSU stand out from other schools that have been recruiting him.

For many prospects, the fall is a good time to begin preparing for a final decision. Official visits give recruits a full gameday experience, from the tailgatinging, to the action on the field, to what it's like after a battle on the field — win or lose. Plus, verbal commits begin to pile up for many programs, increasing the pressure on those yet to pull the trigger. For Drummond, though, the time to decide may come sooner rater than later.

"I'll possibly take official visits," Drummond said of his plans this fall. That is, "If I haven't made the decision yet," he added. "The decision could come before the season, but I'm not one-hundred percent sure about it."

But when he does become one-hundred percent sure, Drummond has a clear set of criteria for the lucky program that inherits his talent and aptitude.

Drummond says he's looking for a "family atmosphere, a school that is going to compete and win, somewhere where the coaches are up front and real and let you know where you stand, and someplace that is going to make me a better person and prepare me for the real world." The young man may go elsewhere, but such sentiments are music to a Spartan fans' ears.

So in the meantime, Drummond has a dual focus: he's fully committed to taking Hubbard High School football to a 10-0 record this season, playing them "one game at a time," he said. Such a focus echoes the philosophy of MSU coach Mark Dantonio when the Spartan boss was asked what the magic number for wins — nine, ten? — was for the season at MSU's media day earlier this week. ("One," he said, holding up an index finger at the podium, explaining the season is played week-by-week.)

MSU recruits Drummond strictly as a safety, Purdue sees him as a wide receiver and West Virginia would bring him in as an athlete. I asked Drummond about the recruiting success of MSU of late, specifically at the safety position where the highly touted Isaiah Lewis has already verbaled for the Green & White. Does it matter to Drummond if schools already have talent and depth at the position he is penciled in to play at?

"Not really," Drummond said. "I mean, it'll play out. I plan on coming in and working hard wherever I go. Whoever else commits to a school doesn’t really have that big of an effect on me."