MSU Offers One of the Best WRs in 2027 Class

Michigan State is looking ahead to its future. A position that it has always been strong at (since the arrival of Courtney Hawkins) is wide receiver. It just offered one of 2027's best.
Michigan State's wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins looks on during the spring game on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Michigan State's wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins looks on during the spring game on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins is one of the foremost recruiters and in-house developers of the position throughout all of college football.

Hawkins' East Lansing-to-NFL pipeline is stellar -- Jayden Reed, Jalen Nailor, Keon Coleman -- all the No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 receivers for their respective NFL teams. All of which were playoff teams during the 2024 NFL season. He likely has another in rising sophomore Nick Marsh, who had one of the best freshman campaigns in Michigan State history.

Now, Hawkins is looking to potentially add to that future in 2027 wide receiver Damani Warren, whom he recently offered. Warren, an explosive and sizeable playmaker at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, is a star for Arbor View in Las Vegas. He is the No. 6 wide receiver in the 2027 class, per 247Sports, and the No. 37 overall prospect.

Warren announced the offer on social media on Thursday.

He is just five spots away from five-star status, per 247Sports' definition:

"We mirror our Top247 after the NFL Draft. There are 32 first-round picks every year, which is why we have 32 five-stars. So, if we award a prospect a fifth star, we believe that they have one of the best chances out of anyone in the cycle to eventually blossom into a Day 1 pick. Obviously, we are not going to hit on every five-star – evaluating football players isn't easy, just ask the decision makers in the NFL – but these are the prospects we feel the best about. We feel comfortable with the years of data that backs up a correlation between a five-star recruit, collegiate success and a high NFL draft floor. Plus, we have to have a way to grade ourselves. The NFL draft is a great final exam for a given class."

Warren has plenty of time to be courted by Michigan State, but he would be one of the highest-rated recruits in Spartans history. It would certainly give Hawkins the most he's ever had to work with; given his ability to do more with less, that could mean huge things for Michigan State.

The Spartans have two years to work on Warren.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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