Trieu: Cass Tech's Kelly-Powell likes MSU vibe
Michigan State’s staff is hard at work on the next crop of recruits.
The Spartans are hosting underclassmen all week from around the Midwest, but many from inside the state, as well.
Detroit Cass Tech safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell was in East Lansing on Wednesday, and after taking a tour and meeting with the staff, was offered a scholarship by the Spartans. He now has more than 30 offers after a junior season in which he earned Detroit News All-Metro Detroit honors after making 62 tackles and intercepting three passes, and also scoring three touchdowns as a running back.
"The MSU visit went very well," he said. "I had a chance to watch the team work out and talk to the coaches. They explained to me how they do things and wanted to get to know me. Overall, everything went great."
Michigan State’s efforts in Detroit have given Kelly-Powell great familiarity with the Spartans. He has been to campus many times and he knows many of the Spartan players and incoming recruits.
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"I've been coming over to MSU since 9th grade,” he said. “It was one of the very first colleges that Cass Tech exposed me to. I have a little bit of a feel of the campus since I've been there so many times. Plus, it’s good to know that my partner in crime at safety the last two years, (Demetric) Vance, is going there with Donnie (Corley) and Trishton (Jackson)."
Vance (Cass Tech); Corley (Detroit King), a receiver / defensive back; and Jackson (West Bloomfield), a receiver / quarterback, are members of the Spartans’ 2016 recruiting class.
Kelly-Powell is one of several Spartan targets in the PSL in the 2017 class, including his teammate, wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, and offensive lineman Jordan Reid, who was also offered by Michigan State this week.
At this time, Kelly-Powell does not have a timeline for a decision. He also does not have a narrowed down list of schools or a favorite school.
Spartans hosting several more
Dearborn junior Mustafa Khaleefah, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound offensive tackle, is visiting Michigan State on Thursday. He has offers from Buffalo and Eastern Michigan, as well as interest from Indiana, Northwestern, Notre Dame and more.
Allendale (Mich.) junior Nate Umlor, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end and defensive end, will visit on Sunday. Umlor has offers from Miami of Ohio, Central Michigan and Eastern Kentucky.
More information
Allen Trieu began covering the state of Michigan for Scout.com in 2005 and began managing the entire Midwest in 2009. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.