Trieu: In Darius Snow, Michigan State gets 'physical' player with strong ties to Spartans
The commitment of Darius Snow to Michigan State has been a long time coming.
The four-star Carrollton (Texas) Hebron safety is the son of former Spartan basketball player Eric Snow and nephew of former Spartan linebacker Percy Snow.
His freshman season at Hebron, it seemed he would follow dad’s footsteps more than his uncle’s. Snow did not play football, earned a spot on the varsity basketball squad and saw early attention from colleges. He would give football a try as a sophomore and it became apparent, even in summer workouts, that he was going to be a good player on the gridiron.
He was better than good, though, recording 136 tackles on his way to all-state honors that season. The success led him to pursuing football recruiting more than hoops. Shortly after that season ended and the tape made its way to East Lansing, Michigan State became the first school to offer him a scholarship.
At the time, Snow said the opportunity “meant the world.”
Over the next year and a half, Snow would receive many more offers. Schools like Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Texas, and Texas A&M are on his list.
While he had obvious affinity for Michigan State, he took the time to visit other schools and build relationships with their coaches.
He was scheduled to take official visits with several programs, but after his official to Michigan State for the Spartans’ spring game, he returned home ready to make his commitment.
In him, Michigan State gets a player who understands the tradition at the school, but plays with a style that has been typical of Spartan defenses under Mark Dantonio.
"I’m very physical,” Snow said. “I’m the type of athlete that prioritizes the domination of whoever I play. I want to leave a mark on whatever I do, wherever I go."
247Sports analyst Gabe Brooks is based in Texas, and agrees with Snow’s self-assessment.
“He can provide the big hit,” Brooks said. “He is valuable because of his potential scheme versatility and personnel flexibility. He has ample experience playing multiple levels against strong Texas Class 6A competition.”
Snow is now the third commitment in the 2020 class for Michigan State, joining offensive lineman Dallas Fincher and tight end Tommy Guajardo. He and Fincher are both legacy recruits, as both their fathers are Michigan State alums.
MSU extends new in-state offers
The spring evaluation period has allowed college coaches, Michigan State included, to get back on the road and go into high schools.
The Spartan staff was busy inside the state on Wednesday, extending offers to Farmington linebacker Jordan Turner and Oak Park defensive back Enzo Jennings, both considered to be among the state’s top juniors.
The Spartans also stopped at Dearborn, where Guajardo is at along with defensive tackle Ali Saad, an athletic prospect who does not have a Michigan State offer yet but has been to campus multiple times.
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Allen Trieu covers Midwest football recruiting for 247Sports. 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.