Trieu: Michigan State expected to get the last pitch for Ohio DL Justin Wodtly
Usually in recruiting, it is believed the school that gets the last visit from a prospect before they make their commitment holds the upper hand.
If that holds true with Cleveland Heights (Ohio) defensive lineman Justin Wodtly, Michigan State is in good shape.
"The plan is to make a decision early to mid-August," Wodtly said. "The only school I will be visiting is Michigan State before that."
Wodtly took an official visit to Cincinnati in June and while he named a top 10, it is believed the Bearcats are the Spartans’ stiffest challenger.
He took an unofficial visit to Michigan State, accompanying a teammate to one of Michigan State’s June camps.
"Michigan State has one of the best staffs in the country that have constantly produced on a high level since Coach Dantonio has been there," he said. "The atmosphere when you step foot on campus is amazing, the players and coaches definitely make you feel comfortable and like family and that is most important to me."
More: The Detroit News ranks Big Ten schedules from toughest to easiest
The Spartans have 12 commitments in the 2020 class, with four coming from Wodtly’s home state of Ohio. They also have three defensive linemen committed in the class, but Wodtly’s versatility should allow the Spartans to have flexibility on where to play him should he wind up in the class.
“He has the athleticism to play out on the edge as a defensive end,” 247Sports Ohio analyst Bill Greene said. “But he also played fullback, he played standing up, he can move around and most schools see him as a defensive tackle.”
In total, Wodtly holds 18 scholarship offers. Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana are the Big Ten schools who have also offered.
Spartans trending for Ohio athlete
Michigan State has received several 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions for athlete Terry Lockett, who attends SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, but plays football at Ashtabula St. John’s because SPIRE does not currently have a football team.
Lockett (6-foot, 165 pounds) is a two-way standout as a cornerback and wide receiver. He also is a standout basketball player.
He played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis before moving to Ohio.
Minnesota, Cincinnati, Iowa, Nebraska and others have offered.
Speedy Georgia back has MSU in top list
Jordon Simmons, a heavily recruited 2020 running back from Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern, has named Michigan State to his top-10 list, which also includes LSU, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia, Oregon, Arkansas, Georgia, Colorado and Ole Miss. Simmons (5-11, 185 pounds) not only visited Michigan State in June, but also attended their Spartan Elite Camp, clocking a sub-4.4 40-yard dash time.
Shortly after his June visit, Simmons said he is planning to come back to East Lansing for a game in the fall.
More information
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.