Trieu: Michigan State hits recruiting trail during bye week
Michigan State has used their bye week to get out on the trail and recruit.
The week began with a commitment from Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern running back Jordon Simmons. That was an important for a number of reasons. First, Simmons brings some dynamic ability to the table, and ran a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash at the Spartan Elite Camp in the summer.
He also becomes the first running back commit for the Spartans in the 2020 class, filling that need. Lastly, the need for a back had increased with running backs La’Darius Jefferson and Connor Heyward entering the transfer portal.
On Tuesday, MSU assistant coach Don Treadwell was out in Connecticut looking for more speed to add to the offensive class with wide receiver Alante Brown. Brown is at St. Thomas More doing a prep school year. A Chicago Simeon graduate, he was verbally committed to the Spartans for several months in high school and now has MSU in his top three along with Indiana and Missouri, with an official visit to East Lansing set for the weekend of Oct. 26.
Speaking of Chicago, Spartans assistant Ron Burton, the area recruiter there, extended several offers to underclassmen on the trail.
Hillcrest running back Mar’Keise Irving and Marist offensive tackle Pat Coogan were both offered. Nazareth Academy wide receiver Tyler Morris, one of the top sophomores in the entire country, also was offered. All three have longer offer lists with several Big Ten schools also on those lists.
Another Chicago area prospect offered was Naperville Central’s Sam Jackson, an offensive athlete who has played receiver and quarterback. Jackson is committed to Minnesota, but has fielded many offers since that verbal and has not shut the door on visiting other programs.
Outside of Illinois, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baldwin junior defensive tackle Dorien Ford was offered. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Ford has offers from Maryland, Penn State and Nebraska in the Big Ten. Another Pennsylvania junior defensive lineman who was offered was Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Elliot Donald, the cousin of NFL All-Pro Aaron Donald.
Closer to home, the Spartans offered Detroit Country Day offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan, a 6-foot-8, 267-pound junior who camped in East Lansing in June.
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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.