Trieu: Michigan State commits impress at Rising Stars football camp
COVID-19 has added quite a bit of change and uncertainty to the recruiting process for high school football players, but organizations like Rising Stars have organized summer camps still, complete with safety measures, to allow athletes to compete and show their talents to college coaches.
College coaches cannot be in attendance, but data and video is made available from these events.
Last Saturday’s Top 175 camp at Evolution Sportsplex in Auburn Hills was invitation only and featured two of Michigan State’s in-state commits, Detroit Loyola defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and Oak Park running back Davion Primm. Both have physically grown and both were among the top performers at the event, according to founder Reggie Wynns.
“Harmon did very well,” Wynns said. “He measured at 6-foot-4½, 359 pounds. His movement was impressive, he moves so good to be so big — quick first step, explosive, very strong. He’s going to be something special for the next few years. He uses his hands very well, has quick feet. He had a good camp. He competed very well. Michigan State got a good one.”
Harmon’s physically imposing frame on the defensive line was matched by Primm, who was one of the more physically ready running backs at the camp.
“Primm is a big dude,” Wynns said. “He grew. He’s 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. He is very competitive. Guys called him out because they know he’s committed to Michigan State. He can catch the ball down the field. He looks like a grown man. It will be scary to see what he will do when he gets to Michigan State. What most impressed me was him catching the ball and how big he is and how he can move.”
Those were the only two players who were committed to the Spartans, but there were other players there who the Spartans are recruiting. There were several members of the 2022 class that hold Michigan State offers such as Eastpointe wide receiver Tayshawn Trent.
There were also members of the 2021 class who Wynns thinks the Spartans might take a closer look at. One is Primm’s teammate Marlon Dawson, a linebacker/edge rusher who is committed to Miami (Ohio), but received an offer from Arizona State following that verbal.
“Marlon Dawson was 6-foot-4, 227 pounds,” Wynns said. “So he moves well and is a linebacker now, but I think he’s maybe a defensive end in college. I think Michigan State would like his size and length at that position.”
Dawson, Primm and Harmon are all ranked inside the state’s top 40 recruits by 247Sports.
4-star 2022 defensive back offered
Michigan State has joined the offer list for Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep defensive back Avery Powell.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Powell has offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin and Maryland in the Big Ten. Mississippi State, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and more have offered outside the conference.
Defensive backs coach Harlon Barnett is recruiting Powell for the Spartans.
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.