On-field success translating into a recruiting boon for Dantonio

It’s no secret that Michigan State has not had the greatest classes of football recruits in recent memory. The Spartans typically get a number of decent players and occasionally land a standout athlete or two. However, it has been a long time since they pulled in a class that can be considered one of the nation’s best.

With the team’s on-field success in 2009 has come a corresponding rise in off-field success. Rivals lists Michigan State’s current haul as the #17 class in the country. If that number holds through signing day (in February), it will be a remarkable improvement from 2008’s rank of #47 and 2007’s rank of #42.

It will also be the best class since 2004, when John L. Smith signed the nation’s 16th-best class (according to Rivals). A handful of players from that class are seniors today, including Roland Martin, Justin Kershaw, and Brian Hoyer.

With a few months to go until players can sign letters of intent, Michigan State only has four spots left in its 2009 class. One of those is being held for a top-flight tight end.

Dion Sims, out of Detroit, is being recruited by both Mark Dantonio AND Tom Izzo.

The 6-foot-5 Sims has expressed a desire to play both football and basketball in college level, a resurgent trend with high school athletes in recent years.

MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo has joined Dantonio in the effort to recruit Sims to East Lansing. Izzo and Dantonio are prohibited, per NCAA regulations, to speak about unsigned prospects. But Izzo has said he and Dantonio are taking ownership in each other’s programs and helping to recruit whenever possible.

“Dion is just a big presence on the football field. He has good hands and will make someone a good tight end someday,” St Mary football and basketball coach George Porritt said. “He favors basketball, but he knows he is being recruited more for football. State is really high on Dion’s list.”

The remaining spots will likely go to athletes, with their roles/positions yet to be determined.

Dantonio has gotten a jump-start on his 2010 class, with one verbal commitment from Max Bullough, a linebacker out of Traverse City.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 15th, 2008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Football, Football Recruiting, Mark Dantonio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.