2010 Spartan Nation MSU Football Recruits and Rankings.

Each year when I compile my ratings for the incoming recruiting class it is an exhaustive effort and this year is no different. I try very hard to call coaches who coached for or against, and to do as much research as possible including speaking to multiple different (non-MSU) division one coaches to help me analyze each kid.

Why so much emphasis on recruiting? One NFL coach when talking about his time as a college coach expressed it better than anyone I had ever heard when he said, “It is like getting 25 first round draft picks each year.” What a great analysis!

Please take into account that I do not use other rating systems, stars or whatever may be available. A recruit’s true value is based upon need of the program, his ability to fill that need, his character and finally what other schools offered him. For example, Jim Tressel told me that he has never been around a coach that can evaluate defensive talent like Mark Dantonio. Dantonio’s track record at OSU, UC, and here at MSU prove that.

If you are a school that runs a spread offense like JLS did, and you already have five great QBs on scholarship and add yet another, although he may be highly rated he certainly does not fill a need. I also weigh this list based upon need and how they fit that need.

As far as character issues, there are definitely some kids that would come in and fill a need and have lots of hype, but cannot stay on the field or even school because of character or academic issues. Mark Dantonio told me, “We recruit character first. If a guy can’t stay he can’t play here.” They may be a detriment in the locker room or get arrested thus being a complete loss.

How hard are the rankings? When Glenn Winston arrived we praised his character. Glenn has had two much publicized off field issues since then. Coaches from MSU to high school talked about what he had endured and what he had overcome to become a top-flight recruit. You simply can never be certain.

Let’s stay with Winston and also look at his position. When he arrived at MSU he had been a successful RB in high school, but the thought process was that he would play LB. Little did they know, with Javon ahead of him, he would develop and was the best RB on the MSU roster in 2009. Even coaches can’t be certain in the end were a kid will fit. They do all they can to recruit character and talent and then as kids develop they make their fit.

Character and academics are a more important issue with this staff, as they won’t recruit kids that can’t cut it. In the past we saw a roll the dice mentality, this staff does not operate that way. Will they get it wrong sometimes? Without a doubt, but unlike the past they won’t take kids KNOWING they are rolling the dice.

Lastly, what other programs have wanted the kid? Does a kid come from a school with a proven track record of developing talent? Do they take unheralded players, and make them stars and put them in the NFL as high draft picks? When I see a kid that is an O lineman, or a running back and he had an offer from a school that is proven there, he gets great points in my system.

So after hours of work and effort, we here at SpartanNation.com excitedly present to you the 2010 MSU football recruiting class.

1.     William Gholston DE/LB 6’8” 239# Detroit, MI: Gholston is the biggest recruit to come to MSU since Charles Rogers. He has every tool that it will take to be a star. He loves the game; he loves to practice, and is a wonderful young man. He had to endure a lot after he committed to MSU including rumors and innuendo that he was at nearly every other college in the nation on visits when all the time he was at home in Detroit. When rumors in the media swirled that he was actually not committed to MSU he came on SpartanNation.com to exclusively refute that claim (CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO) and it was very plain that this was his home. He was never a danger of leaving despite what others said and thought. He will mature as a person, but is a great kid. Not since Rogers has MSU had such a sure thing star on signing day. A Coach’s take, “You could probably just say what William can’t do and that list is shorter than what he could do. I have coached football a long time here in Detroit and he is the best I have seen.”Weakness: Gholston controls and dominates a game in ways unseen in a long time. He can at times become disengaged and disappear from what at times has to be boredom. At the next level he will need to stay engaged every down and every play.

2. Max Bullough MLB 6’3” 233# Traverse City, MI: Bullough is a pure MLB prospect that has a high football IQ and motor. A football junkie that loves practicing and playing, his high motor never allows him to take a play off. He has great hands as a receiver and that should help with something the Spartans have lacked at MLB for some time in someone that can pick off a pass. Great lateral foot movement and tremendous vision have many thinking this early enrollee could compete by fall for major playing time. If that should happen, it would allow the Spartans to move All American Greg Jones back to his natural OLB spot. Max is a super student and high character young man; he is a great addition. A Coach’s take, “I would be shocked if Bullough doesn’t play right away. His footwork and vision are more developed than any high school player I have ever seen and his tackling technique is exceptional. Because of his last name I think some Spartan fans may minimize how good he is.”Weakness: Bullough dominated in high school. On one particular play that best describes his weakness a team swept to the sideline. Bullough pursued from the MLB to almost make a tackle. It was a trick play and when the RB threw across the field to the other side, Bullough still made the tackle on the other side for only a two-yard gain. My point? He had to not only do his job, but because of his skill set he did others’ jobs also. In college he will have to stay in position and be very assignment oriented and trust his teammates to do theirs. If he over pursues, Big Ten teams will fake him out of position.

3.     Mike Sadler P/K 6’1” 188” Grand Rapids, MI: At first glance folks will look at the rating of a K or P this high and do a second take. Long time readers of Spartan Nation won’t. I rated P Aaron Bates highly when Dantonio brought him in as well as K Kevin Muma. In the Mark Dantonio system, the punter and kicker are incredibly important. Dantonio himself calls the punt, “The most important play in football.” Sadler’s hang time is already where NFL teams want their punters to be allowing the defenders to get down the field and make the tackle. He also has pinpoint accuracy for directional punting and here is the caveat. Sadler is consistent as a kicker getting the ball in the five-yard line and consistently hits field goals well over 50 yards. I saw him personally in warm ups against Ionia hit a 60+ yard field goal. Looked at primarily as a punter, he is MORE than able to step in if Kevin Muma or Dan Conroy should have an injury or struggle. A look at his offers from the likes of LSU and Les Miles, Nick Saban and Alabama say it all. Here is a coach’s take from a head coach that wanted and didn’t get Mike. “We wanted him real bad. He is a game changer. He can punt with a hang time in high school that would have put him among the top in the nation in college and kick it from almost anywhere. I can say that of all the recruits we didn’t get, his hurts the most.” Sadler is so smart that he took a number of college classes while in high school and will enter as a sophomore. If he should red shirt in 2010, he could graduate with a masters and potentially be in a doctorate program.Weakness: He has none as a punter and place kicker, but on kickoffs he consistently puts the ball inside the five, not into the end zone. Considerably better than what MSU had in 2009. He needs to, and will, get the ball in the end zone to potentially be the best all around special teams kicker/punter combo in MSU history.

4.     Skyler Schofner OT 6’7” 281# Sunbury, OH: This monster OT is simply a stud. How good is the 2010 recruiting class? Schofner is a mirror image (with a tad of a more mean streak on the field) of last year’s number one recruit David Barrent, and falls to number four this year. He has all the tools and technique. He has a strong desire to be great and that shows up on the practice field. From time to time, he had to be told to tone it down in practice because he went at such a high level there were concerns about his teammates. He will almost certainly (unless there is an injury) red shirt in 2010 because of Dantonio’s commitment to not playing true freshman, but should compete for the starting RT job in 2011 when Henry Conway moves to LT. Coach’s take, “We loved everything about him. We really liked Barrent last year also and they are the same player. I would disagree that he has a better mean streak; I just think he shows that emotion more than Barrent but both have it. With Mark’s (Dantonio) offense he will thrive. That is a great get for you all.” Weakness: Schofner is almost always the strongest, toughest and meanest player on the field. At this next level he can’t forsake technique because he can overpower the opponent. He has to learn to use his talent inside the framework of technique.

5.     Isaiah Lewis S 5’11” 193# Indianapolis, IN: The amazing thing about this young talent is both his speed and quickness and most of all strength. He hits like a locomotive. In the past, the Spartans have struggled with S who are good in coverage, but not tackling. Others are big tacklers (Nehemiah Warrick), but not good in coverage. Lewis excels at them all. He has the instincts to play the ball in the air and the assassin mentality to blow up a receiver coming across the middle. With great footwork and vision, he steps up and is a dominant run support S who likes to come in and stop the RB. As you watch Lewis there is no flash. He simply tackles opponents. He doesn’t try to blow them up and make the Sportscenter top hits. That should encourage all Spartan fans. I fully expect him to compete for playing time immediately. Coach’s take, “Isaiah is a solid football player. No doubt he is ready for the college game. In high school you see a lot more running than passing, so he will have to learn to make reads that weren’t asked of him at this level, but he has never shown an inability to be coached. I would think he could play some corner, but he is so good in run support, I would think he would have to stay at S. I expect to see him playing as a freshman if he can get past the reads.”Weakness: Lewis is a great tackler in space and has great ball instincts. His weakness is going to be the technique of playing the receiver. MSU has a proven track record of being able to teach that. The good news is that the things you can’t teach he has.

6. Joe Boisture QB 6’6” 211# Saline, MI: Joe is another great QB that Mark Dantonio seems to be stockpiling at MSU. He is big and tall and even more important he is strong. He can take a hit. He will red shirt in 2010, but this young man is a tremendous football player. An exceptional student and a high character youngster, this QB has perhaps the best vision of ANY QB on the MSU roster. He will grow with the intangibles of the spot as he learns the nuances of the college game, but he is an exceptional player. Coach’s take, “We really liked Joe, but it was clear early that he would go to a bigger program. We had the same grade on him as we did Cousins coming out of high school, but he got found earlier. He has it all and sitting at first will really only make him better.”Weakness: Boisture has a great arm, but does struggle at times by trying to overpower the ball. He got away with that in high school where DBs are not as talented as a whole as he is. At this level teams all have better DBs and he will need to learn that his big arm still can’t make every throw. He will need to trust his eyes as much as his arm.

7. Keith Mumphery WR 6’1” 202# Vienna, GA: Mumphery will get a chance to play as a true freshman and could be the steal of the class. He is strong and fast with superb hands and talent. He will get a shot as a KR/PR also. Very intelligent with a high 3.87 GPA and an impressive talent. Coach’s take, “Keith can do it all. With his hands he just doesn’t drop balls. He is fast, but his disciplined routes and hands set him apart.”Weakness: Keith can do a lot and having to play both ways hurt him from going all out all the time. At the next level he will have to go high motor all the time on offense, but will not have to play defense. I actually think he will be even better because he won’t have to play every down including special teams.

8.     Travis Jackson G 6’4” 278# New Albany, OH: Jackson was in the top three for Mr. Ohio, which according to Coach Dantonio is almost unheard of for an OL. He has great feet and hands and after a red shirt could compete for the RG spot if no one steps up and solidifies it for the long term in 2010. Also, he could replace Joel Foreman after he graduates after the 2011 season. He would then be a red shirt sophomore. Coach’s take, “We compare him closely with Joel Foreman at State now, big tough kid with great hands and feet. I really think when this class graduates that he could be the steal like Foreman certainly will be for his. Jackson is a high character kid who loves football.”Weakness: Jackson disperses of high school defenders easily. At this next level he won’t be able to manhandle guys and get down the field as fast as high school. He will need to work at sustaining blocks in college since he can’t chip guys at this level and make them fall.

9. Mylan Hicks CB 5’11” 186# Detroit, MI: Mylan has great ball skills, and for the Spartan Nation who watched our DBs go up in the air and get beat time and time again, that is refreshing. His instincts set him apart. He loves to come up in run support and make hits. Most CBs don’t have the tough nose for the football and Hicks does. He should have the chance to compete immediately. I am hoping that the guys we have including his former Detroit Renaissance teammate Dana Dixon can let him red shirt. The thought of eventually having an entire Renaissance CB starting group is exciting. I just hope he can red shirt to get even stronger in 2010. Coach’s take, “We just stayed away from throwing at him. Even at under 6’ he could and did go up against bigger guys and get the ball. In run support he is almost like an extra linebacker.” Weakness: Hicks is eager to make the play. Because of his willingness to step up and play the run, he can get caught on some play action pass. His issues are nothing to do with coverage or run support, it is simply about being overeager. A nice problem to have.

10. Marcus Rush DE 6’3” 238# Cincinnati, OH: This high motor big play DE is a stud. Ideally, he will red shirt in 2010, but with a high motor and skill set he may just earn his way on the field if some of the young Spartans in the pipeline at DE don’t step up. Coach’s take, “He reminded me a lot of what Trevor Anderson was when healthy at Cincinnati. He is a little faster than Anderson, but maybe not as strong yet. He will excel at the next level in that Dantonio system.” Weakness: He will have to get better at using his hands to disengage blockers at this level. He has been able to speed rush and run around guys in high school, but could be stopped when an OT engaged him. He has the tools you can’t teach, so learning to use his hands to shed blockers shouldn’t be an issue.

11. Kurtis Drummond S 6’2” 201# Masury, OH: He is almost identical to Lewis in motor and big play/hitting/ball skills area. The only thing that Lewis does better is he is slightly faster and Drummond may actually have better vision than Lewis. How close is this class in talent? Drummond could have easily made the top five. He is an incredible athlete and is a football junkie. He loves to work out and should be one of the few eager for the punishment strength and conditioning coach Ken Mannie gives out. Coach’s take, “We actually liked Drummond better than Lewis. He can see the field from sideline to sideline and has tremendous instincts.”Weakness: Drummond can occasionally jump his reads. What I mean by that is he anticipates things before they happen and shows his hand to quick. At this level QBs will kill him with pump fakes or looking off, or draw him up with play action. All things once again (a recurring theme with this DB class) that can be taught. He has all of the ball skills that can’t be taught.

12. Nick Hill RB 5’6” 185” Chelsea, MI: Hill is a young man that Mark Dantonio admitted, “We put him through every test imaginable.” People are scared at first of his size, but he plays strong and is one tough kid. He has great vision, he can return kicks and punts, and is a very talented receiver out of the backfield. I fully expect him to play in 2010 and to be the third back. He did amazing pull ups while at MSU and has run an amazing 4.35 (at MSU) in the 40. He has all the intangibles that it takes to be a great back. Coach’s take, “I can’t imagine how people will find him behind the trees that MSU has on the offensive line. He is a scary explosive player that we wanted badly. He will do well at MSU.”Weakness: He doesn’t have them with technique or talent. His weakness is will he be able to take the beating that his small frame will get at MSU? If he can sustain the body blows he will be special. One advantage is that the first tackler doesn’t get him down and he, up to this point, has eluded the big hits.

13. Jeremy Langford RB/WR 6’ 188# Wayne, MI: Langford is a multi-talented young man who can do it all. From special teams to RB to WR, he is from the same school as Keshawn Martin and the Spartans once again add a talented speedster and will have to create ways to get him the football. Coach’s take, “Langford is plain and simply a play maker. He just touches the ball and things happen. I can only imagine if they have him and Martin on the field the multiple things you have to fear.” Weakness: Langford will have to become a disciplined route runner. Because he had speed, he would run by people. At the next level there is a lot of speed, so disciplined route running will be significantly more urgent for him to maintain.

14. Justin Wilson LB 6’ 221# Davie, FL: Wilson is an explosive OLB with very good instincts. He can see the field and play sideline to sideline. Wilson is a very good tackler and although you won’t see him making a Sportscenter hit, you will see the good solid boring tackle that I love. Coach’s take, “Wilson is amazing when you watch his tape. He just finds the ball and is always around it. He will stay with his assignment, but when the play develops he will bust butt down the field to make a play.” Weakness: Wilson needs to learn to think more. Almost the opposite of Eric Gordon (current MSU OLB) who used to over-think then react, Wilson needs to use that vision to spot things and plan his way to the ball. At times he took the wrong angles, but was able to overcome those with speed and talent. At this level, that learning to think and react to an angle will serve this talented youngster well.

15. Tony Lippett WR 6’3” 191# Detroit, MI: The Spartan staff was so pleased to get Lippett. He flew under the radar a little bit, because he was a QB in high school. He is a playmaker, and with exceptional hands he could have an instant impact on offense. One area that Lippett does so well is using his body to create space. As a WR, the good ones can create separation with the DB with their body rather than their hands to avoid an offensive pass interference. Lippett knows how to use that big frame well. Coach’s take, “We knew that Lippett was the most underrated recruit by everyone in the State. We really felt like Mark (Dantonio) got himself a great weapon here and we wanted him. He was on MSU early and they locked him up.”Weakness: He simply lacks experience at the WR spot. Such a gifted athlete, he should overcome that with little trouble.

16. Anthony Rashad White DT 6’2” 316# Battle Creek, MI: He will play immediately. He is strong as an ox with a 625 dead lift and benches over 400 pounds. He is explosive with great feet. His impact will be felt from the first day and will offer depth at what is a young, but good DL. Coach’s take, “Rashad is a talented young man and a good kid. He plays so fast and is so strong that he intimidates opponents. A free spirit, he can seemingly smell the ball.” Weakness: White has two. The first is that he leaves his feet and gets upright and that is a technique issue. Secondly, he had to play every down at CC so he will need to go all out at MSU knowing they have significant talent to rest him when tired.

17. Niko Palazeti FB 6’2” 244# Northville, MI: This big road grader won’t get the love because of his position, but he is a talented young man who without any doubt belongs at MSU. He was made to play in this offense and can do it all from pass catching to blocking to running the ball. He is the complete FB and for those of you that like the smash mouth football, he is your new poster boy. Coach’s take, “He is a perfect fit for what Mark does. He has all the size and toughness and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him playing as a true freshman.”Weakness: Niko is a great blocker at the point of attack. He simply dominated in high school anyone and everyone he played. The one real area of weakness is that at MSU he will be expected to get to the second and third level block once he eliminates the initial block. It is simply a weakness because getting to those other levels wasn’t asked of him on a continuous basis, as it will be MSU. I expect him to be able to do it.

18. Michael Dennis OT 6’7” 275# Carey, OH: Dennis should be around 295# when he arrives on campus at MSU. He has exceptional feet and when he gets his giant mitts on a defender’s chest it is over. He, along with Schofner and fellow red shirt freshmen Henry Conway and David Barrent, will give the Spartans four freshman OTs (two true and two red shirt) with perhaps the most talent at that position ever at MSU and don’t forget their other OTs at older grades. Dennis has all the tools and the size to make it happen at this level. Now he will have to win the job after a red shirt season. Coach’s take, “Dennis plays with great technique and skills. He needs to develop a killer instinct, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t tough.”Weakness:  Dennis has good technique and hands. He will need to work on his feet, but should be an excellent OT.

19. Taylor Calero DE 6’3” 235# Beverly Hills, MI: Calero is a raw talent, with a high motor and a great first step. Coming off the edge, he does a good job of dipping his shoulder and getting into the backfield. A high character young man, he has that raw talent that this staff has done a good job of developing. Coach’s take, “Calero has all of the things you can’t teach a pass rusher. I am not saying he will be the next Greg Jones, but he has that same raw talent obviously from another position. If he works hard and develops, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him starting up there before he is done.”Weakness: Calero is raw. He just needs to get stronger and bigger and with all the natural talent he has, once he gets the coaching and some little technique things, he could really develop.

20. Darqueze Dennard 5’11” 170# Dry Branch, GA: Because of talent in front of him for his junior year, Dennard didn’t start playing CB until his senior season. Don’t let that fool you. He has all of the raw skills that he needs to play here. He will benefit from a red shirt year and it may take two to get up to speed should others step up, but don’t let that fool you either. He is an exceptional athlete with excellent hands and ball skills. Coach’s take…numerous attempts were not successful in gathering an opposing coach’s take on this player.Weakness: He simply needs to develop and hone his skills. Once those are addressed, he has all of the tools to play at this level and should be a very good corner with time.

21. LeVeon Bell RB 6’2” 221# Reynoldsburg, OH: He is a big powerful runner with a north and south running style that punishes people. Mark Dantonio expects him to bulk up to about 240# and they see him as a big punisher similar to what Glenn Winston and Jehuu Caulcrick were. He could also play some fullback or even the middle back in the Maryland I. Bell has good speed, but his power ability is impressive. He could compete for immediate playing time. Coach’s take, “Bell is a bruiser and is one of those backs that gets better as the game goes on. He doesn’t try to run around people, he likes to run through them.”Weakness: Bell was able run through people in high school. In the 220s he needs to know when to use that speed rather than try to blow everyone up. He started for three years and he needs to learn to trust his body and the talent God gave him. He has the speed to move around a defender for some extra yards as well as run them over. He needs to learn to use both.