Spartan Nation

National Signing Day: The latest updates and new signees for Michigan State football

It's National Signing Day, and Spartan Nation is ready to welcome the newest high school signees to Michigan State University! Go Green!

Matthew Lounsberry

Wake up Spartan Nation! It's National Signing Day!

Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans are poised for a big day, as high school recruits can finally put pen to paper and sign their letters of intent to their university of choice.

Michigan State currently has 20 verbal commitments, and Tucker expects the Spartan staff will close the deal with most, if not all, of these players today. In addition, there are still several key recruiting battles taking place throughout the day that Michigan State is involved in.

As the latest news and signings unfold, Spartan Nation will be keeping fans and readers informed throughout the day with the full list of signees below.

Class of 2022 signees:

5:48 p.m. – 3-star IOL Gavin Broscious; Desert Edge (HS); Goodyear, Ariz.  Rankings: No. 719 nationally, No. 37 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 9 in state of Arizona

One of the earliest commits of the 2022 class, Broscious was just the second verbal commit of this recruiting cycle for the Spartans. He gave his pledge to Mel Tucker and Michigan State back in November of 2020. Broscious is listed as an interior offensive lineman by 247Sports, but at 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic has options with the versatile O-lineman. Arizona, Arizona State, BYU and California were amongst the top competitors for the Goodyear, Ariz. native. Michigan State needs depth along the offensive line, and Broscious will help fill that need in the years ahead.

4:39 p.m. – 3-star DL Zion Young; Westlake High School; Atlanta, Ga.  Rankings: No. 1314 nationally, No. 159 Defensive Lineman; No. 126 in state of Georgia

It came down to Michigan State and Missouri for 3-star defensive lineman prospect Zion Young, and ultimately, he chose the Spartans. Mel Tucker and his staff continue to stay hot in the state of Georgia, reeling in yet another unheralded prospect who they expect to play well beyond his recruiting rankings. Young held offers from 11 schools, with Florida and West Virginia being involved in his recruitment before he narrowed his list to Missouri and MSU. Defensive line coach Ron Burton was the primary recruiter for the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder.

3:33 p.m. – 3-star OT Ashton Lepo; Grand Haven (HS); Grand Haven, Mich.  Rankings: No. 894 nationally, No. 79 Offensive Tackle, No. 23 in state of Michigan

Committing to the Spartans way back in March, 3-star offensive tackle Ashton Lepo put pen to paper on Wednesday to make his journey to East Lansing official. A product of Grand Haven (HS), Lepo included Cincinnati, Baylor and Indiana in his Top 4 – but the Spartans won the battle. Offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic has to love this kid’s 6-foot-8 frame, and must feel confident that a combination of a nutritional program and strength and conditioning will add to the 280 pounds that Lepo played at in high school. It’s fair to label Lepo as a project, but most offensive lineman are coming out of high school. However, if Lepo can add healthy weight to that 6-foot-8 frame, he could have a future at one of the two tackle spots along the offensive line.

3:23 p.m – 3-star EDGE James Schott; Center Grove (HS); Greenwood, Ind.  Rankings: No. 809 nationally, No. 45 Edge Rusher, No. 16 in state of Indiana

Defensive line coach Ron Burton thinks he has a diamond in the rough in 3-star edge rusher James Schott. Michigan State was by far the highest-profile program to offer Schott, who committed to Miami (OH) back in July before flipping his commitment to Michigan State in November. Standing 6-foot-4, Schott has a nice frame to add muscle mass to, but weighing 215 pounds, he’ll definitely have to hit it hard in the strength and conditioning program hard to develop into a Big Ten outside linebacker or defensive end. At the time of his commitment to the Spartans, Schott was ranked No. 1607 in the country – he has skyrocketed in subsequent rankings, moving all the way up into the 800s.

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3:07 p.m. – 4-star QB Katin Houser; St. John Bosco (HS); Bellflower, Calif.  Rankings: No. 216 nationally, No. 13 Quarterback, No. 18 in state of California

The Spartans have their quarterback of the future, as 4-star Katin Houser out of Bellflower, Calif. has officially signed his letter of intent. Offensive coordinator/Quarterback’s coach Jay Johnson was Houser’s primary recruiter, going way out to the West Coast to bring in the newest signal-caller for Michigan State. Houser flipped his commitment from Boise State to MSU back in July, while Arizona and Colorado were also in the mix for the talented 4-star quarterback. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, House has excellent size at the quarterback position, and has a big arm to go with it. The highly-touted freshman will be joining a QB room with Payton Thorne, Noah Kim and Hamp Fry.

2:45 p.m. – 4-star ATH Dillon Tatum; West Bloomfield High School, Mich.  Rankings: No. 263 nationally, No. 11 Athlete, No. 6 in state of Michigan

One of the biggest recruiting wins of the 2022 cycle for Tucker and his staff. Tatum chose Michigan State over rival Michigan, despite the fact that his former high school head coach, Ron Bellamy, is a Michigan alum and currently the Wolverines’ safeties coach. Tatum played on both sides of the ball at West Bloomfield – running back and slot receiver on offense, safety and cornerback on defense – but is expected to play defensive back at Michigan State. Tatum stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. Tucker was a huge part of this recruiting win, but both secondary coach Harlon Barnett and running backs coach William Peagler were in on Tatum’s recruitment as well. A huge addition at a position of need for the Spartans.

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2:30pm– 3-star TE Michael Masunas; Hamilton High School; Chandler, Ariz  Rankings: No. 990 nationally, No. 54 Tight End, No. 13 in state of Arizona

Michigan State turned West to secure its second tight end prospect of the day, 3-star Michael Masunas out of Hamilton HS in Chandler, Ariz. Tight end coach Ted Gilmore and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson led the way in this recruitment. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Masunas is at a good starting point for an incoming tight end prospect, and his physical stature will only improve once he enters MSU’s strength and conditioning program. Masunas visited Utah and TCU, and also held offers from Tennessee, Florida State, Maryland and others. Tight end is a position that the Spartans are looking for depth and production, and bringing in two as part of the 2022 class is a step towards that.

2:11 p.m. – 3-star WR Tyrell Henry; Roseville High School; Roseville, Mich.  Rankings: No. 738 nationally, No. 106 Wide Receiver, No. 20 in state of Michigan

The third verbal commitment of the 2022 class, Henry gave his pledge to Michigan State nearly a year ago, in January of 2021. He was also the first player from the state of Michigan to commit to the Spartans. Henry was originally listed as an “athlete” prospect on recruiting services, but he will play wide receiver for Michigan State. Courtney Hawkins was the primary recruiter for the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder. The Spartans coaching staff likes his height and length, but Carter will need to add some muscle weight to his frame once he arrives in East Lansing.

1:51 p.m. – 4-star WR Antonio Gates Jr.; Fordson (HS); Dearborn, Mich.        Rankings: No. 300 nationally, No. 44 Wide Receiver, No. 9 in state of Michigan

The son of one of the best tight ends in NFL history, Antonio Gates Jr. will look to make a name for himself as he begins his college career in East Lansing. His father, Antonio Gates Sr., was also once a Spartan, before transferring to Kent State. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, the younger Gates doesn’t have his dad’s size, which is one of the reasons why he plays wide receiver. Still, Gates Jr. brings a combination of height and speed to the wide receiver room at Michigan State, and this is a nice win for WR coach Courtney Hawkins. Scottie Hazelton was in on this recruitment as well.

11:43 a.m. – 3-star CB Ade Willie; IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla.         Rankings: No. 768 nationally, No. 78 Cornerback, No. 104 in state of Florida

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Ade Willie will bring height and length to a position of need for Michigan State. The 3-star cornerback hails from powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. – a program that constantly spits out high-caliber talent. Willie was offered by Michigan State in March, and took an official visit to Eat Lansing in June, following trips to both Colorado and Arizona. In addition to the Spartans, Buffaloes and Wildcats, Willie had offers from had offers Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas State and several other schools. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett was the primary recruiter on this one for Michigan State.

11:02 am – 4-star ATH Jaden Mangham; Wylie E. Groves HS; Franklin, Mich  Rankings: No. 294 nationally, No. 12 Athlete, No. 7 in state of Michigan

A two-way player at Wylie E. Groves High School, Mangham is expected to play defensive back for Michigan State. The 4-star athlete also played wide receiver in high school, but if he does in fact end up in the Spartans’ secondary, he’ll bring excellent size to the position at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds. Mangham committed to MSU back in August after visiting campus as part of the “Spartan Dawgs Con” recruiting event. Prior to his commitment to the Spartans, Mangham was thought to be leaning towards West Virginia. Wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins and secondary coach Harlon Barnett were MSU’s primary recruiters in this battle. Mangham is a highly-regarded recruit and fits a position of need for the Spartans.

10:41 a.m. – 3-star S Malcolm Jones; Lee Country (HS); Leesburg, Ga.  Rankings: No. 806 nationally, No. 64 Safety, No. 78 in state of Georgia

Malcolm Jones got the National Signing Day party started a little early for Michigan State, as the 3-star safety prospect committed to the Spartans yesterday evening. After spending much of the recruiting cycle committed to Virgina Tech, Jones backed off his verbal commitment to the Hokies earlier this week. The coaching shakeup in Blacksburg certainly had an effect in this recruitment, and Virginia Tech’s loss is Michigan State’s gain. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Jones will bring good size and length to the Spartans’ defensive secondary. Harlon Barnett was the primary recruiter for Michigan State in this battle.

10:19 a.m. – 4-star DL Alex VanSumeren; Garber (HS); Esserville, Mich.  Rankings: No. 187 nationally, No. 26 Defensive Lineman, No. 3 in state of Michigan

Whoever said “the best players in Michigan go to Michigan” lied – 4-star defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren is proof of that. The brother of Ben VanSumeren – who started his college career with the Maize and Blue before transferring to Michigan State – Alex was committed to the Wolverines before flipping to Mel Tucker and the Spartans back in July. The younger VanSumeren never wavered in that commitment, despite drawing interest from programs such as Alabama, Clemson, Oregon, Texas A&M and others. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder will be a force to be reckoned with on the defensive interior for the Spartans. VanSumeren was Michigan State’s highest ranked commit leading into National Signing Day, and getting him signed is a huge win for Tucker and the MSU coaching staff.

10:03 am – 3-star CB Caleb Coley; Houston County HS; Warner Robins, Ga  Rankings: No. 412 nationally, No. 43 Cornerback, No. 42 in state of Georgia

Caleb Coley, who was an uncommitted prospect entering signing day, has signed with Michigan State after a lengthy battle for the 3-star corner. Coley originally committed to Vanderbilt back in July, but backed off that commitment in November once SEC powers Georgia and Auburn got involved. However, in the end, it was Mel Tucker and Michigan State that had the biggest draw for the 5-foot-11, 166-pounder from Warner Robins, Ga. Former cornerback’s coach Travares Tillman deserves a lot of credit for helping Michigan State reel Coley in. When Tillman left East Lansing for his alma mater, Georgia Tech, secondary coach Harlon Barnett stepped in to seal the deal with the talented cornerback prospect. This was a nice win for Mel Tucker and Co. to get National Signing Day off on the right foot.

9:42 a.m. – 3-star K Jack Stone; Highland Park High School; Dallas, Texas  Rankings: No. 1825 nationally, No. 7 Kicker, No. 242 in state of Texas

Whoever replaces Matt Coughlin as the next kicker at Michigan State University will have big shoes to fill, as Coughlin has the most made field goals in Spartan history. The senior’s replacement could be Jack Stone, who signed his letter of intent to attend Michigan State this morning. Stone is listed as one of the Top 10 kickers of the 2022 recruiting class, and with the struggles the Spartans had in the kicking game this season, as Coughlin struggled with injury, it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that Tucker turns to the true freshman as his guy for field goals and extra points in 2022. Specialists like Stone don’t get a lot of attention – unless their kicking poorly – but having someone reliable to get the team 3 points when called upon is vital. Tucker and the Spartans have high hopes that Stone will soon fill that role.

9:31 a.m. – 3-star OT Braden Miller; Eaglecrest High School; Aurora, Colo.  Rankings: No. 967 nationally, No. 83 Offensive Tackle, No. 5 in state of Colorado

Following a visit to East Lansing back in June, offensive tackle prospect Braden Miller committed to the Spartans just a week later, and now, he’s officially signed with Michigan State. The product of Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colo. had an impressive offer sheet, which included the likes of Michigan, Miami (FL) and Stanford, among others. Ultimately, it was Mel Tucker and offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic who made the biggest impression on Miller. At 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, Miller has the height and frame to develop into a starting offensive tackle at the next level. He’ll have to add good weight and muscle mass, but that’s common for high school offensive lineman.

9:19 a.m. – 3-star S Malik Spencer; Buford High School; Buford, Ga.   Rankings: No. 611 nationally, No. 53 Safety, No. 61 in state of Georgia

The first defensive commit in the 2022 class, Spencer gave his verbal to Mel Tucker and the Spartans way back in March. Nine months later, the 6-foot-2, 235-pounder has put pen to paper and signed his letter of intent to Michigan State. Recently departed cornerbacks coach Travares Tillman was Spencer’s primary recruiter, but secondary coach Harlon Barnett was able to secure Spencer’s commitment once Tillman left East Lansing for Georgia Tech. Spencer had an offer sheet that included the likes of USC, Miami, Auburn, Michigan and several other Power 5 schools. The state of Georgia is brimming with talent, and Tucker has made recruiting the state a priority for the Spartans. Spencer played some linebacker in high school as well, and it’s possible he could be in for a position change once he arrives in East Lansing.

9:06 a.m. – 3-star IOL Kristian Phillips; Salem High School; Conyers, Ga.  Rankings: No. 1029 nationally, No. 53 Interior Offensive Lineman, No. 100 in state of Georgia

The man that got the whole class started – Kristian Phillips was the Spartans’ first commitment in the 2022 class, and he held true to that commitment all the way up through signing day. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, Phillips is a massive prospect who projects as an interior offensive lineman for O-line coach Chris Kapilovic. The Salem High School prospect held offers from Clemson and Arizona State, among others. Mel Tucker continues to hold a strong appeal in the state of Georgia, and although Phillips ranking numbers won’t ‘wow’ anybody, he could be a hidden gem for the Spartans.

8:55 am – 3-star EDGE Chase Carter; Minnehaha Academy; Minneapolis  Rankings: No. 923 nationally, No. 50 Edge Rusher, No. 4 in state of Minnesota

A two-sport athlete who had several Division I offers to play basketball, Chase Carter eventually decided football would be the sport he pursued, and Michigan State is the school where he’ll play. Carter, a defensive lineman prospect, has a good frame at 6-foot-6, but he’ll have to add muscle mass and weight, as he currently sits at 225 pounds. Carter had basketball offers from Minnesota – his father’s alma mater – as well as West Virginia, Vanderbilt and Hampton. Among his football offers were Florida, Iowa and Iowa State, all of which Carter took official visits to. But after submitting his letter of intent to Michigan State, the defensive line prospect out of Minneapolis is headed to East Lansing.

8:23 a.m – 3-star S Quavian Carter; Lee County High School; Leesburg, Ga.  Rankings: No. 656 nationally, No. 55 Safety, No. 66 in state of Georgia

Listed as a safety prospect by most recruiting services, Carter is expected to play linebacker at Michigan State. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 200 pounds, the Leesburg, Ga. native certainly has the size and the frame to develop into a Big Ten linebacker once he enters the Spartans’ strength and conditioning program. Carter committed to Michigan State in June while holding offers from Clemson, Florida State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Michigan and several others. Linebackers coach Ross Els was Carter’s primary recruiter.

8:13 a.m. – 3-star WR Jaron Glover; Riverview High School; Sarasota, Fla.  Rankings: No. 747 nationally, No. 108 Wide Receiver, No. 103 in state of Florida

Glover, a 3-star wide receiver out of Sarasota, Fla. committed to Michigan State in June after taking an official visit to East Lansing. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Glover is a big receiving target that has the height, length and body mass to high point the football and out-muscle defensive backs on contested catches. Glover had offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, Wake Forest, Indiana and several other Power 5 programs. Receivers coach Courtney Hawkins was the primary recruiter here for the Spartans, and he was able to reel in a guy that could be a hidden gem given his height and size.

8:00 a.m. – 3-star TE Jack Nickel; Milton High School; Alpharetta, Ga.  Rankings: No. 520 nationally, No. 27 Tight End, No. 51 in state of Georgia

A one-time Notre Dame commit, Nickel reopened his recruitment before ultimately giving a verbal commitment to Michigan State back in July. In addition to the Fighting Irish, Michigan State beat out the likes of LSU, Oregon, Florida State and Penn State for Nickel’s commitment. Tight end has been a position in which the Spartans have struggled to find consistent production, but the 3-star from Georgia has the potential to change that. Notre Dame has put several good tight ends in the NFL in recent years – if the Fighting Irish were interested in Nickel, that’s a sure-tell sign of the high schooler’s talent. Tight end coach Ted Gilmore and running backs coach William Peagler were the primary recruiters for the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder.

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Matthew Lounsberry
MATTHEW LOUNSBERRY

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