EXCLUSIVE: What Makes MSU Football's Phenom QB Target So Special

Donald Tabron II has not even started high school and he has received offers from numerous Power Four schools, including Michigan State. In this Spartan Nation exclusive, Tabron discusses expectations.

Michigan State's Aidan Chiles looks to throw during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

There could be a new heir apparent to Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood, the top recruit in the 2024 class, as the next great Michigan high school prospect. You'll just have to wait four years.

Donald Tabron II is a quarterback in the class of 2028. He will be competing to start at quarterback for Detroit Cass Tech, a Michigan high school powerhouse, this fall. The 15-year-old quarterback is already 6-foot-3, 170 pounds, and has more than enough arm for his age.

Tabron recently picked up an offer from Michigan State. He already has offers from Michigan, Penn State, Maryland and Kentucky, among others. Tabron attended a camp that the Spartans hosted, and he excelled. Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith offered Tabron during the camp.

"We spent about 20 minutes with him," Tabron said. "He said 'I'm gonna make a deal with you. I'll offer you if you keep doing what you're doing and working hard.' And I was like that's easy enough ... We talked about a lot of things. We talked about Aidan [Chiles]. Aidan as a freshman, playing nine games in college. And me going to my freshman year hopefully playing a lot my first year of high school. We talked about a little bit of recruiting in the state, the transition from Oregon State to Michigan State. So yeah, we had a great conversation."

The process of getting into Cass Tech was a long one, Tabron said, especially since there are many great options in the Detroit area. Tabron said the decision ultimately came down to academics, and it helped that Cass Tech has solid receivers and great offensive line.

The goal is to win the starting job, but nothing is set in stone. Tabron is a hard worker, and he said the attention from elite Power Four schools has only awakened a need to work harder. Talking with Tabron, I found him to be mature beyond his 15 years. His own expectations seem to be grounded.

"I might be getting attention now, but I haven't played a high school snap yet," Tabron said. "So that means I just need to put my head down and make sure when I play my first high school snaps, high school season, that I live up to the expectation."

Expectation is a key word for Tabron. Pressure is another, but for Tabron, he has a great support system around him.

"There's always a high expectation, there's always pressure that's going to be on me, from a young age to now," Tabron said. "So I have my parents here to help me go through that pressure. ... It's about the small things. Having me just focus on myself and focus on my teammates to help me go into that, and don't worry about the outside pressure, the outside noise."

Tabron has only been playing quarterback since he was 11 years old, but due to a knee injury, really began to take the bulk of the snaps at 12 years old. Tabron's father, Donald Sr., noted that "this is a fairly new endeavor" for the family.

"He's kind of come through the ranks pretty quickly. ... This past season he put himself on the map with some very, very good quarterback play that led his team to a national championship appearance, where he got a chance to outplay some very, very good quarterbacks in that national competition," Donald Sr. said. "Really this past season, he began to separate himself in perceived ability compared to his peers. And a substantial growth spurt didn't hurt that either."

I talked with Donovan Dooley, the owner of Quarterback University. Dooley is a quarterback coach with plenty of experience training elite talent. He helped train the aforementioned Underwood, along with NFL quarterbacks Joe Milton III and John Paddock and elite 2027 prospect Trae Taylor, whom he has been training since Taylor was eight years old.

For all of the physical gifts Tabron has, one thing stands out to Dooley.

"What Don does have is a calmness about him," Dooley told me. "And really really high intelligence."

Dooley said he and Tabron work three times a week. Right now, it's about learning scheme, down and distance, run game, and pass game. Marrying his footwork with concepts. All while learning his freshman playbook. Dooley emphasizes "playing fast from the neck up." He referred to it as "brain talent."

By Tabron's senior season, Dooley expects his star pupil to be even more equipped.

"Don has a smooth stroke, he doesn't need much space to deliver the ball. ... think ultimately what you're looking for is a situational creature. And he's that," Dooley said. "I think Don without a doubt is a [Power 4] prospect, and when it comes to NFL, obviously, you need a lot of skill and a little bit of luck. But I think if he continues on the trajectory that he's at, he definitely will be getting his named called someday on the big stage."

The meteoric rise has led to hate and claims of Tabron being overrated. Dooley said it's no secret. Tabron's father is well aware of the dynamic, too.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, he's already faced a fair bit of [hate] because of what could be perceived as a fairly quick ascent to being one of the better quarterbacks in his class that's in Michigan," Donald Sr. said. "So, he's faced a lot of that adversity and turmoil, almost from the inception of him playing quarterback. It's the nature of the game, if you're a high-level performer, you're gonna have people who are comparing themselves to you, gonna call you overrated, and everything else.

"We try to get lost in the work. And just continue to work hard."

Right now, Tabron is working to win that starting job for Cass Tech. He has all the tools to do so. If he does, his first taste of high school football will be against West Michigan powerhouse Rockford. Week 2 is in Ohio, under the lights of the NFL's Tom Benson Hall-of-Fame stadium in Canton, Ohio. Against another powerhouse in Canton McKinley.

Tabron visited his last camp of the summer on Sunday, the University of Tennessee. Now, it's "laser focus" on the upcoming season and getting integrated with his new team, coaches, teammates, and system. And compete for a starting role.

The haters, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, State College -- it can all wait. Even that Week 1 matchup in Rockford. Forget about the cross-state matchup in Canton.

Right now, the next great Michigan quarterback prospect is lost in the work.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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