How Has June 2024 Compared to June 2023 in MSU Football Recruiting?

The Michigan State Spartans secured seven recruits in the month of June last year. How does this year's June stack up?

Michigan State's Davion Primm runs the ball during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

The Michigan State Spartans have had a good season on the recruiting trail to begin the Jonathan Smith era. In June, the Spartans have secured eight recruits, nine if you count long snapper Jack Wills. A year ago, under former head coach Mel Tucker, the Spartans were in a similar position.

Last year, the Spartans entered July with seven June commits. The Tucker firing caused a good amount of those commits to jump ship.

The Spartans had four-star running back Anthony Carrie, who would end up decomitting in November to commit to Georgia Tech. Three-star quarterback Henry Hasselbeck would eventually decommit and is now with UCLA. Offensive linemen Mercer and Charlton Luniewski stayed loyal and are on campus and even helped host recruits of the 2025 class on official visits.

Reggie Powers III was a promising safety prospect, but now he's an Oklahoma Sooner. Cornerback Syair Torrence, who had flipped from Syracuse, decommitted in October and is with Boston College. Cornerback Camren Campbell left for USF.

A year later, under Smith, the Spartans seem to be in a better place. Yes, they technically have two extra recruits in June that they did in Tucker's last summer. But the vision is clearer, too. Smith has made it a point to re-establish the Spartans' presence in the Midwest recruiting circuit and especially in the state of Michigan.

He proved both, with in-state June commits like the No. 1 tight end in the state, Jayden Savoury, and offensive tackle Justin Bell, and the Midwest as a whole -- Savoury, Bell, wide receiver Braylon Collier and edge rusher Cal Thrush.

Smith has also maintained his pipeline out west, securing offensive lineman Drew Nichols and wide receiver Charles Taplin. He's even made good in the east with cornerbacks Aydan West and George Mullins.

What is noteworthy is the Spartans' recruiting class is ranked 44th nationally, per 247Sports. At this point last year, it was ranked No. 52.

Importantly, the month isn't over for Smith. Top targets in offensive lineman Darius Afalava and Houston Kaahaaina-Torres are set to announce June 28 and June 30, respectively. The Spartans are in the top four for both. Edge rusher Sherrod Henderson, a priority target who has the Spartans in his top three, will announce the 30th, too.

Beyond June, cornerback LaRue Zamorano likes Michigan State a lot and he will announce in July, as will top linebacker Grant Beerman, who I also like for the Spartans. Beerman told me he planned on committing after official visits, around the end of the month or early July.

The Spartans are looking better than they did last year at this point on the recruiting trail. A steady, consistent stream of recruits joining Smith's program, all of them geared for the long-term vision of a new era.

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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