Spartans First to Intriguing RB Prospect
The 2027 class will hold a host of interesting running back prospects for the Michigan State Spartans.
They just added another one to their list of offered prospects in Marian Catholic ball carrier Jeremiah Stonewall. Stonewall is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound running back who had no offers prior to his Nov. 8 green and white one.
After the Spartans offered, he was offered the same day by the Nebraska Cornhuskers, another rebuilding Big Ten conference power. Not much is known yet when it comes to Stonewall, but by engaging Bhonapha's prototype, we can get an idea of what the coach potentially sees.
"I think I'm less on 'He has to be this big.' I've been fortunate enough to coach some really good players over the course of my career and some of the best ones have not fit the criteria that everybody wants," Bhonapha told reporters in August. "I do think this -- talked about the fundamentals already. When it comes to playing with great posture, your ability to transition. I think the next of that is going to be that ability to be a consistent runner. I think that comes in different shapes and sizes. A guy that is always falling forward. We're asking about catching the ball out the backfield. A guy that you can see on film catching the ball out the backfield."
Another aspect Bhonapha likes is versatility, which could be another trait signified by Stonewall's offer.
"I talked about you know, guys playing both sides of the ball. I think that gives us a big opportunity to really evaluate their [football intelligence]," Bhonapha said. "Because if a guy can play both sides of the ball in high school. ... Doing those sort of background checks can see what kind of football mind he has, we're already ahead of the curve. I think at the end of the day, I want those guys that are hungry, that are competitive, and have that urge to continue to take the next step. That's really what I'm looking for. But you know, they gotta be fast. I know that. They gotta be able to score touchdowns."
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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