Michigan State Recruiting: 5 ideal 2016 football targets remaining

Oct 24, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio reacts to a play against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State recruiting has been a hot topic for the past few months in both college football and basketball. The 2016 classes for the Spartans’ hoops team and gridiron crew have both yielded a ton of talent and the amount of pledges from elite players has been alarming.

In fact, the football recruiting class for Mark Dantonio in 2016 is ranked in the top 10, according to most major recruiting services, while the basketball class is currently ranked No. 1. It’s pretty clear that Tom Izzo is putting in some serious work on the recruiting trail.

Dantonio might be making up some ground soon, though, as the 2016 class is not yet finished and the ninth-year head coach is trying to catch up to his basketball counterpart, and if this group of recruits finishes ideally, the Spartans could wind up with top-five basketball and football classes for next year.

Let’s take a look at the five remaining football targets who would make for the ideal finish to the class.

5. Matt Farniok, 4-star OT

Sep 12, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans offensive tackle Jack Conklin (74) celebrates the win over the Oregon Ducks after a game at Spartan Stadium. MSU won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Although the success of the offensive line at MSU in 2015 was an easier sell in the beginning of the season as the big guys up front have struggled to stay healthy and really gel together as a unit this season.

Jack Conklin, Kodi Kieler, Brian Allen, Dennis Finley and Jack Allen have all experienced some injury or another in 2015, and that might scare away some offensive line recruits.

There is plenty of uncommitted offensive line talent left out there, but the top target seems to be four-star offensive tackle Matt Farniok from Sioux Falls, S.D., who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs about 315 pounds. This kid is an absolute monster.

Although the class already has a couple of solid linemen, Farniok would fit right in. Right now, the Spartans are in his final four and he plans to announce in the winter.

The backup plan if the Spartans don’t land the 122nd-best recruit in the country, according to 247Sports, is three-star lineman Alaric Jackson from Detroit Renaissance.

Next: 4. Daelin Hayes, 5-star LB