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Michigan State Recruiting: 10 elite 2017 football targets remaining

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 28, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio leads the team onto the field prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio leads the team onto the field prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 28, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio leads the team onto the field prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio leads the team onto the field prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Despite a few misses, there are still at least 10 elite 2017 football prospects left on the board for Michigan State recruiting.

A few weeks ago, it was four-star cornerback Amir Riep who chose the Buckeyes over Mark Dantonio and Michigan State. On Monday, it was four-star defensive end James Hudson who picked the Wolverines over the Spartans. It’s been a rough go of things lately for Michigan State, but there is still plenty of elite talent left on the Spartans’ recruiting board.

Dantonio has been a master of developing talent and has turned a handful of two-star prospects into NFL picks — Darqueze Dennard, Trae Waynes and Le’Veon Bell.

With the 2017 recruiting class off to somewhat of a slow start, fans are beginning to wonder if the Spartans’ reign as Big Ten contenders is over. It’s crazy to see the number of fans panicking, especially after an elite 2016 recruiting class, but that’s the nature of the beast.

One slow recruiting cycle can make folks restless, even though the Spartans have come a long way when it comes to recruiting. In the John L. Smith era, Michigan State wouldn’t have even dreamed of landing four-stars on a regular basis.

Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer are excellent recruiters and coaches, so there will always be a missed recruit here and there to those guys. However, there is still so much left out there for Michigan State to land.

Who are the top 10 elite prospects who the Spartans could still land?

10. Tyler Johnson, 4-star TE

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans tight end Jamal Lyles (11) signals after a run during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans tight end Jamal Lyles (11) signals after a run during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports /

Very little has been spoken about the son of former Michigan State star Bill Johnson who is also friends with Hunter Rison, a 2017 four-star wide receiver pledge. The two played Arizona high school ball at the same time before Rison moved back to Michigan with his father, Andre Rison, who is also a former Spartan great.

Johnson seems like a slight-MSU lean right now and once he takes a visit to Michigan State, he may be that much closer to giving his verbal pledge to Dantonio.

Currently, Johnson is listed as a tight end, standing 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, but the Michigan State coaching staff might have other plans for him — like maybe defensive end. His recruitment has been quiet, but the nation’s No. 243 overall prospect and sixth-best tight end could be a Spartan in the near future.

However, could the pledges of Jack Camper and Matt Dotson at tight end scare him away?

Next: 9. Jeff Thomas

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