Michigan State Recruiting: Top 10 ideal 2017 football targets

Sep 12, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans linebacker Darien Harris (45) gestures to the crowd between plays during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

You might be asking yourself, “Who is Antjuan Simmons and why should the Spartans be targeting him out of all the top-tier recruits in the 2017 class?”

Well, when looking at the meteoric rise of the three-star linebacker, there is still so much room for Simmons to grow and mature, and his potential is absolutely through the roof. In fact, Simmons went from unknown local recruit to highly-coveted national prospect within a matter of weeks during his junior season at Ann Arbor Pioneer.

Simmons has been high on the Spartans for some time now, but his recent surge in recruiting is no fluke, and it’s something MSU needs to keep an eye on.

There’s no doubt in my mind that this three-star, hard-hitting linebacker will be a four-star before his high school career is over with and the Spartans will be one of a couple of teams vying for his services until his actual announcement.

Don’t expect him to decide any time soon, though, as he has received 17 offers since Sept. 22 and that number will only rise as college scouts continue to track his progress.

One thing is for sure, however: Simmons needs to be a priority for Dantonio and the rest of the staff.

Next: 6. Ambry Thomas, CB