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Michigan State Recruiting: Top 5 potential additions to 2016 football class

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; View of a Michigan State Spartans helmet with streamers and confetti after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Michigan State won 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; View of a Michigan State Spartans helmet with streamers and confetti after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Michigan State won 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; View of a Michigan State Spartans helmet with streamers and confetti after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Michigan State won 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; View of a Michigan State Spartans helmet with streamers and confetti after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Michigan State won 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan State recruiting has the ability to close out the 2016 football class with some top-tier additions.

The 2016 Michigan State football recruiting class is slowly, but surely, filling up and there are just two weeks left until National Signing Day, giving the remaining targets just a handful of days to decide whether they want to join the Spartans’ already-impressive class or head elsewhere.

Mark Dantonio’s class is ranked in the top 10 by a few recruiting services, including Scout, and it will end up being his best since taking the head coaching job at Michigan State in 2007. Usually, Michigan State ranks in the 30-to-40 range, but adding a slew of four-stars as well as high three-stars has made a huge difference.

It’s going to be scary for the rest of the Big Ten if he starts increasing his success on the recruiting trail, which is already happening, and snags four and five-star recruits on a regular basis. He’s already sent three former two-stars to the NFL — Le’Veon Bell, Trae Waynes and Darqueze Dennard — so imagine what he could do with four-star talent.

With some top targets still left on the big board for the Spartans, here are five, and a bonus, who MSU should be giving most of its effort to land.

5. Michael Onwenu, 4-star OG

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman Donavon Clark (76) and Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Ryan Anderson (22) during the game in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman Donavon Clark (76) and Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Ryan Anderson (22) during the game in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Yes, I know he’s committed to Michigan right now, but a visit to East Lansing this weekend could shake some things up in his process. All the talk is that he’s only visiting Michigan State for one last hurrah before National Signing Day, but he wouldn’t get offered and then plan an official visit just days later if he weren’t interested in the Spartans.

Michigan State needs offensive line depth with Donavon Clark, Jack Allen and Jack Conklin all heading to the NFL Draft and Onwenu has the potential to start right away in the former’s spot.

Onwenu has been committed to Michigan since early-June and is ranked the No. 36 player in the 2016 class as well as the second-best offensive guard, according to 247Sports. He’s also the top player in the state of Michigan, and if the Spartans can somehow flip him, Mark Dantonio would own the state for this class.

Next: 4. Karamo Dioubate, DT

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