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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 wide receiver Aaron Burbridge (16) catches the ball during the first quarter of 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 wide receiver Aaron Burbridge (16) catches the ball during the first quarter of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Jeff Thomas, 4-star WR

This list, as you’ll soon find out, is riddled with elite wide receiver talent. I know you’re probably asking yourself why the staff feels the need to add even more top-tier wide outs given the unreal 2016 haul of Cam Chambers, Trishton Jackson, Justin Layne and Donnie Corley as well as the strong start to 2017 with Cody White and Hunter Rison, but why not?

If a staff has the ability to land 6-to-8 elite wide receivers in two years, why shouldn’t they make an effort to do so?

Corley and Chambers will likely be playing valuable minutes in 2016 while Layne could be a special teams guy in his first year and Jackson may just see a redshirt. Cody White and Hunter Rison might redshirt next year, but losing guys like Monty Madaris and R.J. Shelton after 2016 could mean these young guys will see the field extensively.

Jeff Thomas is another top-notch wide out to keep an eye on. Yes, he has kept his recruitment very quiet besides the release of his top-six list which included the Spartans along with some other elite programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Missouri and Texas A&M. It seems as if he may want to head to the SEC, but the Spartans still have a slim chance.

Making the top-six for a kid doesn’t exactly mean each school is given the same chance to land him, but as long as the Spartans aren’t officially eliminated, there’s a chance to land the four-star from Illinois.

Thomas is ranked the No. 44 overall prospect and the seventh-best wide out in the 2017 class. Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 170 pounds, he will likely be more of a speedy, slot-back type of receiver at the next level.

Next: 8. Donovan Peoples-Jones

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