Michigan State Recruiting: 10 elite 2017 football targets remaining

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 10
Next
Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) reacts to a play during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) reacts to a play during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Naytron Culpepper, 4-star CB

This is a guy who rarely gets spoken about. It’s been rumored that four-star cornerback Naytron Culpepper has finalists of Tennessee, Michigan State and South Carolina. The Spartans offered him back in May and that may have been one of the scholarships he had been waiting for.

Secondary prospects are like gold in this cycle, especially after missing on Riep, so that makes Culpepper all the more enticing. He would be Michigan State’s third commitment to the secondary for the 2017 class, joining Dominique Long and Josiah Scott — both three stars from the state of Ohio.

Culpepper seems to like the Spartans enough to include them in his rumored top-three just a couple of months after receiving his offer and he’s the kind of kid who could visit this fall and commit while still on campus. He can play both safety and cornerback and has solid size at 6-foot-0, 175 pounds.

The Miami-native could be taking a little extra time to gather his official visit schedule, but right now Michigan State is in a good position with him. Look for the Spartans to add at least one more defensive back in 2017.

Michigan State’s secondary is set for the next couple of years with Vayante Copeland in place as well as guys like Josh Butler, Tyson Smith, Kaleel Gaines, Demetric Vance, Khari Willis and Grayson Miller will all be competing for serious playing time next year and the seasons to follow.

Culpepper is ranked the No. 272 overall prospect and 24th-best safety in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports.

Next: 6. KJ Hamler