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Michigan State Recruiting: Which 2017 football recruits can help out right away?

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 26, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio with his team prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan State 45-12. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Nov 26, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio with his team prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan State 45-12. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O /
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Sep 24, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

The top uncommitted player on the Spartans’ big board has to be four-star cornerback Ambry Thomas from Detroit King. He has yet to commit and, according to Rico Beard, is likely to make his decision within the next couple of weeks.

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Coming off a dominant performance against 2017 MSU commit Cody White in the state championship game, Thomas lived up to the billing. Everyone dubbed him a lockdown cornerback and he was just that.

Having Thomas commit would be the biggest win for Mark Dantonio in quite some time as he’d have to wrestle the elite corner away from Michigan. Right now, it seems to be down to the Wolverines and Spartans with Michigan having the slight edge. However, he’s good friends with Donnie Corley, so that could work in the Spartans’ favor.

Thomas even said a few weeks ago after his visit to Michigan State that he saw an opportunity to play right away for the Spartans. There’s a good chance he could start at cornerback as a true freshman, or at least make the rotation.

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A secondary with Justin Layne, Ambry Thomas, Vayante Copeland, Khari Willis and Montae Nicholson starting would be tough for opposing quarterbacks to burn. That’s as athletic as it gets — especially if you throw in Corley, Tyson Smith, Grayson Miller, Demetric Vance, Kenney Lyke andJosh Butler.

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