Michigan State Football: 3-star RB Elijah Collins commits to Spartans

Michigan State football landed one of its top targets in the 2018 class in three-star running back Elijah Collins from Detroit.

After hearing the news of Harold Joiner’s cancelled visit last weekend, Michigan State football fans were worried that a running back commitment in the 2018 class may be difficult to come by. However, Elijah Collins changed that on Friday afternoon.

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Collins, a three-star running back from Detroit, committed to Michigan State on Friday over the likes of Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State. The Spartan coaching staff hopes this isn’t the only victory over the Hawkeyes this weekend.

Michigan State desperately needed a running back pledge in the class and Collins was a good fit. He is quick and tough to corral in space, making him a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He stands 6-foot and weighs about 195 pounds. According to 247Sports, he runs a 4.6 50-yard dash.

Not too long ago, this commitment seemed like a long-shot. While on campus during the time of Michigan State’s football camp, Collins opted to hit the hardwood and attend Tom Izzo’s basketball camp instead. This made it seem like Michigan State was out of the running.

However, he visited for the Spartans’ first fall practice and has been trending toward MSU ever since.

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Collins is ranked the No. 611 player in the class and 27th-best running back, according to 247Sports. He becomes the Spartans’ 16th commit in the class of 2018.