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Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Michael Fletcher will commit to Spartans

By Connor Muldowney

ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio enters the stadium prior to the start of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio enters the stadium prior to the start of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

1. Early playing time

This one is almost a given. Michigan State has been dealing with a lack of depth on the defensive line for a couple of years now, but it has been slowly improving. Still, he’d have a chance to come in and compete for starting snaps right away.

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Kenny Willekes will be a senior when Fletcher will be a freshman, but the other defensive end spot could be a dogfight between Jacub Panasiuk, Parks Gissinger, DeAri Todd and Justice Alexander, among other younger prospects. He may find himself closer to starting in East Lansing rather than at Alabama, Michigan and Nebraska. Kentucky could also offer the same opportunity.

Michigan State needs depth at the defensive end spot and he could look at the Spartans as an opportunity to not only start as a freshman, or at least play plenty of meaningful snaps, but also to develop into an NFL-caliber player — just look at William Gholston, Joel Heath, Lawrence Thomas and Shilique Calhoun.

Next: MSU Football: Post-spring 2018 game-by-game predictions

If Fletcher values early playing time along with proximity to his hometown to ensure his family can easily make it to games, Michigan State is the right place.

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