Michigan State Football: Michael Alaimo should be top 2020 QB option

Michigan State football may have found its top 2020 option at quarterback in four-star New Jersey-native Michael Alaimo. Why should he be No. 1?

It took Mark Dantonio and Michigan State quite a while to find their 2019 quarterback and eventually flipped Western Michigan commit Payton Thorne, a 6-foot-2 dual-threat from Illinois.

The 2020 class may be a little more clear, especially at the quarterback position, if all goes as planned. The Spartans have a number of options for the position, but a top target has emerged over the past week in four-star pro-style quarterback Michael Alaimo from New Jersey.

Alaimo received his offer from the Spartans back on April 30 and it has seemed like a good fit ever since. Michigan State has valued pro-style quarterbacks and Alaimo has the perfect size at 6-foot-4.5 and 215 pounds and arm strength to be a problem for Big Ten defenses.

Though he doesn’t have a ton of top-tier offers — the biggest coming from Oklahoma State and West Virginia — Alaimo has all the talent to make those who passed on him pay.

The four-star passer can roll out and make tough throws on the run and he throws 30-40 yard passes accurately with relative ease.

Dantonio likes what he sees in this kid and he has a little more mobility than he’s given credit for and a rocket arm. He has a little Connor Cook in him with that arm strength and ability to fit balls in to tight windows, but he’s also not afraid to take his time and go through his progressions — a welcomed sight for Spartan fans.

Michigan State’s tendency to churn out NFL quarterbacks has to be attractive to Alaimo, paired with the fact that Brian Lewerke is in his final season and there’ll be a battle for that starting job next fall.

Alaimo is ranked the No. 256 overall recruit and 10th-best pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class, per 247Sports, and should be Michigan State’s top option.