Michigan State football: Mel Tucker lands first 4-star in OG Geno VanDeMark

After an entire class without a four-star commit, Michigan State football picked up a pledged from four-star guard Geno VanDeMark on Saturday.

If you’re a Rutgers fan, you’re sick to your stomach after missing out on who was presumed to be a lock to stay in New Jersey to play for the home-state Scarlet Knights.

Geno VanDeMark had other plans, however.

The four-star offensive guard from Montvale, N.J., committed to Michigan State over Rutgers, Arizona State, Nebraska and Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon, potentially setting off a domino effect for the 2021 class.

VanDeMark posted on Twitter that he’s “110% committed” to Michigan State.

VanDeMark becomes the first four-star to commit to Michigan State since the 2019 class when Julian Barnett and Devontae Dobbs headlined the group. The 2020 class had Darius Snow committed as a four-star before his rating dropped in the composite and he became a three-star.

This is a big win for Mel Tucker who took over in February after National Signing Day and only had a few weeks to recruit in person before that was postponed due to COVID-19. The NCAA made the right and safe decision to cancel in-person visits until at least October, but it hurt programs like Michigan State which were fielding new coaches.

Recruiting has been his calling card for years and he reeling in his first big fish on Saturday in VanDeMark who becomes the highest-rated commit in the Spartans’ class. He’s listed as the No. 18 guard and 317th overall prospect in the nation, according to the composite.

A commitment from VanDeMark isn’t just big for the momentum throughout the rest of the class, but it could help the green and white land his teammate, four-star running back Audric Estime.