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Michigan State football’s 2022 signing class superlatives

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 30: Head coach Mel Tucker of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a 37-33 win over the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium on October 30, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 30: Head coach Mel Tucker of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a 37-33 win over the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium on October 30, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Most underrated

Michigan State has a handful of recruits who could fit this category of most underrated, so we’ll pick one from each side of the ball.

Offense: Jack Nickel

I’m a big fan of what Jack Nickel brings to the table and while he just missed the cut for immediate impact player in the 2022 class on offense, he has to be considered the most underrated.

Nickel is an early enrollee and he fills a position of need with the Spartans losing some guys from the tight end room this offseason. Maliq Carr returns along with the addition of Daniel Barker, but I could see Nickel filling that third tight end role who will see the field early because he’s one of the best blockers at the position in the entire class — if not the best.

Nickel is a former Notre Dame commit and Mel Tucker was able to flip him. When Notre Dame recruits you to play tight end in South Bend, you know you have the talent to be elite at the position. He’s ranked only the No. 531 overall player and 28th-best tight end in the class.

Defense: James Schott

James Schott was one of the fastest risers in the 2022 class and it was more of a late jump in the rankings than most. He went from a lower-rated three-star on 247Sports to a higher-rated three-star and the No. 41 edge rusher in the class. He’s only ranked the No. 881 overall recruit in the class per the composite which is far too low.

Allen Trieu gave him an impressive player comp on 247Sports, likening him to Chase Winovich with a “high motor” and quickness off the snap.

The 6-4, 215-pound edge rusher was overlooked by a lot of schools and held a handful of MAC offers but he’s going to prove a lot of people wrong.

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