Michigan State has big weekend, lands four verbal commitments
The Spartans had two verbal commitments to their 2016 recruiting class entering last week, but starting on Wednesday and ending on Sunday, Michigan State added four new recruits to their class.
The recruiting party started with 4-star Ohio quarterback Messiah deWeaver. The Wayne High School talent picked the Spartans over offers from teams like Louisville, Cincinnati, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi State, Penn State, Duke, and Pitt. DeWeaver took unofficial or camp visits to Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Texas before landing at MSU.
The get for MSU is an extra jab at in-state rival Michigan. The 6’3”, 200 pound, pro-style quarterback verbally committed to the Wolverines in June of 2014. DeWeaver has taken a handful of visits to East Lansing setting up a strong relationship with head coach Mark Dantonio and staff.
Getting a distributor of the football always helps draw more offensive talent, such was the case helping land Washington D.C. area running back Abdul Adams. The 6’0”, 200 pound, originally committed to East Carolina in November but as more offers started to roll in from teams like Boston College, Virginia, Tennessee, Iowa, Maryland, West Virginia, Rutgers, and Notre Dame Adams reopened his recruitment.
The Spartans’ staff finished the weekend strong getting two more verbal commitments over the weekend after the Spartans’ spring game, Berea, Ohio, linebacker Joe Bachie and Cleveland, Ohio, wide receiver Justin Layne.
Bachie is a 6’2”, 215 pound, diamond in the rough outside linebacker. The Berea High School talent was getting strong recruiting attention from MAC schools like Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Northern Illinois until the Spartans landed him.
Layne closed out the impressive haul for MSU. The Benedictine High School standout surprised many by bucking the Buckeyes for the Spartans. Layne has double-digit offers to some of the top programs in the nation including Florida, Alabama, Miami, Penn State, West Virginia, Notre Dame, and Michigan.
Michigan State’s 2016 Verbal Commitment List
WR Cameron Chambers, 6’2”, 201 lbs, Timber Creek HS, Sicklerville, NJ
WR Justin Layne, 6’2”, 180 lbs, Benedictine HS, Cleveland, OH
OL Matt Allen, 6’3”, 272 lbs, Hinsdale Central HS, Hinsdale, IL
QB Messiah deWeaver, 6’3”, 200 lbs, Wayne HS, Huber Heights, OH
RB Abdul Adams, 6’0”, 200 lbs, H.D. Woodson HS, Washington D.C.
LB Joe Bachie, 6’2”, 215 lbs, Berea HS, Berea, OH
Written by Ryan Wright
Photo credit: mlive.com; Justin Layne.