Michigan State Welcomes Six Early Enrollees from the 2016 Recruiting Class
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
There is no better feeling than knowing everyone in your family is safe at home. With a college football coach, a similar thought rings true in recruiting with coaches poaching top recruits from other teams left and right leading up to National Signing Day. For Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, he has six Class of 2016 students safely on the East Lansing campus taking away six more potential worries ahead of Feb. 3.
The Spartans (12-2, 7-1) are following up a fantastic 2015 season full of drama and excitement leading to a Big Ten East Division title won on the final weekend of the regular season against Penn State (55-16), a Big Ten Conference Championship win over Iowa (16-13), and a berth in the College Football Playoffs squaring off against eventual national champs Alabama (38-0 loss). Getting recruits on campus early and adjusted to college life and the football routine is key for a more productive true freshman season especially for a team like MSU with key spots to fill heading into the 2016 schedule.
Over the weekend, the Spartans welcomed six players highlighted by future offensive weapons in wide receivers Donnie Corley and Cameron Chambers along with quarterback Messiah deWeaver. Another future offensive contributor brought in for early molding up front includes lineman Thiyo Lukusa. On the defensive side of the ball, MSU got hard hitting safety Kenney Lyke and outside linebacker Joe Bachie into the fold.
Michigan State has 19 total commitments to their 2016 recruiting class with some holes to fill before NSD. The class has three offensive linemen committed, expect two to three more signed. Another member of the secondary and at least one more linebacker would fill the class in as well. The glaring current vacancy is at running back with no commitments.
The Spartans have recruited really well along the defensive front, in the secondary, and especially at wide receiver thus far. Don’t be surprised to see Michigan State finish strong on National Signing Day.
Michigan State 2016 Verbal Commitment List (19)
DB Austin Andrews, 6’0”, 180 lbs, DeSales HS, Columbus, OH
DB Kenney Lyke, 6’2”, 185 lbs, Fremd HS, Palatine, IL
DB Demetric Vance, 6’3”, 196 lbs, Cass Tech, Detroit, MI
DE Josh King, 6’6”, 230 lbs, Hinsdale South, Darien, IL
DE Auston Robertson, 6’5”, 250 lbs, Wayne HS, Fort Wayne, IN
DT Naquan Jones, 6’4”, 285 lbs, Evanston HS, Evanston, IL
DT Mike Panasiuk, 6’4”, 275 lbs, Lake Park HS, Roselle, IL
LB Joe Bachie, 6’2”, 215 lbs, Berea HS, Berea, OH
LB Brandon Randle, 6’2”, 215 lbs, Battle Creek Central, Battle Creek, MI
OG Matt Allen, 6’3”, 275 lbs, Hinsdale Central HS, Hinsdale, IL
OG Thiyo Lukusa, 6’5”, 300 lbs, De Paul Catholic, Wayne, NJ
OT A.J. Arcuri, 6’6”, 250 lbs, Olentangy Liberty, Olentangy, OH
TE Noah Davis, 6’5”, 235 lbs, St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH
QB Messiah deWeaver, 6’4”, 215 lbs, Wayne HS, Huber Heights, OH
WR Cameron Chambers, 6’2”, 200 lbs, Timber Creek HS, Sicklerville, NJ
WR Donnie Corley, 6’2”, 185 lbs, Martin Luther King HS, Detroit, MI
WR Trishton Jackson, 6’2”, 180 lbs, West Bloomfield HS, West Bloomfield, MI
WR Justin Layne, 6’2”, 180 lbs, Benedictine HS, Cleveland, OH
K Matthew Coghlin, 5’10”, 185 lbs, Moeller HS, Cincinnati, OH
Photo credit: gbmwolverine.com; No. 9 Donnie Corley.