National Signing Day: Michigan State Football adds young talent

Michigan State’s 2015 recruiting class was one of the best, according to 247 sports, ranking them 22^nd overall.  Judging by the players they were able to recruit, it looks like head coach, Mark Dantonio, will have the Spartans competing for another few years.

Under Dantonio, the program has emerged as one of the best in college football winning 11 or more games in five of the last six seasons, including back-to-back bowl game wins while having one of the most tenacious defense college football has seen in recent years.

All of that success has helped Michigan State bring in one of their better draft classes.

One of the first to sign was Khari Willis, a 5-foot-11, 200 pound safety out of Jackson Michigan, Lumen Christi according to the Spartans Twitter handle a little after 7 A.M.

Shortly after, more and more recruits began sending their letters of intent.

According to MLive.com, the Spartans are expecting letters of intent from: Josh Butler, David Dowell, Felton Davis III, Justin Alexander, Raequan Williams, Kyonta Stallworth, Larry “LJ” Scott, Andrew Dowell, Kaleel Gains, Tyler Higby, Brian Lewerke, Noah Listermann, Grayson Miller, Drake Martinez, Khari Willis, Darrell Stewart and Tyson Smith.

Adding these types of athletes to an already dominant Spartan team will keep them in contention while not going through a dry spell that most programs seem to run face.

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For the first time in quite some time, Michigan State has expanded their targets when it comes to recruiting. Normally, the program attracts players from the mid-west and a few coming from the south. However, this class comes from different coasts.

“I think we’ve finally reached that point where people have seen the product several years in a row. Michigan State receivers coach, Terrance Samuel, told ESPN.com. “You win four bowl games in a row, and the high school coaches start to get really receptive to what you’re doing.”

That seemed to be the focus for this year’s recruiting class. Given their recent success, Dantonio is aware the school has more of a “national brand” and looked to capitalize on it.

Whether or not these new recruits from the west coast fit is yet to be seen but it’s something different and is worth looking out for.