The One School Which Would Benefit Most from Freshman Ineligibility

Whether it's fair or not, the recently discussed and polarizing idea of making freshmen ineligible at the college level has been linked to the Big Ten.

And while its coaches have been cautious to comment, it's not hard to see where most of them stand on the subject.

Michigan's Jim Harbaugh declined comment when asked about it this week, while a request to Ohio State for Urban Meyer's thoughts was deferred until the start of the Buckeyes' spring practice—nearly two weeks away.

As coaches remain on the recruiting trail, it's doubtful freshman ineligibility is something they'd want to link themselves to, with many prospects wanting to hear that they'll play right away.

But while even discussing freshmen ineligibility has been a PR disaster thus far, that doesn't mean its implementation wouldn't help some Big Ten schools.

In fact, no school in the country could benefit more from a rule requiring freshmen to sit out their first years on campus than Michigan State. With Ohio State at the top of the college football mountain and Michigan on the rise, freshman ineligibility could be just what the Spartans need to maintain a level playing field.

As Meyer continues to attract the nation's top players to Columbus, Penn State maintains momentum on the recruiting trail and Harbaugh re-acclimates himself to the college game, Michigan State's key to keeping pace is one of the best player development programs in the country.

Yes, the Spartans have been recruiting better after positing a combined 24-3 record over the course of the past two seasons, but those results wouldn't have ever come to fruition if not for head coach Mark Dantonio's exceptional ability to get the most out of his players.

USA TODAY Sports

Take for example quarterback Connor Cook, a former 3-star prospect who was barely recruited coming out of Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) Walsh Jesuit.

After redshirting in 2011, Cook led Michigan State to a comeback victory in 2012's Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl before winning Rose Bowl MVP in 2013 and leading a comeback win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl the following year.

Had Cook opted to enter the upcoming NFL draft, he could have been picked in the first round. Instead, he decided to return to school for his senior season and is already being projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick in 2016.

"He's the kind of guy, with his size and his arm, he can make all the throws. He can beat you from the pocket very effectively," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of Cook on a January conference call. "He has a chance to be the first or second quarterback off the board next year."

Not bad for a player who had just one scholarship offer—Michigan State—coming out of high school.

Cook won't be the only player in East Lansing this fall who's benefitted from Dantonio's player development program, as defensive end Shilique Calhoun joined the Spartans signal-caller in redshirting in 2011.

Since then, Calhoun has twice been named a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a second-team All-American, and Kiper suggests he will also likely be a first-round selection a year from now.

"With all the junior defensive linemen that came out [in 2015], if he plays consistently, improves his pass rush technique, if he works on all those things and brings it all together, he could be a top 15 pick next year,” Kiper said. “He could go from being a late one, early two to a top 15 [pick] by coming back.”

USA TODAY Sports

Calhoun, like Cook, was a 3-star prospect coming out of high school and the 66th-ranked strong-side DE in the class of 2011.

Neither Cook nor Calhoun, however, have anything on the development of junior offensive tackle Jack Conklin, who went from walk-on to All-American and projected 2016 first-round pick.

"It's good fortune," Dantonio said last season when asked of Conklin's development, via The Detroit Free Press' Joe Rexrode.

Perhaps. But Michigan State's ability to develop under-the-radar talents is far from a coincidence.

From Conklin to Cook, to Calhoun, to Darqueze Dennard, to Le'Veon Bell, the Spartans have made a habit of getting the most from their players. Implementing freshman ineligibility would allow them to continue to do just that, ensuring that every player on their roster goes through a season of development before taking the field.

Already, Michigan State has found itself relying on multiple true freshmen more than it has in the past, with both defensive back Montae Nicholson and defensive lineman Malik McDowell seeing significant reps a season ago.

As Dantonio's recruiting efforts improved, that was bound to happen and could ultimately work in his favor.

However, freshman ineligibility would allow the Spartans to enjoy the best of both worlds: The country's top players developing in one of the nation's best programs.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.