Kenney Lyke Commits to Michigan State: DB Reveals What He Likes About Spartans

A week ago, Latoya Williams—the mother of Palatine, Illinois, 3-star safety Kenney Lyke—felt her son was on the fence regarding his final decision as he entered the week preparing to verbally commit at Fremd High School.

When it was time for Lyke to announce his choice on Friday, he went with the school that first believed in him.

Lyke announced in front of family, friends, teammates, coaches and faculty that he has committed to Michigan State. He chose the Spartans over Notre Dame, Baylor and Oregon, becoming the 13th pledge of the 2016 class for Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.

Lyke still plans on taking a couple of visits before national signing day, but he said on Friday that no longer having the stress of committing to a program is "a relief."

"I was looking for, first of all, the right fit," Lyke said. "I wanted to feel at home with the campus. Second, I'd like to have a good chance to play at a high level. I also like the coaching staff, as well, and all the players around me."

SpartanAvenue broke the news.

Michigan State scored a big defensive back at 6'2" and 182 pounds, someone who can be physical inside the box but also cover receivers. He has solid footwork and is a player who should benefit from the tutelage of defensive backs coach Harlon Barnett.

Confidence may be the one thing that pushes Lyke to the forefront early in his college career.

Although listed as a 3-star prospect, he is a player who makes it a priority to silence his critics with his play on the field. He is a solid open-field tackler, a characteristic needed in a Big Ten conference full of power running backs and athletic wide receivers.

Last week, Williams said she believed her son's pick would come down to Michigan State and Notre Dame. While she likes the educational value and spiritual background of Notre Dame, she also likes that Michigan State was the first school to offer Lyke, a top-40 safety nationally and the No. 16 player from the state of Illinois.

"They were the first one to really believe in my son. They pulled the trigger and opened up doors for him that other schools didn't," Williams said. "They recruited him and stuck by everything they said they were going to do.

"I think the coaches are an amazing fit for him. That's been a program that's continuing to grow and grow."

Lyke has a good relationship with Dantonio and recruiting coordinator Brad Salem, and the Spartans are getting a player who has a nose for the football. He finished his junior season at Fremd with 81 tackles and two interceptions.

The Spartans now have three players in the secondary for their 2016 class. Lyke joins 3-star Michigan safety Demetric Vance and 3-star Ohio cornerback Austin Andrews in the class.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter @DamonSayles.