National Signing Day: The Michigan State Spartans' Biggest Catches

Another eventful signing day has come and gone in Division I-A football and the usual suspects have topped the various lists once again.

Programs like Florida, Texas, Alabama, and USC continue to recruit the top high school athletes from around the nation, while other less formidable schools like Stanford have made their way into many scouts’ Top 25. Parity throughout the top 10 is not expected each and every year, but many teams did well.

One such team which did fairly well is Michigan State, especially when you consider how well coach Mark Dantonio has recruited within the state of Michigan and beyond.

The Spartans ended up signing 21 players Wednesday, including one five-star player and four 4-star players (according to rivals.com).

The five-star player Michigan State recruited is none other than the state’s own William Gholston, the 6’7”, 237 pound behemoth from Detroit Southeastern High School. Gholston is the highest recruited player in Michigan and the 21st highest nationally.

Now whether or not Gholston starts this upcoming question is the biggest question for Michigan State fans. Rumors have stated the coaching staff would like for Gholston to bulk up and gain a better physique, as he does want to move from defensive end to linebacker. Playing with All-American Greg Jones would be amazing to watch, though.

Another recruit which should step right in is linebacker Max Bullough, an inside linebacker who was ranked fifth in the state. Like Gholston may have the opportunity to do (if he doesn’t get red-shirted), Bullough will be able to play right next to Jones. The linebacking core may me MSU’s defensive gem, and Bullough will learn a lot from Jones and make an impact almost right away.

Other four-star prospects include quarterback Joe Boisture, defensive back Isaiah Lewis and offensive lineman Skyler Schofner.

Boisture should be the starter in a couple seasons once Kirk Cousins graduates. He has a wide range of talent and has been on the Spartans’ radar for quite a while now. Michigan State is just glad it’s a done deal.

Lewis, from Indianapolis, was the fifth-ranked player in the state. A defensive back, Lewis can only end up helping a secondary unit which was absolutely obliterated by opposing offenses this past season. Lewis runs a 4.4 40, which isn’t the quickest but definitely can fast enough to make plays on the ball and on receivers.

Schofner may be one of the biggest steals in this class. A 6’7” lineman (just like Gholston) who was ranked the eighth-best prospect out of football-heavy Ohio, Schofner could become a solid anchor on that O-line for years to come. He will provide added protection for Cousins as well as open up holes for the young running backs on the team.

And then there are the other guys. Many three-star prospects committed to Michigan State, such as defensive end Taylor Calero, running back Nick Hill, defensive end Marcus Rush and defensive tackle Anthony White. Sparty even recruited a three-star kicker in Mike Sadler to replace the consistently stellar Lou Groza nominee Brett Swenson.

When you look at the big picture, more and more players are trusting in Dantonio’s techniques and are committing to a program that is truly on the upside in the state and in the entire Big Ten. Three straight bowl games—but still no victories—are still a positive and every team wants to be playing in mid-December to early January, and Michigan State has.

The biggest component of this recruiting class is the focus on the present and the future. The combination of veteran and rookie players is a great point of optimism for both the fans and all the members of the team. Those who support and play for Michigan State can only hope that the team will actually play up to expectations and their skill level next season.

For now, the right pieces are being put in place to succeed.

Photo from MLive.com