College Football

Michigan State Football: Top National Signing Day targets

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:04 p.m. ET

Fansided, Connor Muldowney/FanSided via Saturday Blitz

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Who are the top remaining Michigan State football recruiting targets left on the board for National Signing Day?

What a season it was for Michigan State football and no, not in a good way. The Spartans finished just 3-9 and broke the mold that Mark Dantonio had worked hard to create over the past decade. Michigan State had been a consistent 11-game winner, but the Spartans struggled in every facet of the game in 2016 and the final record was proof of that.

Just one year removed from the College Football Playoff, the Spartans found out how difficult it was to win after losing guys like Connor Cook, Shilique Calhoun, Jack Conklin and Aaron Burbreidge, among many others. The team was without a ton of leadership and experience and Tyler O’Connor struggled at quarterback.

While the quarterback position was one of the biggest weaknesses on the team, the leadership, or lack thereof, was an issue. Although guys like Riley Bullough and Demetrious Cox were supposed to step in and lead right away, they failed to do that and the team lacked a direction.

Dantonio is looking forward to the 2017 season so he can have a fresh start and utilize the young 2016 recruits who made up his best class ever. Adding to that, though, will be the pool of 2017 commits who happen to be ranked in the top-30 by most recruiting services and top-20 by Scout.

There are still some must-have targets left on the board and the Spartans could finish strong, breaking the usual streak of poor signing days. Let’s take a look at the top five must-have targets for Michigan State football recruiting by National Signing Day on Feb. 1.

5. Lionel Cummings, 3-star OLB (Bartow, Fla.)

One of the newest names on Michigan State’s recruiting board for the 2017 class is Lionel Cummings, an under-the-radar three-star linebacker from Bartow, Fla., who just received his offer from the staff on Jan. 19. The staff stopped in to see him just a few days later and he’s already planning an official visit for this weekend.

The interest is clearly mutual and the Spartans need to add some depth at the linebacker position. While he knows he wasn’t a ‘Plan A’ guy for Michigan State, getting an offer from a program that has been known for its defense and getting guys to the NFL is a step up from his previous options.

Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and do what’s best for your future, and Cummings knows that committing to Michigan State is doing just that. Other top suitors include Temple, Central Florida and Iowa State.

Michigan State has been busy on the road this week visiting some of the top uncommitted talent and Cummings might just be a guy who could come in and surprise some people. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs just 200 pounds, but that frame could either add some weight or he could be used at safety.

Cummings is ranked the 82nd-best outside linebacker in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports.

4. Johnathan Lovett, 3-star RB (Burlington, N.J.)

Why is Johnathan Lovett so low on the list? Well, for starters, the rumors circulating about him are not exactly playing in Michigan State’s favor. The word on the street is that he is close to committing to Baylor just one week after taking an official to Michigan State and presumably naming it his top school.

Since then, he has taken an official to Baylor and he has a solid relationship with new head coach Matt Rhule who was at Temple previously. If Rhule can wrestle Lovett away from Michigan State at the last minute, that would leave the Spartans just one running back commit over the past two classes.

Weston Bridges is that running back and he’s coming off ACL surgery. He was bumped up to four-star status by 247Sports, but more depth at the position is needed, especially with Gerald Holmes graduating this season, LJ Scott potentially going pro and Madre London’s future undecided.

A decision should be coming soon for Lovett and it’s likely between Baylor and Michigan State. He’s ranked the No. 403 overall prospect and 29th-best running back in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports.

3. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, 3-star ATH (Hampton, Va.)

Michigan State has flipped three recruits in the past week. Tre Person changed his commitment from Georgia Southern to MSU, DeAri Todd from Boston College and Raheem Blackshear from Temple. Could the same be done with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah?

OK, so Owusu-Koramoah isn’t technically committed to Virginia anymore, but he was during his visit to East Lansing just last week. In fact, he took his official to Michigan State on Jan. 20 and de-committed just two days later. He has since named a top-two of Michigan State and Notre Dame.

Unfortunately for the Spartans, Owusu-Koramoah is planning to take his final official visit to South Bend this weekend, giving the main competition to land him a leg up. Getting that final visit is key, especially this close to National Signing Day.

However, the staff dropped by to visit him at school on Wednesday and he was all decked out in Spartan gear. Owusu-Koramoah is the perfect Mark Dantonio target who has the ability to play multiple positions — linebacker and safety — and is an extremely aggressive player.

The three-star athlete from Virginia is ranked the No. 323 overall prospect and 19th-best athlete in the class, according to 247Sports. He is planning on making his announcement on Feb. 1 for National Signing Day.

2. Ameer Speed, 3-star CB (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Michigan State made the top-five of three-star cornerback Ameer Speed, one of the top uncommitted defensive backs in the class. However, the Spartans received an official visit from him back in October and he has since taken a trip to each of the other finalists.

The chances of landing him are slim, but he would be a huge victory for the staff if they could somehow receive his commitment. He is set to make his decision on National Signing Day between Georgia, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Oregon. Georgia presumably leads the way.

What makes Speed an even more valuable target for Michigan State? The Spartans missed out on Amir Riep and Ambry Thomas who were considered their top targets at the cornerback position in this class and currently have Josiah Scott and Tre Person committed in the 2017 class. Adding another cornerback would provide some much-needed depth and he would likely be the best of the class.

Speed has excellent size for a cornerback, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 195 pounds, and the Jacksonville-native also has ideal athleticism and ball skills for the position. He’s ranked the No. 350 overall prospect and 41st-best cornerback in the class, according to the 247Sports‘ composite.

1. Oliver Martin, 4-star WR (Iowa City, Iowa)

If there’s one guy left on the board who the staff would like to add while missing on everyone else, it has to be Oliver Martin.

The four-star receiver from Iowa City has been on the Spartans’ recruiting board for some time, even before his recruitment blew up over the summer. He dominated at Nike’s The Opening in Oregon and earned himself an invite to the Army All-American Game. During that span, he has gone from a mid-ranged three-star to a near five-star receiver.

Rocky Lombardi, Michigan State’s three-star 2017 quarterback commit, is hoping the Spartans are able to reel in his good friend from Iowa. The two are childhood pals and the potential quarterback-receiver connection is a major selling point for the staff.

Unfortunately, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Notre Dame are all making serious pushes for Martin as he might be the most talented uncommitted receiver left for 2017.

Martin is likely making a decision on signing day, but he is still receiving in-home visits from coaches like Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh. He’s ranked the No. 47 overall recruit and seventh-best wide out in 2017, according to 247Sports.