Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Recruiting: Top 5 remaining 2017 football targets

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio walks his team onto the field before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Although Michigan State recruiting has been quiet these days, here are the top five remaining 2017 football targets.

Haven’t heard much about Michigan State recruiting’s 2017 football class? You’re not alone. The Spartans have been very quiet on the recruiting trail for the past few months and it might be a while before the class is all sewn up and secured.

There were rumors floating around about possible decommitments, but those have since been cleared up. Michigan State is looking to make a strong push in the final months before National Signing Day with 16 commits currently in the 2017 class.

There are many guys who should be targeted by this staff, but five stick out as needs and, really, top priorities. Mark Dantonio knows his team is young and inexperienced this year, but he also understands which positions need to be recruited the hardest — offensive and defensive lines.

With that being said, here are the top five 2017 Michigan State recruiting targets who Dantonio needs to make a push for.

5. Naytron Culpepper

Sep 17, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (6) has pass broken up by Michigan State Spartans cornerback Vayante Copeland (13) during the second half a game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

There may not be much talk of Michigan State landing four-star defensive back Naytron Culpepper, but it was rumored over the summer that he was down to three schools with the Spartans making the cut.

Culpepper is likely eyeing four schools now, though, which include MSU, South Carolina, Maryland and Tennessee. He is taking his official visit to Michigan State on Nov. 19 and the Spartans could really use him in the secondary next season.

The defensive backfield has struggled this season and true freshman Justin Layne has gotten some playing time and has even started. That might draw a kid like Culpepper who might be looking to play right away.

The Miami-native is ranked the No. 275 overall prospect in the class and can play either cornerback or safety, according to 247Sports. He’s a hard-hitting, athletic kid who would be the perfect addition to the class.

Oct 8, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Donnie Corley (9) attempts to make a catch against Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Dayan Lake (5) during the 1st quarter of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jaylen Harris/KJ Hamler

You might be wondering why the lone receiver on this list isn’t named Donovan Peoples-Jones nor is it Jeff Thomas, but that’s because Jaylen Harris and KJ Hamler are much more realistic options than the other two.

Peoples-Jones might be the best receiver in the 2017 class and has included the Spartans in a previous top 10 list, but the consensus is that he will end up at either Michigan, Ohio State or Alabama. As for Thomas, the Spartans made his list of top-six schools over the summer, surprisingly, but he has since named Alabama his leader.

Michigan State isn’t in desperate need of receivers, especially with Hunter Rison and Cody White in this class, but Harris and Hamler would be nice additions. They could both utilize the role of playmaker on the offensive side the ball and each is a different type of wide out.

Hamler, who transferred to IMG Academy this year from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, is coming off an ACL injury. He missed the majority of his senior season but the coaching staff still believes that he will be a speedy slot receiver when he heals. He is an R.J. Shelton-type of receiver. The Spartans are battling Oregon for his services.

Harris has a top-five list including Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio State and it might come down to the Spartans and Buckeyes. He has great size — 6-foot-5, 210 pounds — and is ranked the No. 159 overall prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports.

Sep 17, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver R.J. Shelton (12) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Avery Sebastian (4) during the second half a game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

3. Lynn Bowden

From what I’ve been hearing and seeing, it looks like the tides are beginning to shift on four-star athlete Lynn Bowden. The Youngstown, Ohio, prospect has been on the Spartans’ radar since before the 2016 spring game and he was supposed to make an appearance, still as an Indiana commit, but cancelled.

It took a while for him to finally get an offer, but he visited East Lansing unofficially back in August and received that scholarship from Dantonio. It seemed to be the one he was waiting for, but he didn’t commit on the spot like some thought he might.

Since then, not much has been talked about between Michigan State and Bowden, but he did say he will be announcing his school decision in January. The inconsistent Crystal Ball on 247Sports went from mostly Michigan State to now favoring Kentucky. People have been casting votes for the Wildcats in large numbers lately, and that is concerning.

Still, he has to be looked at as a major target who could be an offensive weapon for the Spartans at multiple positions. He plays quarterback, running back and receiver at Warren G. Harding High and can also play some defense.

Bowden is ranked the No. 115 overall recruit and fifth-best athlete in the 2017 class.

Oct 8, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Malik McDowell (4) is blocked by Brigham Young Cougars offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch (78) during the second half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

2. Deron Irving-Bey

If you’ve watched any Michigan State football this season, you would know that a major issue on either side of the ball has to be the depth in the trenches. The defensive line has been struggling to get any pressure on opposing quarterbacks and if Malik McDowell leaves, the line will get that much thinner.

Michigan State has been high on Deron Irving-Bey for a while now and the Spartans were one of the first schools to offer him a scholarship. That’s something that sticks with the kid, and he has praised his relationship with Dantonio as well.

Unfortunately, the Spartans have to battle it out with Michigan for his services. On the plus side, the Spartans have a better selling point when it comes to early playing time. Jim Harbaugh has recruited a surplus of defensive line talent to Michigan and it might be a while before DIB breaks the playing group.

There’s nearly a guarantee that Irving-Bey’s redshirt would get burned during his freshman season in order to make up for some key departures on the defensive line. In fact, the Spartans could use an end with Evan Jones and Gabe Sherrod graduating.

Irving-Bey is ranked the No. 288 overall prospect and 13th-best strong-side defensive end in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports.

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive end Gabe Sherrod (89) celebrates with cornerback Vayante Copeland (13) after a defense stop during the second half against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ambry Thomas

Michigan State’s secondary has been subpar, at best, this season and it’s due to the lack of experience, in a way, but also because the players who are in the secondary just aren’t living up to expectations, with the exception of Justin Layne and Montae Nicholson.

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Layne’s ability to crack the depth chart as the No. 1 cornerback opposite Vayante Copeland has to be attractive for a kid like Ambry Thomas. He’s a true freshman who came in as a four-star receiver, but the secondary was so dismantled that he made a push for playing time and switched to the defensive of the ball.

Thomas might be the best cornerback prospect in the entire 2017 class. The Detroit-native is ranked the No. 32 overall recruit and third-best cornerback in 2017, according to 247Sports. He’s also the second-best prospect from the state of Michigan, behind five-star Cass Tech receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Michigan State needs some help in the defensive backfield and Thomas has the talent and potential to come in right away and help out. Hauling two top defensive back recruits like Culpepper and Thomas before NSD would be huge for Dantonio.

Ambry remains the top target on the board for Michigan State.