Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Recruiting: Updated list of top National Signing Day targets

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:20 p.m. ET

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Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State recruiting has a big week ahead before National Signing Day and here’s an updated list of top targets.

With just one week left until National Signing Day, Michigan State recruiting has its work cut out for it. Mark Dantonio has a number of guys left on the board who he would like to make Spartans before the time runs out on the 2017 class.

Michigan State has 21 commitments thus far and supposedly one, or two, silent commitments ready to announce within the next week. The class will likely be no bigger than 25 and that means that only a couple of guys on this list will be Spartans by National Signing Day.

The Spartans have plenty of needs from defensive line, to offensive line, to running back, cornerback and even linebacker. There have been multiple commitments within the past couple of weeks from Antjuan Simmons, DeAri Todd, Tre Person and Raheem Blackshear — all were originally committed elsewhere.

The final push from the staff is coming, though.

Here’s an updated list, as of Wednesday afternoon, of the Spartans’ top remaining 2017 National Signing Day targets.

10. Victor Dimukeje, 3-star DT (Baltimore, Md.)

Victor Dimukeje took one of his final official visits to Michigan State on Jan. 13 and the staff stopped in to see him at school recently. The push is definitely being made to land the big defensive tackle from Baltimore, but he may already have his mind made up.

The top competition to land him is primarily based on the East Coast and it’s hard to reel those types of kids away from schools from the area. Duke, Maryland and Virginia Tech seem to be working the hardest on him and the Blue Devils may have just won the battle.

Dimukeje, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound tackle, would be a welcomed addition to a depleted defensive line, but not a guy the staff truly expected to be in this class. He’s ranked the No. 1,042 overall recruit and 68th-best defensive tackle in the class, according to the 247Sports composite.

Expect a decision closer to National Signing Day.

Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans safety Montae Nicholson (9) reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

9. Naytron Culpepper, 4-star DB (Opa Locka, Fla.)

Why is a four-star defensive back so low on the list right now? Well, Naytron Culpepper was considered a heavy lean toward Maryland, but following a visit to South Florida, the tides seem to be turning in the direction of the Bulls.

While Culpepper enjoyed his recent official visit to East Lansing, it was likely just to make sure he wasn’t making the wrong choice by picking someone like Maryland or South Florida over the Spartans. He even named the Terrapins as his favorite before the visit and he was just checking East Lansing out before he made a decision.

The Spartans made his list of top schools not too long ago but the staff didn’t finish the job — either that or they cooled on him because they found someone as a better fit.

Either way, Culpepper is still on the board as a possible, but not likely, addition to the class and he would fill a need in the defensive backfield. The best thing about him is his ability to play both cornerback and safety — Dantonio loves guys who can play multiple positions.

Culpepper is ranked the No. 303 overall prospect and 24th-best safety in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports.

Sep 17, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Demetrious Cox (7) walks off the field after a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

8. Emmanuel Flowers, 2-star S (Chino, Calif.)

Emmanuel Flowers isn’t the four-star target many Michigan State fans had in mind when talking about potential National Signing Day additions, but the two-star from Chino, Calif., projects better than his current recruiting ranking.

In fact, Flowers is a very undervalued prospect who hasn’t really received much attention on the recruiting trail. He’s been offered by UCLA, Hawaii, San Diego State and Idaho and could be one of the steals of the class. The Spartans offered him just over a month ago and he took his official visit to East Lansing just last week.

It’s a rarity to see Dantonio go after California-based prospects because they usually like to stay out west or commit to big programs such as Alabama, Ohio State and even Michigan based on the brand that the two are selling.

Flowers might just jump on the opportunity to become a Spartan because of his offer sheet. There’s no word on whether his offer to UCLA is committable or not, nor about his Michigan State offer — it’s hard to explain the process, but sometimes recruits are told to hold off on committing so the staff can see if they land ‘Plan A’ guys.

Could Flowers be the Spartans’ next diamond in the rough who comes in and excels before his career is over? He has the size, standing 6-foot-1, and his film is impressive.

Jan 1, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan State Spartans fullback Trevon Pendleton (37) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Michael Dennis (94) and guard Connor Kruse (54) and offensive tackle Jack Conklin (74) during the first half against Stanford Cardinal at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

7. Mekhi Becton, 3-star OT (Highland Springs, Va.)

Offensive line depth? Yes, please. Michigan State could use all the help possible on the offensive line and that would mean that the last remaining target in the trenches, Mekhi Becton, would have to sign with the Spartans on Feb. 1. As of right now, that’s not looking likely.

Becton released a top-five of Louisville, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Michigan State and Oregon just a couple of weeks ago and many believed he would either stay close to home or pick the Wolverines who had just missed out on a big offensive line target.

The Spartans could be a dark-horse in his recruitment as they’re scheduled, as of right now, to receive his last official visit before signing day on Jan. 27.

Michigan State’s offensive line struggled this season and it was partially due to the lack of depth. Guys like Thiyo Lukusa, Tyler Higby and Cole Chewins were all forced into early action and they played well in place of the veterans.

The big offensive tackle is ranked the No. 400 overall prospect in the 2017 class as well as the 42nd-best at his position, according to the 247Sports composite. His 6-foot-7, 345-pound frame would be perfect for the left or right tackle position.

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive end Demetrius Cooper (98) gestures to the sideline during the second half against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

6. Koby Cumberlander, 3-star DE (Roswell, Ga.)

When Michigan State offered Koby Cumberlander on Dec. 18, his dreams were one step closer to coming true. The three-star defensive end from Roswell, Ga., grew up liking the Spartans and that’s partially because of his relation to former Michigan State basketball legend Kevin Willis.

Now that he’s trying to figure out which college to attend, it was made a little easier by the offer from Michigan State and he can now take a load off his shoulders knowing that he could be a Spartan like he dreamed of as a child — but he may have to wait just a little longer.

Michigan State’s offer, while still on the table, might not be committable just yet. The Spartans extended a scholarship to Cumberlander and he knew that’s where he wanted to go, but the staff wanted to finish evaluating some of the top remaining talent on their recruiting board first.

With Robert Porcher IV and Willie Rodgers committing elsewhere, that leaves a potential spot open for the Georgia-native. Will he be turned off by the fact that he wasn’t a ‘Plan A’ guy? Some kids are, but Cumberlander might just put that behind him and prove the doubters wrong.

Cumberlander isn’t the biggest defensive end prospect, standing 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, but he is strong and can still grow into his body.

Sep 19, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; dMichigan State Spartans linebacker Andrew Dowell (5) celebrates fumble recovery during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. MSU won 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

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

A relatively new name on the list of targets, three-star linebacker Lionel Cummings was just offered by Michigan State last week and he’s already planning a visit for this coming weekend. He is one of those under-the-radar prospects who may not have the exposure necessary to be ranked higher on recruiting boards, but the staff seems to like him.

Cummings reigns from Bartow, Fla., and stands 6-foot-3, 200 pounds which is decent for an incoming outside linebacker, but he will need to add about 25 pounds before he can really be a force at the next level — that’s what redshirting is for.

This is an interesting case in which he could also be switched to defensive back based on his size and apparent aggressiveness from the linebacker position. The staff offered him to play linebacker, but we’ve seen it before where the kids make the switch after their redshirt year when the staff gets a real chance to evaluate them.

Temple and Central Florida were the main suitors for the Bartow-native, but his trip to East Lansing this weekend has those two thinking that the race to land him is over. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he committed on his trip or on National Signing Day.

Cummings is ranked the No. 1,105 prospect and 82nd-best outside linebacker, according to 247Sports.

Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back LJ Scott (3) runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

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

Running back seems to be a position of need, and there’s a good reason for that. The staff missed out on a back in the 2016 class after Abdul Adams de-committed and picked Oklahoma. On top of that, the staff has just one running back for 2017 in Weston Bridges who’s coming off ACL surgery — not an ideal scenario for an incoming freshman.

The depth chart will be thin at the position for 2018 if no back is added by then and the next recruiting cycle will likely need to add 2-3 guys. Johnathan Lovett is the Spartans’ last hope for a running back in this class as Cordarrian Richardson is off the board as well as Jalen Holston.

However, rumors have been swirling about the three-star from Burlington, N.J. In fact, it was rumored that he committed on his visit to East Lansing last week, but his trip to Baylor on Jan. 20 changed things up a bit. He may no longer be committed to the green and white (according to rumors) but no one really knows what’s going on in his recruitment.

Lovett’s case is probably the most interesting of any current Spartan target’s seeing as he seemed like a lock no too long ago, but the Baylor trip seemed to have swayed him.

Still, Lovett remains a must-have target and he ranks as the No. 403 overall prospect and 29th-best running back in 2017, according to 247Sports. His film is very impressive.

Oct 24, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Demetrious Cox (7) celebrates broken up pass attempt during the 2nd half of a game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

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

And then there were two. Just two days after taking an official visit to East Lansing to see what Michigan State had to offer, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah de-committed from hometown Virginia. While that may seem like Michigan State swayed him and should be the favorite, he still has one visit remaining to Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish are actually the presumed favorite to land him and it would be surprising to see the Spartans lure him away from South Bend after having just offered on Dec. 12. In fact, Michigan State was the last school to offer the three-star athlete and it may have been too little, too late.

On Tuesday night, the three-star announced that his final two programs were Michigan State and Notre Dame and that he would be making his college decision on National Signing Day.

Owusu-Koramoah projects as a safety or linebacker at the next level which makes him a prime Dantonio recruit. As mentioned earlier, the head coach loves guys who can play multiple positions and his 6-foot-2, 197-pound frame would be ideal for either one. He’s a hard hitter who isn’t afraid to step up and make plays against the run — typical Spartan.

The former Virginia pledge is ranked the No. 323 overall prospect and 19th-best athlete in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports. Michigan State has had good luck with flips over the past week, could it keep that trend going here?

Sep 24, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

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

There’s no doubt about it, Ameer Speed is the type of cornerback that would instantly improve Michigan State’s defensive backfield. The three-star from Jacksonville has been high on the Spartans for some time and recently named a top five with Michigan State on the list.

The others to make the list were Georgia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Oregon with the Bulldogs leading the way and Hokies close behind. Michigan State got a visit from Speed all the way back in October so the chances of landing him are slim, but he does think highly of the staff.

Michigan State could use some cornerbacks and Speed has a 6-foot-3 frame that you just can’t teach. With the size, speed and athleticism, he could be the most underrated cornerback left in the class and he is the top defensive back left on the board — although the chances of landing Emmanuel Flowers are much higher.

Could the first official visit hurt the Spartans since it was so long ago? That’s very possible, but Michigan State is still technically in the running and the Spartans have NFL cornerback talent working in their favor.

Speed is ranked the No. 350 overall recruit in the 2017 class as well as the 41st-best cornerback, according to the 247Sports composite. He will be making his decision on National Signing Day between his top five schools.

Nov 26, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Monty Madaris (88) runs with the ball as Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Brandon Bell (11) attempts a tackle during the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan State 45-12. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

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

Another kid whose recruitment has been quiet and seemingly back-and-forth is Oliver Martin. The four-star wide out from Iowa City, Iowa, was once a lean toward Michigan State but schools like Michigan, Iowa, Notre Dame and Ohio State are making strong final pushes for him.

Must Read: MSU Recruiting: Top 5 needs to address for National Signing Day

Martin’s recruitment really blew up after Nike’s The Opening in Oregon over the summer in which he stood out as one of the best receivers at the event. He shot up the recruiting rankings and now looks to be one of the top uncommitted prospects in the country. For a kid who doesn’t like the spotlight, he sure is getting a ton of it right now.

Something playing into the Spartans’ favor regarding his final decision is the fact that good friend and fellow Iowa-native Rocky Lombardi happens to be committed to Michigan State for 2017. The three-star quarterback has been in Oliver’s ear ever since he made his verbal pledge and the two could be future teammates and a deadly connection.

Michigan, Notre Dame, Auburn and Ohio State all paid him in-home visits in recent weeks and the Spartans got an official from him on Jan. 13.

Martin is the top target left on the board for Michigan State and he’s ranked the No. 47 overall recruit and seventh-best receiver in 2017.