First Look: 2009 Team Recruiting Rankings - MSU #10!

[300 Warrior]

It is still relatively early in the recruiting process for the Class of 2009, but several schools are already beginning to fill up their recruiting classes with verbal commitments from some of the nation's top prospects.

Rivals.com national recruiting editor Jeremy Crabtree takes a look at how the top 25 currently stands and gives us his take on those team's efforts.

This first sampling of the team rankings is based strictly on rated high school players - neither junior college nor prep school prospects have been ranked at this time.

SpartanMag.com - First look: 2009 team recruiting rankings

10. Michigan State

2009 total commits: 9 Headliner: Edwin Baker 2008 class rank: 47

For all the headlines that have been grabbed in Columbus and Ann Arbor, Mark Dantonio and the Spartans have been overlooked a bit. Michigan State has tapped into the in-state talent in one of the deepest years in Michigan in recent memory. Running back Edwin Baker and linebacker Chris Norman are flat out studs. But when you see other talented guys such as Andrew Maxwell, Blake Treadwell, Larry Caper and Donald Spencer aboard, you know things are going well. Michigan State also will do well in Ohio this season, as evidenced by the addition of fast-rising receiver Patrick White.

[Left_Of_The_Dial]

It's nice to see us grouped in with the other programs on that list. In the past, Michigan State has relied on star players to win games for them. The be consistently success you need good coaching and need to have talent at every position.

It looks like Dantonio is finally giving us that and the future looks very bright.

[DrTre11]

I was in a conversation the other day and the topic was MSU football and the direction they are headed. I made the statement that I thought Dantonio was going to end up on the level of Tom Izzo in terms of reputation, respect, and where he's taken the program he's in. A few eyebrows raised and I followed by saying, it might sound bold but MD is doing everything the right way just like Izzo did.

Boy is this a sign that Dantonio just might be the man who will become a legend in EL. You look at who we are grouped with on that list and who is ranked behind us and it is easy to see the direction of the program. This will only help our recruiting efforts!

GO STATE!!!

[bpmcgant]

The year over year improvement is amazing. Everyone ahead of us finished in the top 15 last year and we were 47. The big thing I think to note about that is that if we continue to perform on the field this type of performance should be sustainable. Maybe not top 10, but 15-20 I would think most years.

[Lenin's Tomb]

Originally Posted by bpmcgant

The year over year improvement is amazing. Everyone ahead of us finished in the top 15 last year and we were 47. The big thing I think to note about that is that if we continue to perform on the field this type of performance should be sustainable. Maybe not top 10, but 15-20 I would think most years.

The significant difference in extrapolating this success into the future is what will the Michigan HS talent be like in '10, '11, and on. Will this success translate outside of MI and OH? Or will MSU's recruiting success nationally, fluctuate with the talent available in those two states? I hope we can be top 15-20 year in and year out, but MSU will need to get pipelines nationally to do it.

[Green & White 4 Life]

Originally Posted by DrTre11

I was in a conversation the other day and the topic was MSU football and the direction they are headed. I made the statement that I thought Dantonio was going to end up on the level of Tom Izzo in terms of reputation, respect, and where he's taken the program he's in. A few eyebrows raised and I followed by saying, it might sound bold but MD is doing everything the right way just like Izzo did.

Boy is this a sign that Dantonio just might be the man who will become a legend in EL. You look at who we are grouped with on that list and who is ranked behind us and it is easy to see the direction of the program. This will only help our recruiting efforts!

GO STATE!!!

I couldn't agree more. I doubt there is a coach that could have been a more perfect fit for MSU. I am to the point where I feel if MD can't turn MSU's football program into a program that will compete for a Big Ten title every year, NO ONE ELSE WILL! It will take a couple more years of good, solid seasons before we start having New Year's day bowl games on a yearly basis.

Keep up the great work Coach Dantonio!!

[Spartan Pride]

Unfortunately, everyone will bitch when it finishes outside of the top 25 because we are only taking 16-18ish players.

[DrTre11]

Originally Posted by Spartan Pride

Unfortunately, everyone will bitch when it finishes outside of the top 25 because we are only taking 16-18ish players.

I don't think this will happen because of how late in the game it is. If the rankings came out in May, I might have agreed. But, the big time programs are filling fast and there isn't a ton of room for movement. If we get 1-2 more 4 star kids which I think we will, we'll have about 8 total. We fill the rest in with 3 star+ talent and you've got the makings of a Top 15 finish for sure.

[Old Hort]

I am going to throw a couple more logs on man-love of MD fire that is burning here. Not only is MD getting quality recruits, he is getting quality students and seemingly good citizens who really want to play for MSU. So, I don't think we will see many kids not qualifying.

[spartaspartan]

where is Indiana and their rocket ship of love?

[spartan80]

Originally Posted by DrTre11

I don't think this will happen because of how late in the game it is. If the rankings came out in May, I might have agreed. But, the big time programs are filling fast and there isn't a ton of room for movement. If we get 1-2 more 4 star kids which I think we will, we'll have about 8 total. We fill the rest in with 3 star+ talent and you've got the makings of a Top 15 finish for sure.

Problem is that the number of kids you take has an impact on class ranking, and MSU can't take a big class. What the previous poster was alluding too is that MSU's final ranking will be lowered because of the class size. Doesn't mean MSU won't have a great class, just that some schools with more spots available could pass MSU.

[SpartanRocky]

Originally Posted by DrTre11

I don't think this will happen because of how late in the game it is. If the rankings came out in May, I might have agreed. But, the big time programs are filling fast and there isn't a ton of room for movement. If we get 1-2 more 4 star kids which I think we will, we'll have about 8 total. We fill the rest in with 3 star+ talent and you've got the makings of a Top 15 finish for sure.

Problem is that rivals does the ranking based on the total number of rivals points accumulated. . .meaning Nick Saban's class of 29 was higher than Pete Carrol's class of 18. . . even though Carrol's class AVERAGED 4* even.

[DrTre11]

Yeah, I get that...but I don't think it pushes us out of the Top 25. I still think we end up around 15 and that will be because of our smaller class size. A higher number would land us where we are now. That is ridiculously stupid though BTW, they need to use their knowledge to make judgements on which are the best....not the biggest.

[SpartanRocky]

Originally Posted by DrTre11

Yeah, I get that...but I don't think it pushes us out of the Top 25. I still think we end up around 15 and that will be because of our smaller class size. A higher number would land us where we are now. That is ridiculously stupid though BTW, they need to use their knowledge to make judgements on which are the best....not the biggest.

I agree with you 100%. . . the reason for the repetive post is that I left my computer for 45 minutes in mid-post to get dinner, then finished and someone had already posted what I had wanted to, haha.

And I agree with you as far as the "quality over quantity" argument. I think when it's all said and done this class will be the best since 2002.

[Spartan Pride]

Originally Posted by SpartanRocky

I agree with you 100%. . . the reason for the repetive post is that I left my computer for 45 minutes in mid-post to get dinner, then finished and someone had already posted what I had wanted to, haha.

And I agree with you as far as the "quality over quantity" argument. I think when it's all said and done this class will be the best since 2002.

As do I.

The thing is though, THESE rankings are based on quality.

The ones that go on rivals.com at the end of the year are based on a points system and quantity is much more important in those.

[ep50]

Originally Posted by Spartan Pride

As do I.

The thing is though, THESE rankings are based on quality.

The ones that go on rivals.com at the end of the year are based on a points system and quantity is much more important in those.

Not entirely, otherwise Rutgers wouldn't be #11, they've got numbers over everyone else.

[Spartan Pride]

Originally Posted by ep50

Not entirely, otherwise Rutgers wouldn't be #11, they've got numbers over everyone else.

What I meant is...These are based on quality. Because they're from an actual human being who evaluated the class personally. It takes into account what schools need and things like that.

These are based on a bunch of numbers that are put into a computer. And the more "numbers" you've got, the higher your ranking will end up. Unfortunately, this is the ranking that most people will look at at the end of the year.

[Spartan4ever]

Originally Posted by spartaspartan

where is Indiana and their rocket ship of love?

[Final Countdown]

even though we're taking a smaller class (and thus won't have as many impact players coming in next season)... the fact that we could even get players like these to commit is a milestone in itself. who cares how rivals ranks our class? whats important is that we're getting respect and that we're gonna be even more of a force on the recruiting trail in 2010.

[SpartanRocky]

Originally Posted by Final Countdown

even though we're taking a smaller class (and thus won't have as many impact players coming in next season)... the fact that we could even get players like these to commit is a milestone in itself. who cares how rivals ranks our class? whats important is that we're getting respect and that we're gonna be even more of a force on the recruiting trail in 2010.

Caper, Baker, Norman, Spencer and White could all contribute their Frosh year. Expect one or both of the RBs to do so.

[HoopsJunkie]