This week is arguably the best of the year for those of us who stay dialed in to the recruiting scene; whether it be Ohio State recruiting, Big Ten recruiting, or the bigger, national picture. Four Big Ten teams are currently sitting in the top 20 of the recruiting rankings, and last Thursday we touched on what Jim Harbaugh is building in Ann Arbor.
Later on this week, Remy will look at what's going on throughout the rest of the conference. Today, we focus on the two other programs that are set to make the biggest splash on signing day.
Mark Dantonio and the Spartans currently find themselves at No. 13 on the national recruiting rankings. With 20 commitments in the fold – six of whom have already enrolled – the class's biggest strengths are at wideout and along the defensive line.
Several familiar faces make up one of the nation's top defensive line hauls, which is led by a pair of four-star defensive ends and tackles. The Buckeyes were in hot pursuit of Josh King, a 6-7, 245-pounder who showed up at the Army Bowl with one of the more impressive frames. The Darien, Illinois star had the longest arms – 36.75 inches – of any player at the event. King took a couple visits to Columbus, including one this part March, before pledging to the Spartans in June.
Four-star defensive end Auston Robertson is no stranger to Columbus. The Fort Wayne product visited Ohio State numerous times with his close friend Austin Mack, and looked to be a near Buckeye lock early on the process. Things changed for the nephew of former running back coach Stan Drayton when Jonathon Cooper committed in November of 2014 and Terrell Hall followed suit in March. With Nick Bosa still out there, things began to fizzle between the Buckeyes and Robertson.
On the interior defensive line, the Spartans will be bringing in a pair of Illinois standouts. Evanston's Naquan Jones, who also holds a Buckeye offer, had a bit of a strange recruitment. The 6-foot-4, 283-pound tackle committed to the Spartans in June, decommitted in November, and then recommitted on Dec. 1. Mike Panasiuk, another four-star, also pledged to Mark Dantonio in June.
Michigan State also brings in a trio of four-star wideouts, two of which were also pursued by Urban Meyer and Zach Smith. Buckeye fans should be familiar with the recruitment of Donnie Corley, who committed to the Spartans during the Army All-American Bowl. Last year at this time, the Buckeyes were the team to beat, but Michigan State would later take control and a late push by Ohio State wasn't enough to win over the Detroit (King) receiver who has since enrolled in East Lansing.
Sicklerville, New Jersey's Cameron Chambers is one of the few prospects in the state who isn't going to end up in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes were in it early on for the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder, but it's been all Spartans since the summer of 2014. West Bloomfield, Michigan's Trishton Jackson may not be as familiar of a name as Corley or Chambers, but he may have the highest ceiling of the three. Jackson has seen his stock rise throughout his senior year.
One-time Wolverine commit Messiah deWeaver, a Dayton, Ohio native, looks to be the lone quarterback signee for the Spartans. Other familiar names include offensive lineman Thiyo Lukusa, safeties Kenney Lyke and Demtric Vance, and Columbus (St. Francis DeSales) native Austin Andrews. The Spartans remain in the running for defensive back Lavert Hill, Cincinnati's Prince Sammons, Wolverine commit Michael Onwenu, and former Penn State commit Karamo Dioubate.
After losing tailback Abdul Adams to Oklahoma and missing out on Miles Sanders and George Hill, the lack of a running back would, at this point, appear to be the glaring weakness of the class.
Penn State's 2016 haul, which checks in at No. 16 in the nation right now, is extremely strong at the top, featuring two players who rank as the best at their positions. Running back Miles Sanders put on a show in Orlando during the Under Armour All-American festivities, outshining Michigan commit Kareem Walker and pretty much every other back in attendance. The newly-minted five-star is still being courted by the Spartans, but it would appear that Happy Valley will be the landing spot for the nation's top back.
After briefly flirting with Michigan State, Miles Sanders is on track to sign with Penn State. Via
Michal Menet, the nation's top-rated guard, will also be staying home and playing for the Franklin-led Nittany Lions. Long thought to be a Penn State lock, Duke and Ohio State made the decision a bit tougher than originally expected, but the four-star made his intentions known last spring. At 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, Menet is a bit undersized, but he's one of the more athletic linemen in the entire nation.
The other headliner for the Nits' class hails from Hyattsville, Maryland and the powerhouse DeMatha Catholic program. The nation's fourth-ranked defensive end, Shane Simmons, has been committed to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions since July of 2014. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder chose Penn State over Ohio State, Alabama, and Florida State. He was the second commit for the 2016 class, behind only Miles Sanders.
The Buckeyes were after a pair of Penn State defensive back commitments in Zechariah McPhearson and Andrew Pryts. The chase for Pryts was especially close, as the Buckeyes and Irish both appeared to lead at one point. The Nittany Lion legacy visited Columbus three times in the spring and summer months, but ultimately elected to follow in his father's footsteps as he made his pledge in late August. Stanford continues to make a late push for the Hermitage, Pennsylvania four-star, and this could be one to watch over the next couple days.
James Franklin lost a pair of four-star commits this winter, as both Lavert Hill and Karamo Dioubate elected to look elsewhere. Hill is still considering the Nittany Lions, and he received a standing ovation while attending a hockey game during his official visit. Despite their best efforts, it appears that the longtime commit will be staying within the state of Michigan for his college years. Hill is set to announce on signing day.
The other remaining top targets should also be familiar to Ohio State fans. Damar Hamlin is set to announce his decision Monday evening, and he will decide between Ohio State, Penn State, and Pittsburgh. One-time Ohio State target Brendan Ferns is down to West Virginia and Penn State. The nations No. 7 inside linebacker was scheduled to be in Morgantown this weekend, but there has yet to be any confirmation on the visit actually taking place. He's expected to announce via Twitter on signing day.
