MSU football receives verbal commitments from top in-state talent

Editor’s note: This headline has been changed to accurately reflect the story.

After a little more than three weeks since National Signing Day, MSU head football coach Mark Dantonio is back on the recruiting trail for the 2009 class, and the results are already showing.

MSU landed verbal commitments from Oak Park running back Edwin Baker and Ypsilanti wide receiver Donald Spencer this week, who join Detroit Renaissance linebacker Chris Norman as early commits for 2009.

“There’s 49 weeks left until National Signing Day and they’re off to a great start — they’re definitely off to a big start,” said Jamie Newberg, national editor for the recruiting Web site Scout.com.

While Scouts Inc. doesn’t release their player rankings for the 2009 class until mid-March, Newberg said the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Baker ranks as one of the best running backs in the nation.

“That guy can play for just about anyone in the country — he’s awesome,” Newberg said.

During his junior year at Oak Hill High School, Baker, who has been clocked with a time of 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, rushed for 1,295 yards and eight touchdowns.

Spencer, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 191 pounds, decided on MSU over schools such as Indiana, Penn State and Illinois.

“My sophomore year I basically went to almost every Big Ten school and got a feel for how coaches were, and got a feel for it all,” Spencer said. “I thought that MSU was the best school for me to attend.”

While Spencer went to high school in Ypsilanti, which is right down the road from Ann Arbor, he said he was never contacted by the Wolverine coaching staff — which is fine by him.

“I’m in their backyard, but I guess they didn’t see me as a good Wolverine and they kind of looked right past me,” he said. “But I found a good school for me anyway and I’m happy with my decision.”

David Poole, Spencer’s coach at Ypsilanti High School, said Spencer possesses “sneaky” speed and has had great ability to adjust to the ball in the air. Poole said Spencer’s best attribute is his work ethic.

“He tries to work real hard on his routes, and if the ball is not coming to him, he still runs them out if the ball goes to another wide receiver, look out, he’s going head-hunting — he’s a tremendous blocker,” Poole said.

Newberg said he would put Spencer, who had 335 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2007, in the top tier of an in-state wide receiver class that is “well-loaded.”

He also said Spencer and Fred Smith, the top-ranked receiver in the state for 2008 who signed with MSU, should be a dynamic duo for the Spartans in the coming years.

“It’s a good start, there’s no question about it. With Fred being one of the top guys this year and getting Donald (for next) year, that’s a good little duo they got there — a big duo,” Newberg said.

There is still a possibility the verbal commitments will be taken back by players. Players cannot officially sign a National Letter of Intent to play with schools until February 2009.

Published on Wednesday, February 27, 2008