Farmington Hills Harrison senior Drew Stanton, Michigan’s top high school quarterback according to AllianceSports, is seriously considering verbally committing to MSU for the 2002 season.
Stanton, who led Harrison to the Class A state title in his junior season last year, told The State News on Tuesday that the four colleges that top his list are MSU, UCLA, Oregon and Florida. He is also considering Michigan, but the Wolverines aren’t frontrunners.
During a visit to MSU in the spring, Stanton attended spring practice and said the changes MSU has made in its offense seem to fit his drop-back quarterback style.
“The new stuff they’re doing with three-receiver sets looks fun,” Stanton said. “Especially with (MSU sophomore receiver) Charles Rogers - those types of receivers and that style of offense look interesting.”
Oregon is high on Stanton’s list because his family moved from the state right before his junior year and his sister, Bryane Stanton, currently attends Oregon.
AllianceSports recruiting expert Bill Kurelic said the Spartans have an inside edge in the race for Stanton because his dad is an MSU alumnus who played baseball for the Spartans from 1971-75.
And Stanton’s brother, Ben Stanton, is an English senior at MSU, but will graduate before Drew gets to college.
“MSU has a great shot at landing him,” Kurelic said Tuesday. “His dad went to MSU, and he has family ties (to MSU). He’s definitely interested in Oregon schools, but MSU has as good of a shot or better than anyone.”
Stanton said he has a feel for life at MSU because he has visited his brother a number of times.
“Where I want to go, that’s kind of up in the air,” Stanton said. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. I think I might stay around the Midwest, but don’t know for sure.”
MSU head football coach Bobby Williams attended a Harrison practice last month and talked to Stanton about MSU, Stanton said.
Former MSU head coach George Perles also talked to the quarterback on the phone this spring. Perles told Stanton it’s important to commit to a college early, so as to avoid distractions during his senior year.
Stanton said he will prepare to play at the college level by improving his knowledge in the strategic aspect of the game next fall.
“Reading defenses is the biggest thing,” he said. “Adjusting to the college style, there’s so much that goes into it. In high school, the best athlete just gets open but (college) is a different style. There are hidden defenses - it’s so much faster.”
