First year MSU head football coach Mark Dantonio announced the 2007 football recruiting class, which Rivals.com ranked No. 44 as of 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Rivals.com, a recruiting Web site, the class displays two four-star athletes, including wide receiver Mark Dell and defensive tackle Antonio Jeremiah.
In National Signing Day surprises, the Spartans lost two four-star recruits. Defensive end Michael Jordan opted not to sign with MSU and Cedric Everson signed an NCAA Letter of Intent with Iowa.
Last season, John L. Smith's Spartans featured a total of seven four-star recruits, giving the class a No. 33 spot.
The 2007 class brings 13 players on offense, six on defense and a kicker who averaged 43.2 yards per punt and successfully knocked in a 50-yard field goal.
Mark Dell, from Farmington Hills, rates among the country's top 150 players according to ESPN.com, and has the ability to go up and get the ball wherever it's thrown.
"He is another guy that again plays defensive back as well so he brings toughness to the table on the offensive side of the ball," Dantonio said.
"He is not a guy who is just going to play wide receiver and that's it — he could possibly play on special teams and do the various things."
Antonio Jeremiah, an athlete who received more than 40 offers to play football, will take the field as a speedy defensive lineman.
Dantonio and his staff also are content with their signing of Kirk Cousins, a 6-foot-3, 181-pound three-star quarterback from Holland.
"We've seen what type of person he is, and really got excited about him," Dantonio said. "I played against Drew Brees … for four straight years and I think he has a lot of those types of tendencies — Being able to deliver the ball from different angles, different variations, a quick release, good arm strength, and I think he'll be an excellent player for us."
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TOP RECRUITS
Mark Dell Position: Wide receiver Height/weight: 6-2/185 Hometown: Farmington Hills High school: Farmington Hills Harrison High School A four-star recruit; No. 21 on Rivals.com Wide Receivers ranking 2007 Antonio Jeremiah Position: Defensive tackle Height/weight: 6-5/295 Hometown: Hilliard, Ohio High school: Darby High School A four-star recruit; No. 14 on Rivals.com Defensive Tackles 2007 QUARTERBACK Kirk Cousins Height/weight: 6-3/181 Hometown: Holland, Mich. High school: Holland Christian High School A three-star recruit RUNNING BACKS Andre Anderson Height/weight: 5-9/182 Hometown: Barrington, Ill. High school: Barrington High School A three-star recruit Ashton Leggett Height/weight: 5-11/220 Hometown: Muskegon High school: Muskegon High School A three-star recruit; No. 21 on Rivals.com Michigan top 30 2007 KICKER Aaron Bates Height/weight: 6-0/190 Hometown: New Concord, Ohio High school: John Glenn High School A two-star recruit |
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Joel Foreman Height/weight: 6-3/291 Hometown: Highland, Mich. High school: Milford High School A two-star recruit Jared McGaha Height/weight: 6-6/275 Hometown: Powell, Tenn. High school: Powell High School A three-star recruit; No. 67 on Rivals.com offensive tackles ranking 2007 Arthur Ray Jr. Height/weight: 6-3/294 Hometown: Chicago, Ill. High school: Mount Carmel High School A three-star recruit; No. 55 on Rivals.com offensive guards 2007 Chase Dumphord Height/weight: 6-5/320 Hometown: Paris, Ky. High school: Paris High School A two-star recruit DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Ishmyl Johnson Height/weight: 6-5/260 Hometown: New Berlin, N.Y. Prep school: Milford Academy A two-star recruit; No. 47 on Rivals.com Prep School top 50 2007 Ryan Wheat Height/weight: 6-5/308 Hometown: Flint, Mich. High school: Carman-Ainsworth High School A three-star recruit; No. 52 on Rivals.com defensive tackles 2007 Oren Wilson Height/weight: 6-3/290 Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio High school: Harmoney Prep A three-star recruit |
WIDE RECEIVERS
B.J. Cunningham Height/weight: 6-2/200 Hometown: Westerville, Ohio High school: Westerville South High School A three-star recruit; No. 37 on Rivals.com Ohio top 50 2007 Chris D. Rucker Height/weight: 5-10/172 Hometown: Detroit High school: Detroit Country Day School A two-star recruit TIGHT ENDS Garrett Celek Height/weight: 6-5/240 Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio High school: La Salle High School A two-star recruit David Duran Height/weight: 6-5/235 Hometown: Marietta, Ga. High school: Kell High School A two-star recruit Kevin Pickelman Height/weight: 6-3/240 Hometown: Marshall, Mich. High school: Marshall High School A two-star recruit; No. 30 on Rivals.com Michigan top 30 2007 LINEBACKERS Greg Jones Height/weight: 6-1/220 Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio High school: Archbishop Moeller High School A three-star recruit; No. 34 on Rivals.com outside linebackers 2007 DEFENSIVE BACK Chris L. Rucker Height/weight: 6-2/185 Hometown: Warren, Ohio High school: Warren Harding High School A three-star recruit; No. 49 on Rivals.com cornerbacks 2007 |
