When you think of some of the biggest named players to come out of MSU as of late, you think of running back Le’Veon Bell, quarterback Kirk Cousins, cornerback Darqueze Dennard and cornerback Trae Waynes.
These guys have more in common than their former team; they all happen to be lower-end, two or three-star recruits.
Bell was a two-star, Dennard a two-star, Waynes a two-star and Cousins a three-star, according to the college sports website Rivals.com. But Cousins was considered a two-star on some platforms during his recruiting process.
“(Dantonio) has done it time in and time out, not only Le’Veon Bell, me and Trae Waynes, but also the leading receiver in Michigan State history, B.J. Cunningham was a two-star. Kirk Cousins was a two-star,” Dennard said. “There’s a bunch of two-stars that are grinding through this program with Coach (Dantonio) and end up at the top.”
Head coach Mark Dantonio has made a habit of developing these low-star recruits into successful players at the collegiate and professional level — taking a chance on the guys other top programs would not.
“We were just talking about that, me and some of the other players. Coach (Dantonio) won’t always go for the five-star recruits,” Waynes said. “He sees potential in a lot of players, not only myself, but (Darqueze Dennard) and Le’Veon (Bell). We were all two-stars and look at (what) we’re doing and the impact we’ve made already.”
Bell, a second-round pick in 2013, is coming off a monster season in Pittsburgh, in which he ran for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns, all while making 83 receptions for 854 yards and another three touchdowns.
Dennard was the No. 24 overall pick in 2014. In his rookie year he saw action in 14 games, earning 17 combined tackles.
Cousins has yet to prove he can be a franchise quarterback since being drafted in the fourth round in 2012, but he can still be a quality backup. Cousins played in six games last year, throwing for 1,710 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Waynes, entering this year’s NFL draft is essentially guaranteed to be a first-round pick.
“They gave me a chance. I was a combine kid. I wasn’t really highly recruited coming out of high school,” Waynes said. “Michigan State gave me a chance, and they stuck by everything they said. They believed in me. All I remember is coach Barnett telling me if I don’t start for three or four years, it’s on me.”
Despite his track record, Dantonio has tried to downplay his role in the development of his players.
“Le’Veon (Bell) started as a true freshman. That didn’t take long, so that was all him. Darqueze (Dennard) played as a true freshman so that didn’t take long (either),” Dantonio said. “Our coaches do a great job with our guys. Our guys come (and) they perform; they work in the weight room.”
“We’ve got guys that come in and work. (Bell, Dennard and Waynes) come and they excel in those areas, but they also become very confident players and I think confidence breeds success.”
Dantonio suggested there isn’t a big difference in players when it comes to stars, but that it’s the intangibles that make the player.
“There’s not that big of a difference between the stars on a player’s name,” Dantonio said “It’s who are you playing against, the competition level, how do you see them, how do you develop them, how do they perform, what kind of problems do they have. Who are these individuals? There are just so many intangibles that go into this.”
