Michigan State football: Grading Spartans 2021 recruiting class

Grading the Michigan State football 2021 recruiting class while the Spartans look for more growth as they continue under head coach Mel Tucker.

Mel Tucker knows how to recruit and that’s something that Michigan State football fans were hoping to see in action. While the Spartans aren’t competing with the likes of Ohio State and Michigan in the 2021 recruiting cycle, it’s clear that Tucker has already had a positive impact in this department.

After being outside the top 40 last year in the recruiting rankings, the Spartans are now inside the top 35, which is huge for this type of program. A trio of 4-star prospects bolsters a deep class of 19 commits to this point.

Let’s take a look at this group and grade the Michigan State football 2021 recruiting class. Note: All rankings are via the 247 Sports Composite.

Biggest Michigan State football commit for 2021: Ma’a Gaoteote, OLB

It was a big National Signing Day for Michigan State as they were able to flip linebacker Ma’a Gaoteote from USC in by far their biggest move of the day. In doing so, they land a linebacker who is the No. 11 player at his position and the No. 155 prospect in the class. Gaoteote has a slight frame at just 6-foot-2, 220 pounds but he moves incredibly well and could add some speed and pop to this defense moving forward.

Strengths, weaknesses of the 2021 Michigan State football recruiting class

With the addition of Gaoteote to this class, the strength is clearly the front seven — their top two recruits in the class are at outside linebacker and defensive tackle. That’s the start of a foundation for Tucker to build with, especially with some intriguing 3-stars sprinkled in.

The weak spot is definitely at quarterback. This has been an issue for the Spartans and Hampton Fay is their only signing, a 3-star prospect who is only ranked as the No. 39 pro-style quarterback in the class. Safe to say strong reinforcements aren’t heading to East Lansing.

Diamond in the rough of 2021 Michigan State football class: Derrick Harmon, DT

Harmon is a fringe 3-star recruit who just barely cracks the top 1,000 overall players in this class. But the Detroit native has tools you can’t teach at 6-foot-4.5 and 359 pounds with the ability to move. He’s raw and needs to firm up his frame but his raw set of skills are something that could make him a breakout star down the road for the Spartans.

Where does Michigan State football rank in the 2021 recruiting cycle?

It looks bad to say that Michigan State ranks only ninth in the Big Ten for the 2021 recruiting rankings but it is a step up in that they are No. 33 nationally, up 11 spots from where they were in the 2020 cycle.

Michigan State football recruiting grade: B

Look, Michigan State isn’t exactly a recruiting hot bed but this is a step up from last year and there are some nice flash pieces in this 2021 class for Spartans. That’s a solid grade in my book.

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