Detroit Cass Tech running back/linebacker Deon Drake became the third commitment in MSU’s 2014 recruiting class on Sunday.
Drake chose MSU over Ohio State and Iowa and also had offers from schools like Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Syracuse.
It was a big land for the Spartans considering he is one of the top prospects in the Midwest and also that its helping MSU establish a presence in the talent pipeline at Cass Tech. Many players from the school have gone to Michigan in the past. Now East Lansing is becoming a destination of choice because of offensive lineman Dennis Finley, who committed to MSU last month, and Drake.
“They (MSU) have done a great job of just staying after it and staying consistent,” Scout.com recruiting analyst Allen Trieu said today. “It would’ve been easy to write that school off having lost on a number of guys from that school throughout the years, but MSU has continued to keep their relationships there, to keep getting kids on campus and its paid off by being able to get two kids this year.”
And more Cass Tech guys could be on the way. Trieu mentions that Finley and Drake have brought younger players like current Technicians quarterback Jayru Campbell on their visits to MSU.
Drake has long had an interest in MSU. He has a cousin that is enrolled and has visited the campus many times.
“He liked Michigan State from the first time he went up there,” Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher said. “We went to a basketball game and he was just like ‘Coach, this is where I really want to go. He was like coach do you think I’m gonna go here one day?’ I said ‘Sure you can go here, they’ll offer you. You’re a great football player.’ Sure enough, he got the offer.”
Wilcher said Drake is a ‘real good kid and very athletic, quick, a hard worker that bleeds football’ and believes he will be a good addition for MSU.
Here is looking at how some of MSU’s verbal commits fared over the weekend.
Damion Terry (2013 QB) – Completed 12 of 15 passes for 280 yards and five touchdowns to lead Erie Cathedral Prep to a 69-0 win over St. Francis (N.Y). Has 1,017 passing yards in four games and is 59 of 78 passing.
Jay Harris (2013 WR) – Caught the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass is a time expired in Downingtown East’s 35-34 win over Coatesville. Had 12 catches for 118 yards
R.J. Shelton (2013 RB) – Had 106 rushing yards and a 17-yard TD catch for Beaver Dam in its 34-27 loss.
Gerald Holmes (2013 RB) – Had TD runs of 39 yards and 75 yards in Flint Carman-Ainsworth’s 43-0 win over Flushing. Finished with eight carries for 166 yards.
Jalyn Powell (2013 S) - Returned a punt for a touchdown and had a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown in Warren Harding’s 55-0 win over Warren Heights. Harding is 4-1.
Devyn Salmon (2013 DT) – Forced a fumble and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown in Plant City’s 34-14 win over Riverview.
Drake Harris (2014 WR) – Continued his strong junior season with an 86 yard touchdown and seven catches for 139 yards in Grand Rapids Christian’s 38-21 win over Caledonia.
And then looking at a former Spartan, rookie receiver Keshawn Martin had a nice performance for the Houston Texans on Sunday. He had two catches for 20 yards and one carry for 21 yards.
Firefox
Chrome
Safari
Welcome aboard Deon, who says Dantonio cant recruit Detroit? nice to see a win over Urban Meyer.
Dantonio is persistant and takes the long view of things, this has paid off at Cass Tech.
It’s great to see Coach D breaking down the big blue wall at Cass Tech (a former U-M player, Thomas Wilcher, has been their coach since 1997, though the most famous player he ever coached is OSU alum and cousin of our William, Vernon Gholston).
Hopefully these newest recruits from there help start turning the table from Coach Wilcher’s recruiting pipeline.
Good to read these updates on the youngsters coming in the future. Large number of productive WR on this list.
Interesting thought about the drops voiced elsewhere, that some of the fault lies with Agent 86 for throwing it so hard. My only comment there is that if the WR would get some separation from the DB’s, Agent 86 wouldn’t have to try and gun it into a small space.
Great observation.
Plus, skilled D1 receivers should catch it anyway.
Agree that both are true. Maxwell’s going to rifle it whether there’s separation our not.
JLS called Arkansas, Alabama when talking to fans. See he couldn’t keep it all straight, what with hiding behind the green curtain, they both start with “A”, and are both in the South.
Belt said he was despondent last week
Also they are trying to run before they secure the ball
Hearing footsteps? Ben, I hear what your’s saying, but life is full of things that folks should do. They usually are successful when they take the easiest path to the objective. Why make things any harder on yourself than you have to? I know there are loads of stories about folks that have overcome numerous obstacles and through perseverance achieved great things, those are the stories that make great copy. There are many more about folks who succeed without having to overcome anything. Getting separation makes the window larger and the completion easier. Baby steps , baby steps.
I dont know about all that, it just seems to me the big ten is slow , too slow to gain separation, day late and a dollar short thats the big ten I remember, day late and a dollar short son.
You got a dollar? Heard you were a little short right now. Come on up to Portage and I’ll buy you a cup-o-Joe, oops you couldn’t afford the travel. So what are you taking all your meals in the student cafeteria on a meal card?
I have a lot of bad memories that keep me awake at night.
Yeah, well that 06 Notre Dame game gave me a bad memory.
Yea, like losing to Rutgers? UL-Monroe and Rutger’s, wow your players are going to have some great memories; hope they have more character and stronger dispositions than you have, but then $25M ain’t coming through your door the way it may be for some of those players. Maybe your next adventure will find a leprechaun’s pot o’gold, oops there’s that travel expense again. Do you realize that your entire salary for this year is only 4% of your debt, right, or is that how you got into this condition because you don’t understand asset to debt ratio? Maybe you could thumb a ride to Portage, but don’t do it right after the season, it’s too cold here and I’m in warmer clines. So maybe next spring when you have all that free time?
Chris, there would have been a media blackout this week if we were 4-0 coming off a 50-0 win. The reason is all the Ohio players on our roster, Dantonio wants things in house.
Glad to see the pipeline stay full. Looking forward to seeing these guys on the field.
Imagine there’s no wide outs
It’s easy if you try
No Fowler hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the tight ends and back
Living for short routes today…
Imagine there’s no Lippett
It isn’t hard to do
No drops that kill drives or die for
And no Arnett too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday a slot back will join us
And the fan base will be as one
Imagine long short passing timed possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or deep route hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the tight ends and backs
Sharing all the world…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday a wideout will run block and join us.
And the fan base will be as one
Caper the slot back, get the guys who can catch on the field.
Like it
Hey, Joe…..Congrats!!
http://tinyurl.com/8s8exdu
Way Cool
I always thought that the only reason we kept him as long as we did was the horrible economy in 09 and 10 , I don’t think we would have had him for the Outback Bowl if the economy was better, he was always clearly major market material.
Quit the smirk on Joe’s mugshot. Obviously not taken in EL district court.
Maybe Lubeck supplied it.
Ah yes. I knew him when …
Sweet, congrats Joe! I wish you were still here…
Boy, the Freep is trying to connect as close as they can to Mr. Rexrode – hoping some of his journalistic chops will rub off on their other writers.
Congratulations, Sir! Now, get back in there and change those poopy diapers.
What happened to that National Brand Marine?
Dave Brandon is trying to be diplomatic, but he, apparently, was blindsided by Notre Dame’s decision to end its series with Michigan as soon as possible, canceling the scheduled 2015-17 games.
Michigan’s athletic director said he was handed the notification letter by Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick before the game. Though Swarbrick told him it was to cancel the future games, Brandon said he was distracted by the game that night — which U-M lost, 13-6 — and didn’t read the letter until he was headed back to Michigan after the game.
When you are only capable of imitation, as in you don’t have an original thought anywhere in your little famous for being famous brain, anyone not going along with the status quo is coming out of the blue (pun intended) The ND AD knows that having Paris Hilton on his schedule will not enhance their reputation any more because over the next 20 years or as long as Paris keeps the MAC/WAC level coaching staff, Paris will only be a 7-5 team at the very best. So beating up on a 7-5 team at the end of the day, doesn’t get you into the top 4 discussion.
I noticed that you were sniffing your nose at having a 7-5 record . It’s time that you and I had a come to Jesus moment sonny boy. See you do not realize just how hard it is to go 7-5. Do you know how many 5-7 and 4-8 coaches there are out there who never get to 7-5. Hell son, the goal is to get to 7-5. Let me tell you what happens when you get to that plateau. When you go 7-5 you get an all-expense paid trip to somewhere like Shreveport or El Paso or an air conditioned bus ride to Deetroit city. Once you get there you get to stay in a Holiday Inn with a free meal at Golden Corral or Ponderosa with an all you can eat salad bar. And son that’s not even the best part. You get to come home with a $40 wrist watch and a case of five hour energy, yours to keep for the rest of your life. I would not trade my liberty bowl and Alamo Bowl gear for all the tea in China. Drew Stanton spent his whole career to go 8-5 , that kid had the time of the life in the Alamo Bowl till some coach screwed it up by putting him in on special teams against Nebraska. I remember some fella told me once at the Liberty Bowl. He said “Man you don’t realize how many 5-7 big ten teams sitting home would love to be here. You see being 7-5 and in the liberty bowl is like being a general in the Guatemalan Air Force. Now you ask those Big Ten teams sitting at home this question. Would you rather be a General in the Guatemalan Air Force or a Major in the United States Air Force?” So son, next time that you start turning up your nose at going 7-5, stop and remind yourself how hard it is to get there and how many coaches fall short of that goal.
Hey, Smittie, try and get Our-Kansas back to .500. All this is, me thinks, thou doest protest too much. (incidentally, I read the 1st sentence, ONLY) I heard recently on the grapevine that GoldGirl will NOT be hiring come Jan. ’13
Poor Brandon, ND “blindsided” him!!
http://tinyurl.com/97qtxr3
ND AD also cost GoldGirl ANOTHER $100 to Ger (Wearer of the Belt) Dinardo because silly wabbit Markie Mark bet that ND would drop the Spartans when ND joined the ACCrier, not Paris Hilton. Not only did they drop Paris, but the agreed to play the Fighting Wilbons (NW). Boy, when you see a program isn’t going to help you in the forthcoming bracket-ology battles, you get rid of them.
He owes a benjamin to Timmy Doyle as well and If I dont see it by Friday , Chicagos finest will get out the boot.
Boy, If they have any more of those Spartan or USMC bumper stickers, ……………..
Apparently no penalty clauses in the deal such as with MSU….