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2002 Recruits

The Spartans' 2002 class ranks 20th nationally by CBSSportsline.com and CNNSI.com, an improvement from last year's ranking of anywhere from 30-49. MSU has received 21 formal committments. SpartanMag's Jim Camparoni puts this class as the third best in the past eight years for MSU.

Carlos Alexander. DB/RB. 5-11, 175. Akron, OH. Runs a 4.38-40. Scored seven TDs on punt and kickoff returns last year, with three INTs. Offensively, ran for 440 yds and scored six TDs. Tom Lemming rates him in top 30 players in Ohio.

Darren Barnett. CB/WR. 6-11, 185. Cincinnatio, OH. Runs a 4.45-40. From Cincinnati Princeton High School. Barnett caught 90 passes, had eight INTs, and was an All-Ohio selection last season. Barnett, nephew of former MSU star Harlon Barnett, will be tried out at cornerback this fall. He was also recruited by Ohio State and Illinois.

Kyle Brown. WR. 6-1, 195. West Bloomfield, MI. Runs a 4.4-40.

Brian Bury. LS.  6-1, 256. Marion, OH. Also considered Bowling Green.

Kyle Cook. OL. 6-4, 290. Macomb, MI.

Brandon Fields. P. Toledo, OH. Averaged 41.2 yards per punt in 2001. Named first-team Division I all-Ohio.

Jaren Hayes. RB. 5-10, 175. Lebanon, PA. Runs a 4.32-40 with career numbers of 4,022 yards and 72 TDs.

David Herron. FB. 6-1, 230. Warren, OH. Runs a 4.7-40. Herron chose MSU over Ohio State and Iowa.

Joe Karaska. OT. 6-5, 315. Southfield, MI. Ranked as #38 OT nationally by Rivals100.com.

Stephen Kielp. DE. 6-6, 220. Riverside Brookfield (IL). Runs a 4.6-40. Kielp chose MSU over Illinois and North Carolina. He is MSU's 13th committment for the class of 2002. Kielp is listed as the #14 weaskide defensive end in the nation by rivals100.com.

Brandon Massey. DB. 6-1, 195. St. Louis, MO (same HS as David Richard, Hazelwood East). Runs a 4.4-40. An honorable mention all-metro defensive back, Massey anchored a Spartan secondary that allowed only 719 passing yards (51.4 per game) and three passing touchdowns en route to a 13-1 record and a trip to the 2001 Missouri Class 5A championship game. He recorded 37 tackles (21 solos, 16 assists), including a sack, and recovered two fumbles as a senior. Massey also ranked as Hazelwood East's second-leading receiver with 20 catches for 350 yards (17.5 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Massey had a season-high eight tackles in the state finals vs. Blue Springs and caught a 77-yard TD pass from Dwayne Buchanan in the fourth quarter. He scored three TDs vs. McCluer, including two receptions and a 36-yard interception return. A two-year starter for Coach Corey Johnson, Massey played safety and wide receiver. His Hazelwood East teammate David Richard, a 6-2, 230-pound running back, signed a National Letter of Intent with Michigan State on Feb. 6.

An all-state track athlete, Massey finished third in the Class 4A 110-meter high hurdles as a junior and sixth in the 300 intermediate hurdles as a sophomore. He has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash.

David Richard. RB. 6-2, 220. St. Louis, MO. Runs a 4.5-40. Top RB in Missouri, and a top-10 national running back. Scored 20 TDs and averaged over 7 yards per carry.... Many gurus have had a problem identifying Richard because of his ability to play the LB/RB positions with equal prowess. At one point during the season he was rated the best OLB in the nation as well as the best big back.... "Has the uncanny ability and potential to be an all-american at either running back or linebacker." Phil Fulmer TN Head Coach. Reportedly, Fulmer told Richard at the TN camp back in the summer that he was going to make him a great coach and he (Fulmer) was going to make him (Richard) a very rich man.

His senior honors are as follows (all are First Team honors):

all-conference (toughest conference in state)
all-metro
all-state
all-american USAToday
all-america ESPN
all-american Student Sports
all-american PREPSTAR
St. Louis Post Dispatch player of the year.
Missouri Gatorade player of the year.
Cover boy of PrepStar magazine.
MVP TN camp (ahead of Riggs & Wynn).

Cliff Ryan. LB. 6-2, 260. Saginaw, MI. Runs a 4.7-40. Made over 100 tackles in each of last two years. Tom Lemming ranks him in top 10 players in Michigan.

Jerramy Scott. RB. 5-10, 185. Jupiter, Fla. Runs a 4.5-40. Ranked as #18 all-purpose back nationally by Rivals100.com. Last year, Scott had 10 INTs on defense and averaged 12 yards per touch (rush, rec) on offense.

Agim Shabaj. WR 5-10, 185. Farmington, MI. Runs a 4.37-40. Caught 30 passes for 636 yds and nine TDs as a junior. Also, returned a punt for a TD and threw four TD passes last year.   Tom Lemming ranks him in top 10 players in Michigan.

Drew Stanton. QB. 6-3, 210. Farmington Hills, MI. Ranked among top 10 QBs nationally by SuperPrep. Ranked as #18 QB nationally by ESPN.com, #9 pro-style QB by Rivals100.com. Threw for 70% completion, 1,809 yds and 25 TDs as a junior.

Matt Trannon. WR. 6-7, 195. Flint, MI. After playing in the Adidas ABCD camp over the summer, a Fall report by Prep Spotlight Magazine said Trannon is “The best athlete in America. (He) plays hard and just out-athletes most players.” The Adidas camp is regarded by many as the top summer basketball camp in the nation. Trannon is one of the biggest catches in the state in both football and basketball. He is ranked as the No. 1 power forward in Michigan by Prep Spotlight, as well as the state's No. 1 wide receiver. The recruiting website Rivals.com lists Trannon as the No. 17 basketball player in the country, and the No. 47 football prospect in the nation. Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 195 pounds, Trannon averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists per game as a power forward. As a wideout in football this season, Trannon racked up 558 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

Matt Walters. TE. 6-2, 240. Clackamas, OR. Runs a 4.6-40, played at Scottsdale (AZ) Community College last fall. Received a 3-of-5 star rating from Rivals100.com, rated as one of the best Tight Ends out of juco.

Derron Ware. S. 6-4, 205. Los Angeles, CA. One of the top safeties in CA. LA City track champion.

Ashton Watson. CB. 6-0, 175. Dayton, OH. Runs a 4.5-40. One of top seven CBs in Ohio. Made 35 tackles and seven INTs last season.

Nate Weber. OL. 6-6, 300. Los Angeles, CA. Weber had offers from numeors PAC 10 and several Big 10 schools. Is rated one of the top 20 OL in the west.

 

2001 Recruits

The Fall 2001 incoming freshmen were not ranked very high as a whole, compared to recent years. MSU's incoming class was ranked by Athlon 9 out of 11 Big Ten teams and by Phil Steel 8 of 11. Nationally, Athlon has MSU recruiting at #49 nationally while Phil Steele has MSU at #30. Not good, especially considering UM is ranked #2 and #3 nationally. However, here's the insight on 'em all with rankings, etc...

Link here to Lansing State Journal's recruiting section with a bit more info.

Aaron Alexander. QB. 6-5, 190. Richmond, VA. Runs a 4.59-40. Prep Star All-America. Rated #24 QB in the nation by Tom Lemming. Threw for 1,629 yds and 19 TDs as a 16-year old senior. Also ran for 600 yds and nineTDs.

Matthias Askew. DL. 6-7, 290. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Runs a 4.9-40. Rated the nation's #20 DL by Rivals.com. Two-time all state pick. Had 125 tackles as a senior.

Michael Bazemore. LB. 6-4, 228. Philadelphia, PA. Runs a 4.6-40. Ranked #16 LB in the nation by Tom Lemming. Had 158 tackles in 2000.

Van Brown. DE. 6-5, 250. Altadenca, CA. Runs a 4.7-40. Earned first-team All-Mission Conference at Pasadena (CA) CC. Three years of eligibility left.

Robert Flagg. FS. 6-2, 205. Carol City, FL. Runs a 4.4-40. The state's #89 player by the Orlando Sentinel. Had 115 tackles in 2000.

Damien Fortson. CB. 6-0, 185. Ravenna, OH. Runs a 4.4-40. Two-time first team All-Northeast Ohio selection. Had 41 tackles and two INTs in five games as a senior.

Julian Lovett. WR. 6-4, 200. Belle Glades, FL. Runs a 4.4-40. SuperPrep JUCO All-America at SUNY-Morrisville. Had 29 rec. for 383 yds and three TDs in 2000.

Mike McConnell. RB. 6-0, 205. Adairsville, GA. Runs a 4.37-40. Rushed for 239 yds on 34 carries and four TDs in six games as a JUCO freshman in 2000. Played at NE Oklahoma A&M.

Brandon McKinney. DT. 6-3, 310. Dayton, OH. Runs a 5.2-40. PrepStar All-American. Ranked among the Midwest's top 50 prospects by SuperPrep. Two-time all-state pick.

Seth Mitchell. LB. 6-3, 230. Brandywinde, MD. Runs a 4.7-40. PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American. Rated #20 LB in the nation by SuperPrep. Maryland Defensive Player of the Year. Had 146 tackles in 2000.

Christopher Morris. OL. 6-4, 285. Lambertville, MI. Runs a 4.9-40. Rated #11 in the state by Detroit News and #17 in the state by Detroit Free Press.

Gordon Nibylski. T. 6-4, 295. Farmington, MI. Runs a 5.1-40. SuperPrep's #82 player in the Midwest. Did not allow a sack during 2000. All-state.

Jason Randall. TE. 6-6, 240. Muskegon Hts, MI. Runs a 4.8-40. Rivals.com #55 TE in the nation. Caught 24 passes for 270 yds and four TDs as a senior.

Dave Rayner. K/P. 6-3, 200. Oxford, MI. Named to Detroit Free Press Dream Team. Set a school single-season record with 35 PATs in 2000.

Eric Smith. DB. 6-1, 195. Groveport, OH. Runs a 4.6-40. Second-team all-state. Made 55 tackles and seven INTs in 2000.

Ronald Stanley. LB. 6-2, 210. Saginaw, MI. Runs a 4.5-40. PrepStar All-America. Recorded 113 tackles in 2000. First team all-state.

Ben Steckler. WR. 6-5, 205. Huntingburg, IN. Runs a 4.47-40. Rated #99 player in the Midwest by SuperPrep. Had 40 rec. for 790 yds, 10 TDs in 2000.

Robert Strickland. WR. 6-4, 205. Detroit, MI. Runs a 4.4-40. Listed the nation's #90 player by Tom Lemming. Ranked #3 in state by Det News.

Alphonso Townsend. OL. 6-6, 310. Lima, OH. Runs a 5.0-40. Started on both the offensive and defensive lines at Fork Union (VA) Military Academy. Had nine sacks last year. Committed to Ohio State out of high school.

Stefon Wheeler. OL. 6-5, 330. Passaic, NJ. Runs a 5.2-40. Started at offensive tackle at Milford (CT) Academy. All-state.

Ryan Woods. TE. 6-5, 230. Florissant, MO. Runs a 4.7-40. Rated among nation's top 40 tight ends by Rivals.com. In 2000, had 28 rec. for 433 yds.

 

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