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Michigan State Football: Top National Signing Day targets

By Connor Muldowney

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Who are the top remaining Michigan State football recruiting targets left on the board for National Signing Day?

What a season it was for Michigan State football and no, not in a good way. The Spartans finished just 3-9 and broke the mold that Mark Dantonio had worked hard to create over the past decade. Michigan State had been a consistent 11-game winner, but the Spartans struggled in every facet of the game in 2016 and the final record was proof of that.

Just one year removed from the College Football Playoff, the Spartans found out how difficult it was to win after losing guys like Connor Cook, Shilique Calhoun, Jack Conklin and Aaron Burbreidge, among many others. The team was without a ton of leadership and experience and Tyler O’Connor struggled at quarterback.

While the quarterback position was one of the biggest weaknesses on the team, the leadership, or lack thereof, was an issue. Although guys like Riley Bullough and Demetrious Cox were supposed to step in and lead right away, they failed to do that and the team lacked a direction.

Dantonio is looking forward to the 2017 season so he can have a fresh start and utilize the young 2016 recruits who made up his best class ever. Adding to that, though, will be the pool of 2017 commits who happen to be ranked in the top-30 by most recruiting services and top-20 by Scout.

There are still some must-have targets left on the board and the Spartans could finish strong, breaking the usual streak of poor signing days. Let’s take a look at the top five must-have targets for Michigan State football recruiting by National Signing Day on Feb. 1.

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