Honorable Mentions
Lawrence Thomas (linebacker): Thomas was a high school All-American, a four-star recruit, and one of the best recruits of the Mark Dantonio era. Coming out of high school, he was ranked the No. 3 defensive end in the country by 247Sports and he played a few seasons at the next level with the New York Jets.
Devontae Dobbs (offensive guard): The Devontae Dobbs story at Michigan State hasn’t really been written yet, but he was an undeniable recruit coming out of Belleville High School (Belleville, Michigan) and ranked as the No. 1 offensive guard in the country in the class of 2019. He hasn’t been able to find extensive playing time yet, but he has as much raw talent as anyone in the program.
LJ Scott (running back): LJ Scott’s career at MSU may have ended in a slightly disappointing fashion due to an ankle injury, but he came out of the gates hot as one of the more iconic running backs in school history. He was the sixth-ranked running back in the country out of high school, and it was a major win for Dantonio to land his services given he was the No. 2 ranked player in Ohio.
Roland Martin (offensive guard): By 247Sports rankings, Martin is the fifth highest-ranked recruit to come to Michigan State in the last two decades. He had a strong career with the Spartans and was a major force behind the success of Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer at MSU.