247Sports – Page 79 – Syndication Server

One Spartan listed in 247Sports’ ‘100 true freshmen who will impact 2021 college football season’

True freshman tight end Kameron Allen is expected to make an instant impact for Michigan State in 2021, according to 247Sports. Last week, Chris Hummer of 247Sports put together a list of the top 100 true freshmen that’ll impact the 2021 college …

[mm-video type=video id=01f3c17j9wh5xdpb0j6x playlist_id=01eqbz825g32p3akwt player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f3c17j9wh5xdpb0j6x/01f3c17j9wh5xdpb0j6x-94bc96c0600b72bfde06a5e50385bb0f.jpg]

True freshman tight end Kameron Allen is expected to make an instant impact for Michigan State in 2021, according to 247Sports.

Last week, Chris Hummer of 247Sports put together a list of the top 100 true freshmen that’ll impact the 2021 college football season, and Allen cracked the list. Here’s what Hummer had to say about Allen:

The Spartan tight room could use an upgrade, particularly from a pass-catching perspective, after nobody from the group posted better than a 65.7 receiving grade last year, per PFF College. The group was also egregious in pass protection, but that’s a topic for another time. Allen was a really productive receiver in high school, catching 44 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. He’s on the thinner side at 6-foot-5, 220-pound but brings a playmaking element to the position the Spartans have lacked. Allen was well received this spring. He was even called “the leader” of the tight end room.

Allen — who is from Forney, Texas — was a three-star prospect and ranked as the No. 67 tight end in the 2021 class by 247Sports.

A lot of what Hummer said about Michigan State and Allen makes sense, and definitely could be something to keep an eye on this fall. More than anything, Allen should be a solid prospect for the Spartans in years to come should he not have the instant impact Hummer is forecasting this season.

[listicle id=38150]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]

Three Spartans listed in 247Sports’ Top 100 transfers rankings

Three new Spartans are ranked amongst the top 100 transfers in the country, according to 247Sports.

Clint Brewster of 247Sports outlined his top 100 transfers from this offseason, and three incoming transfers for Michigan State cracked his list. Those three Spartans are:

No. 79 – RB Kenneth Walker III (from Wake Forest)
No. 82 – LB Quavaris Crouch (from Tennessee)
No. 98 – LB Itayvion Brown (from Minnesota)

.@247Sports just unveiled its rankings of the top-100 transfers, which includes three new Michigan State players:https://t.co/VvQmukRbkv

— Stephen Brooks (@StephenM_Brooks) May 20, 2021

On the flip side of that, none of the many Spartans that have left the program through the transfer portal made this list. So that would suggest Michigan State has experienced quite some success in adding talented players via the portal while not losing any true key contributors.

I personally believe Walker and Crouch could be higher on this list based on the type of production they had at their previous schools. But it’s still impressive and nice to see these three guys recognized amongst the top 100 transfers in the country.

[listicle id=33594]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]

Two Oklahoma Sooners make top true freshman list to watch

Two Sooners make top true freshman list

When it comes to true freshmen for the upcoming season, 247Sports highlighted 100 players to watch. The Sooners have two true freshmen that made the cut, one on each side of the ball. Both players are poised for a breakout campaign in Norman.

Clayton Smith, Linebacker

What 247Sports Says…

Pretty much everyone is back for the Sooners, but there is a rotational opening at outside linebacker with Jon-Michael Terry’s exit from the program. Smith is positioned to take some of those 331 snaps next to Nik Bonitto. And that might be an upgrade. Smith is instantly one of the most naturally talented pass rushers on the Sooners’ roster, and the motor he displayed in high school – he posted 40 TFLs and 20 sacks as a junior – indicates he’ll carve out a role immediately. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has already talked Smith up as someone who can take a lot of those reps Terry vacated. Smith is a bit raw, but he’s just one of those guys who finds a way to attack the football.

The departure of Ronnie Perkins to the NFL presents opportunities for young guys to step up, beginning with Smith. He is relentless in his pursuit of the ball and explodes off the line of scrimmage. Smith can act as a hybrid edge rusher, effectively playing as an off-ball linebacker in Alex Grinch’s system. With Nik Bonitto as the key cornerstone at Rush linebacker and Isaiah Thomas as a disruptor on the opposite side, Smith can be a rotation piece in certain packages. His athleticism provides tremendous flexibility, a trait Grinch covets in his players.

Mario Williams, Wide Receiver

What 247Sports Says…

Oklahoma always seems to have a next star receiver in the pipeline. Marvin Mims broke out last year, earning 247Sports True Freshman All-America honors. Now it seems Williams could be in line for a similar season. The nation’s No. 42 overall prospect and No. 4 receiver in the 2021 class, Williams made a star turn during the Sooners’ spring game catching a game-high five passes for 84 yards.

Spencer Rattler won’t lack options to throw to in 2021 with Marvin Mims, Jadon Haselwood and Arkansas transfer Mike Woods, but Williams showed Saturday he’ll at worst be part of the rotation. At best, he can provide a secondary complement to Mims that the Sooners lacked a season ago.

Williams adds to Spencer Rattler’s supporting cast. He is dynamic after the catch and quickly creates separation from press at the line of scrimmage. His change-of-direction will be dangerous for Big 12 defenses. Williams will likely line up primarily in the slot, but Oklahoma likes to rotate receivers in Lincoln Riley’s spread attack. He has the capability of elevating OU’s horizontal and vertical passing game. Many teammates have praised Williams’ quickness in practice and his infectious attitude is impacting the Sooners receiver room. He will be a guy to keep an eye on come fall in Crimson and Cream. Oklahoma had the most dropped touchdown passes a year ago, and the unit is gearing up to right the wrong between the hash marks in 2021.

Where Texas targets land in the updated 247Sports 2023 rankings

247Sports updated their rankings on Wednesday for the 2023 class. Here are where UT’s top targets land, including commit Rueben Owens.

Recruiting has begun to pick up with the 2023 class. With the COVID-19 pandemic slowly fading away, prospects are going to be allowed to visit college campuses for the first time since March 2020. Virtual tours have been conducted over the past year, but nothing beats seeing something in person.

Texas is going to have a weekend dedicated to the 2023 class this June. Steve Witflong of 247Sports reported Arch Manning would be on campus the weekend of June 11. Other recruits such as Rueben Owens are expected in Austin at the same time. A huge opportunity for Steve Sarkisian and his staff to impress early in the cycle.

247Sports updated their rankings on Wednesday for the 2023 class. After California finished their delayed spring season, some west coast prospects got a bump, along with national recruits showing out on the 7v7 scene and in camps.

Here are where Texas’ top targets land in the 2023 class updated rankings:

Is the Notre Dame vs FSU ’21 opener intriguing? One outlets thinks so

What opening games are you excited to see?

As we found out yesterday that the Irish opener will be in prime time, but how does it stack up against the rest of the slate?

[lawrence-related id=28581]

As spring ball has finished and all of college footballs thoughts look ahead to week 1, 247Sports has ranked the most intriguing games during the opening weekend. Brad Crawford ranked 10 of the most interesting games and the Irish visiting the Seminoles was the sixth best matchup according to him.

What is interesting was the comment that Crawford pulled from Kenny Dillingham, Florida State’s offensive coordinator. He said “that home-field advantage, we’re telling every top prospect that we have that’s not making a decision early to official visit Notre Dame. Why? Because there should be no other stadium in America that has a better game-day feel than right here.” Sure, coach, whatever you say.

[lawrence-related id=28531]

Back to the rankings of week 1, remember this is about intrigue, not about the best matchup. If you’re just looking at that, the Irish opener is on par with Miami, FL taking on Alabama in Atlanta and Penn State visiting Wisconsin. It should be an extremely exciting weekend, as college football will get closer to what we have come to love with fans in the stands and the Irish taking on FSU.

Is the Notre Dame vs FSU ’21 opener intriguing? One outlets thinks so

What opening games are you excited to see?

As we found out yesterday that the Irish opener will be in prime time, but how does it stack up against the rest of the slate?

[lawrence-related id=28581]

[lawrence-related id=28531]

MSU target, Canadian 3-star OT Alessandro Lorenzetti to visit campus in June

Canadian three-star offensive tackle Alessandro Lorenzetti has locked in an official visit to Michigan State next month.

Lorenzetti is the latest 2022 prospect to announce an upcoming official visit to East Lansing next month. He will visit Michigan State from June 11-13.

3⭐️ Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee OT Alessandro Lorenzetti will be in East Lansing June 11-13 for an official visit. https://t.co/PD72DOhKvy

— SpartanMag (@TheSpartanMag) May 18, 2021

Lorenzetti — who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds — is ranked as the No. 113 offensive tackle in the 2022 class by 247Sports. He is originally from Montreal and plays for The Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.

Michigan State offered Lorenzetti in late April, and since then he’s also picked up scholarship offers from East Carolina and Baylor. He also holds scholarship offers from Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, FIU, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.

[listicle id=38150]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]

247Sports predicts Texas to lose in nonconference, beat Oklahoma

247Sports predicted where each Big 12 team will pick up their first loss. For UT, the second game of the year against Arkansas was the pick.

Losses are inevitable in college football unless you are Alabama, Clemson, or Ohio State.

No Big 12 team has gone undefeated since Texas won the national championship against USC in 2005. Oklahoma nearly pulled it off with Baker Mayfield in 2017 but lost to Georgia in the Rose Bowl.

247Sports predicted where each team in the Big 12 will pick up their first loss. For Texas, the second game of the year against Arkansas was the pick.

There’s not a lot of reason right now to doubt that Steve Sarkisian can’t get the job done at Texas. That being said, it’s not going to be an overnight job. It’s going to take the former Alabama offensive coordinator some time to adjust and get things going and a road test into SEC territory is going to be one of the toughest tests Sarkisian goes through in his first year. Arkansas appears to be going in the right direction under Sam Pittman right now and has a great chance to get a huge win over Texas before Sarkisian establishes himself.

Picking up a loss to Arkansas would not be surprising at all. Arkansas has been the bottom dwellers of the SEC for a few years now but overperformed in Sam Pittman’s first year. Three losses came by a combined eight points.

Mix in a hostile crowd at 100% capacity gearing up for an old Southwest Conference rivalry and Texas will definitely be on upset alert.

Even with an early loss to Arkansas, 247Sports goes on to predict Texas will win the Red River Shootout against Oklahoma. At first thought, this would be a Tom Herman special. Losing to an inferior team as a favorite, only to go on and beat one of the best Oklahoma teams in over a decade.

The Sooners will be the pick to win the Big 12 and might actually go unbeaten. But the Texas game with a new head coach in charge will likely be the toughest test they face in the first six weeks and perhaps all season. Away from home, Oklahoma might get tripped up.

Trading an early-season loss for a guaranteed win in Dallas is usually a trade most people would take. However, Sarkisian needs to make it through nonconference play without a loss to get his tenure rolling. Taking your chances against Oklahoma would be worth the risk.

Where does The Swamp rank among the top-10 college football venues for fan atmosphere?

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium aka The Swamp stands tall among its college football peers when it comes to providing the ultimate fan experience.

Ask any Florida Gators fan where the best place in the world to watch a college football game and 11 times out of 10 they will tell you, “The Swamp.” And in complete fairness, they 100 percent correct.

Homerisms aside, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has been among the elite venues for collegiate gridiron action since Steve Spurrier first bestowed the endearing title to the home of the Fighting Gators, and that tradition continues to this day. While not everyone will agree that Florida Field — which now also bears the name of the Head Ball Coach — is the greatest location in the nation, there is a general consensus among the sports media that it is a top-tier locale.

Riley Gates over at 247Sports took a stab at ranking the top 10 college football venues in terms of fan atmosphere, and unsurprisingly, The Swamp not only cracked the list but appeared among the top five. In fact, it landed right at No. 5 according to Gates, and here is his explanation why.

With a nickname like, “The Swamp,” Florida is always going to be a college football stadium that sticks in people’s minds. And then 90,000 Gator fans join in, cheering on their team and doing the iconic Florida Gators “chomp” together. While the school has distanced itself from the chomp because of its racial history, it will be interesting to see how fans conduct themselves when they return to full capacity in 2021.

“The Swamp has long been one of the loudest game day environments in college football. A home game in Gainesville is a big home field advantage for the team with how passionate and loud fans are with their Gator Chomps. If you look back at a recent game, back in 2019 when Florida played Auburn at home, it was one of the loudest games in The Swamp in quite some time. That electric atmosphere made it tough for Auburn’s offense to get anything going.” — Blake Alderman, Swamp247

While Florida lags behind two other Southeastern Conference schools — the Alabama Crimson Tide‘s Bryant-Denny Stadium at No. 3 and LSU‘s top-ranked Tiger Stadium — it still stands tall among its college football peers when it comes to providing the ultimate fan experience.

[lawrence-related id=42937,42921,42907,42812,42553]

[listicle id=42918]

Final Rankings Released for Michigan State Basketball 2021 Recruits

The final rankings for the 2021 high school basketball class were released on Friday, with all three future Spartans landing in the top 60.

The final rankings for the 2021 high school basketball class were released on Friday, with all three of the future Spartans landing in the top 60 nationally.

247Sports puts together a composite ranking that compiles all of the major recruiting outlets ratings and rankings. Here’s where the three Spartans signees are ranked in the final composite rankings: