Tag: Jamari Buddin

Rivals recruiting writer ranks Michigan State second in contenders for Jamari Buddin

MSU is competing with Penn State, Michigan, and Minnesota for the Belleville linebackers commitment.

Michigan State is one of the top contenders in a recruiting battle that would put a big feather in Mel Tucker’s cap.

Rivals recruiting writer Josh Helmholdt ranks Michigan State as a close second to Penn State in the recruitment of four-star Belleville linebacker Jamari Buddin. Buddin, one of the top 2021 prospects in the state of Michigan, has been a top target for Tucker and his staff as they look to make inroads in southeast Michigan recruiting. Michigan is ranked third among the contenders and Minnesota is fourth.

Of MSU’s chances Helmholdt writes, “The team that has gained the most ground over the last three months is Michigan State. First-year head coach Mel Tucker has brought a renewed energy to the program, and put a strong focus on recruiting in-state talent. Buddin is a focus on that in-state attention, and has reacted very positively to the new staff. I have Penn State with the best shot right now, but there’s another month to go and if the Spartans keep building on this momentum they will get this one done.”

Recruiting Detroit and the surrounding areas has been a primary focus of Tucker’s since he was hired in February. It’s a region in which the previous regime under Dantonio struggled some in the later years after having a strong presence during the mid-2010s.

Buddin is currently predicted on the 247Sports crystal ball to go to Penn State, however all of the PSU predictions on the site are in the “low” confidence rating. It seems all recruiting experts agree that this one is still very much up for grabs.

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MSU Football players, recruits chime in on recruitment of 4-star Jamari Buddin

Jamari Buddin pondered a future with Michigan State on Wednesday and a few players, both active and recruits weighed in.

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Jamari Buddin is, undoubtedly, one of the best recruiting prospects in the state of Michigan. A month ago, the Belleville, Michigan prospect placed Michigan State Football in his top-7 choices for his recruitment, getting MSU fans, players, and recruits excited about the potential to add a player who would be one of the prize-jewels of the MSU 2021 recruiting class. Today, Buddin posted a tweet pondering a future with the Spartans and a few active players from different backgrounds chimed in on Buddin’s potential commitment to the Spartans.

Here is Buddin’s initial tweet:

First we have Devontae Dobbs, MSU’s offensive lineman who will be entering his second season with the Spartans:

Next is Charles Brantley, the 4-star corner who committed to the Spartans at the end of April:

And here we have Andrel Anthony Jr., another one of the top prospects in Michigan who has yet to commit to a program. Anthony plays for East Lansing High School and has MSU in his top-10 for recruitment:

There is a lot of excitement around Buddin’s recruitment, and for good reason, as the outside linebacker is a clear top-10 player in the state of Michigan for his recruiting class and would be a major recruiting win for the Spartans.

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Michigan makes cut for in-state four-star LB

The in-state talent included the Wolverines in his early-released, trimmed-down top list of schools.

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Smaller and ahead of schedule, 2021 Belleville (MI) linebacker Jamari Buddin released his Top 7 schools.

The plan was for him to release a Top 10 on his birthday which is still more than two weeks away. But, it seemed he couldn’t wait, having dropped it on Friday evening.

“My top ten will be dropping April 18,” he told WolverinesWire in January. “Just gonna work it from there, from April 18. I’m excited. Michigan, Michigan State (are) among the schools that will show up and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

Instead of a Top 10 on April 18, he released a Top 7 on April 3. Though he told WolverinesWire he intends to commit in December, there’s no telling if that will also change.

But, true to his word, Michigan did make the cut for the four-star in-state talent.

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Rated by the 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 261 player regardless of position, Buddin has seven 247Sports Crystal Balls put in, all of them predicting that Michigan will be his school of choice once he makes that final decision.

Should Michigan be able to secure him, it’d be getting a top talent.

SMSB director Curtis Blackwell spoke to WolverinesWire in January about what makes Buddin so special, noting that he’s the most talented player in the state.

“Jamari Buddin is probably the best athlete in the state of Michigan,” Blackwell said. “Freakish athletic ability. He’s a pitbull. He’s tenacious on the field. And he has athletic ability where the sky’s the limit. He could play receiver, he could play safety, and he can also play rush on the outside backer spot.

“And then on the basketball court, he’s dunking the ball. He’s twitchy. This kid is someone I feel could play anywhere in the country. And there’s not too many guys from this area that could go play in the SEC, the West Coast, or down south in the ACC. Jamari is that guy.”

As of current, the Wolverines have seven commits in the 2021 class.

4-star 2021 OLB Jamari Buddin lists Michigan State Football in his top 7 choices

4-star OLB Jamari Buddin has listed Michigan State football in his top 7 choices for school. Read more details about this prospect here.

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Michigan State football is making waves right now in the world of high school football recruits. Now, 4-star OLB Jamari Buddin has listed MSU football in his top 7 choices for school. This list includes Florida State, Michigan, Boston College, Penn State, Purdue, and Minnesota.

Buddin is from Belleville, MI and plays for Belleville high school. He stands at 6’2″ and weighs 210 pounds. Per 247 Sports Composite Rankings, he ranks as the No. 21 OLB in the country in the 2021 recruiting class. Furthermore, he ranks as the No. 9 recruit in all of Michigan in the 2021 recruiting class.

Check out his highlights here.

Just a couple days ago, 4-star Safety Anthony Beavers Jr. listed MSU football in his top five choices. There will plenty of more recruiting info to come here on SpartansWire.

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Why Curtis Blackwell called Jamari Buddin ‘best athlete in the state of Michigan’

What the former MSU director of recruiting has to say about the rising star out of Belleville High School.

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DETROIT — Michigan has been long after the services of 2021 Belleville (MI) four-star linebacker Jamari Buddin.

The Wolverines have been pitching Buddin at VIPER, which is something that truly resonates with him, given the versatility of the position. He’s a dual-sport athlete as well, as he’s an avid basketball player in the winter time.

Co-founder and director of the Detroit-based Sound Mind Sound Body camp Curtis Blackwell has seen Buddin’s growth over the past few years. He’s gotten bigger, faster, stronger.

So when he sees a prospect that is continuing to garner offers from the likes of Penn State and Florida State among the in-state pursuits, it’s no surprise.

Because as Blackwell sees it, there’s no one more talented in this state in the 2021 class.

“Jamari Buddin is probably the best athlete in the state of Michigan,” Blackwell said. “Freakish athletic ability. He’s a pitbull. He’s tenacious on the field. And he has athletic ability where the sky’s the limit. He could play receiver, he could play safety, and he can also play rush on the outside backer spot.

“And then on the basketball court, he’s dunking the ball. He’s twitchy. This kid is someone I feel could play anywhere in the country. And there’s not too many guys from this area that could go play in the SEC, the West Coast, or down south in the ACC. Jamari is that guy.”

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Buddin told WolverinesWire on Sunday that he intends to take his recruitment down to the wire, making a decision just before early signing day in December, and then signing with his chosen school at that time.

He will release a top ten — which Michigan will be in — on April 18, his birthday.

Michigan assured to make top ten for in-state four-star

The Wolverines are assured to be in the Belleville linebacker’s final list, but will have to wait awhile before he makes a final decision.

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DETROIT — Save the date, Michigan fans — on April 18, his birthday, Belleville (MI) 2021 four-star linebacker Jamari Buddin fully intends to put the Wolverines in his top ten.

The 216th-rated player in the country, according to Rivals, Buddin has made frequent visits to Ann Arbor, including just this past month. On that visit, he got to meet the newly hired coaches on the defensive staff — linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary and safeties coach Bob Shoop — as well as continuing to build his relationship with Sherrone Moore, Don Brown and strength coach Tank Wright.

“It was a good experience,” Buddin told WolverinesWire of his latest visit to Michigan. “I got to meet the new coaching staff, build a relationship with them. We’re keeping that going right now, which is a good thing.”

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Before the dead period started at the beginning of this month, Buddin says he’s heard frequently from Michigan, putting them first in the category of schools recruiting him the hardest, along with Michigan State, Purdue, Minnesota, Penn State, Florida State. Meeting Jean-Mary in particular has been crucial for him, as he likes the way that the former USF defensive coordinator and Texas recruiting director keeps things straight with him.

“He was really up front, just like the rest of the coaches,” Buddin said. “I talked to him, he keeps it honest with me, keep it steady with me. Him and Coach Tank — it’s gonna be a good staff that they’re working with up there. I really like them a lot.”

“They basically say I fit the VIPER position perfectly. I got the body, the skill set, agility – all that. It works just for that. Like Khaleke Hudson – they can see me like him.”

Buddin is planning to visit Purdue and Minnesota once the dead period ends, and he’s looking for a place that will prepare him for life beyond football. He intends to study kinesiology at the next level — to which he gives bonus points to Michigan for having a solid program in that area.

For now, fans can sit tight knowing that Buddin will include Michigan in his final round of schools. But as far as waiting for a commitment, fans shouldn’t get their hopes up that he’ll make a quick decision.

He intends to see the process through, so that he’s 100% sure he makes the right decision. And then he’ll put pen to paper on early signing day, finalizing his choice for life.

So he’s got some time before he narrows his list down from ten to one.

“Probably next December is when I’m gonna commit,” Buddin said. “Like I said, my top ten will be dropping April 18. Just gonna work it from there, from April 18. I’m excited. Michigan, Michigan State (are) among the schools that will show up and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

4-star LB Jamari Buddin updates recruitment, plans to visit Michigan in January

Belleville (Mich.) 2021 four-star linebacker Jamari Buddin is going to visit Michigan football sometime in January.

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Belleville (Mich.) 2021 four-star linebacker Jamari Buddin has seen his fair share of Michigan.

The 6-foot-2, 193-pound prospect has maintained a relationship with the coaching staff, knows what the game atmosphere feels like, understands the practice tendencies and has even picked up advice from players that surround the program.

For Buddin, the next step is learning more about Michigan’s academics and university as a whole.

Buddin said he is planning to take sometime in January.

“Probably sometime in the next week or two,” Buddin said. “I am looking to get closer to the school and other things that I will need besides football.”

Even though Buddin doesn’t have a leader in his recruitment, Michigan is one of the schools that he’s “really high on” right now. The others are Michigan State, Purdue, Penn State, Minnesota and Cincinnati.

What sets the Wolverines apart from his 12 other offers is Buddin’s relationship with the coaches and players. He has grown fond of tight ends coach Sherrone Moore.

“He is a cool guy, funny,” Buddin said, “and he’ll be honest with you and make you get a good understanding of things.”

Even though the Spartans, led by longtime coach Mark Dantonio, have recruited Belleville fairly well in recent history, Buddin believes he could help turn the pipeline back to Michigan.

Of course, leading the way in that pursuit is Belleville 2020 four-star cornerback Andre Seldon Jr., who has already signed to join the Wolverines.

Seldon often tells Buddin that Michigan is “the place to be” at the college level.

“My guy is the best defensive back,” Buddin said. “I talk to Andre a lot.”

Along with Seldon, Buddin has been in conversation with two 2021 Michigan commits in La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy five-star quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Sterling Heights (Mich.) Stevenson four-star offensive tackle Giovanni El-Hadi.

Buddin hopes to make a college commitment by December 2020, giving him the option to get his national letter of intent submitted during the NCAA early signing period.

He is ranked No. 281 in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports composite, along with being No. 21 at outside linebacker and No. 9 in his home state.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @EvanPetzold