Where’s the threat? Michigan beats Michigan State on the recruiting trail… again

Another cycle, another Michigan win over Michigan State on the recruiting trail.

Just a year after Michigan State built social media hype off gimmicks like Instagram star turned staffer Brandon Jordan, NIL promises and photoshoots that reeked of used car smell, the Spartans are back at the bottom.

Michigan State has just nine commits this cycle — eight of which are three-stars — and sits at No. 12 in the Big Ten recruiting rankings. It seems recruits are less likely to fall for Michigan State’s recruiting farce (and slingshots) after Mel Tucker and co. went 5-7 a year ago, including a 22-point loss to U-M in The Big House.

Michigan has never had to resort to gimmicks. The Wolverines never had a reason to. U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh has built a real culture based on tradition, development and results on the field. Harbaugh doesn’t have to sell anything. The program speaks for itself.

After a bit of a bumpy ride last cycle, Michigan is back at the top. The Wolverines boast the No. 5 recruiting class nationally with a whopping 24 commits. The latest recruit to jump onboard is none other than On300 in-state linebacker Jeremiah Beasley.

A Belleville (Mich.) High product and half-brother of Michigan State tight end Maliq Carr, Beasley was a must-land for Michigan State this cycle. The Spartans held early predictions and seemed like the team to beat going into the calendar year.

Michigan State thought it had Beasley… until it didn’t.

U-M made a strong surge in the spring, hosting Beasley on multiple unofficial visits, including a few secret trips to Ann Arbor. Beasley returned to Michigan for Victors Weekend, where he was able to bond with the majority of U-M’s 2024 recruiting class. It was there where Michigan secured another recruiting win over ‘little brother.’

Beasley has been the lone Michigan-Michigan State recruiting battle of the cycle. The Spartans were afterthoughts in the recruitment of Top 100 in-state tight end Brady Prieskorn, who committed to Michigan in April, despite four visits to MSU. On300 in-state defensive back Jacob Oden also made a few early visits to Michigan State, but the U-M legacy was always going to end up in Ann Arbor.

Beasley now joins the likes of Rayshaun Benny, who flipped from Michigan State to Michigan a few cycles ago, and Andrel Anthony, who picked U-M over MSU at his ceremony in East Lansing, as in-staters that have broken Sparty’s heart.   

And that trend should continue for cycles to come.

So where’s the threat? The answer hasn’t changed. There is no threat. Michigan State is, well, irrelevant.

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