Michigan State missed on landing a top target for its next recruiting class.
David Stone, a 2024 five-star defensive lineman from national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida, announced his commitment to homestate Oklahoma on Saturday night. That was broadcast by ESPN2 during halftime of IMG’s game against St. Joseph’s Prep from Pennsylvania.
Stone previously announced a top six of Texas A&M, Miami, Michigan State, Oregon, Florida and Oklahoma while the Sooners, Spartans and Hurricanes were the only hats on the table during his commitment.
At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Stone is listed as the No. 2 defensive lineman and No. 6 player in the nation in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite. He has been a longtime target of Michigan State coach Mel Tucker and his staff and took an official visit to East Lansing in June.
Although the Spartans appeared to have a rare shot of landing a five-star in Stone, there were notable staff changes in the offseason. Michigan State pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan was hired by the Seahawks while defensive line coach Marco Coleman returned to Georgia Tech and was replaced by Diron Reynolds.
“It’s been my favorite school since my first visit,” Stone said of Michigan State to 247Sports this week. “At one point in time I was ready to commit there. Just with the coaching staff changes everything died down a little bit. But I fell in love with the school again. It’s always been them and another school, they’ve always been in the mix. They’ve done a good job recruiting me and my family and it’s a great chance for me to be a Spartan. Just the way they constantly pursued me. Coach Tuck even after the staff changes really showed me I’m a priority to them and kept coming after me and still recruiting me daily and showing me if I were to come there things would be the same regardless of if the coaches leave.”
Michigan State has 12 players committed to its 2024 recruiting class and four-star wide receiver Nick Marsh from River Rouge High School is the highest-rated of the group. The early signing period is Dec. 20 to 22.