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Recruiting: Big Ten schools receive commitments from 3 in-state football prospects
The Big Ten buckled down the services of three of the state’s best prep football players this past weekend with Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central senior receiver Tate Hallock committing to Michigan State, East Kentwood defensive tackle Mazi Smith committed to Michigan and Belleville senior defensive end Jalen Hunt committing to Iowa. Smith is a 4-star recruit. Hallock and Hunt are considered 3-star prospects.
Meanwhile, in a surprise move, Oak Park senior 4-star quarterback Dwan Mathis de-committed from MSU and committed to Ohio State – Mathis, a 6-5, 210-pound dual threat QB, had been vocal in recent months about not jumping from the Spartans after garnering more power-conference interest. Urban Meyer got him to flip Sunday.
Hallock (6-3, 185 pounds) is the son of retired NFL tight end-fullback Ty Hallock (Lions, Jaguars and Bears), who played linebacker for the Spartans in the early 1990s. The younger Hallock picked up his MSU offer last week and caught 800 yards in receptions and 10 TDs in 2017 on a Forest Hills Central club that reached the D2 semis. His dad played eight seasons in the NFL and was a part of the Detroit Lions last NFC Central title team as a rookie in 1993.
Smith (6-4, 290 pounds) is a Top 5 player in the state’s Class of 2019 and along with Wisconsin-commit Logan Brown anchors a massive line for East Kentwood. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame and Oregon all offered Smith, who recently visited Ann Arbor and Happy Valley.
Hunt (6-3, 230 pounds) visited Iowa over the weekend and pledged his allegiance to Hawkeyes Nation on the spot. As a junior, he recorded 56 tackles and 9 sacks. He was on campus at Michigan State last weekend and visited Missouri earlier this month. His Belleville squad is stacked to the gills with Blue Chip talent on both sides of the pigskin. Hunt is one of at least five power-conference bound players set to trigger the team in 2018.
