SPARTANS

Trieu: MSU offer ‘so surreal’ for Carlson’s Franklin

Allen Trieu
Special to The Detroit News

Michigan State hosted a junior day on Sunday which had many talented prospects at it.

The event produced a commitment from Dearborn Divine Child quarterback Theo Day. New offers were also extended to several attendees: Xenia (Ohio) wide receiver Meechi Harris, Gibraltar Carlson athlete Jaylan Franklin and Milan offensive tackle Michael Furtney in the junior class, and Detroit Cass Tech running back Jaren Mangham in the sophomore class.

“I told Coach Dantonio, and he told the whole staff and they were super excited,” Day told Spartan Nation’s Justin Wieber. “Early on in the recruiting process, it always seemed like the right place every time I came up to visit. It just felt like home.”

Furntey (6-5, 260 pounds) has well over 20 scholarship offers now. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Indiana and Kentucky are some of the prominent schools on that list, but he admits he grew up watching Michigan State and this offer now gives him even more to think about.

“This offers ranks right up there with my top schools. It changes some things, but I am still trying to stick to my process of learning as much as I can about every school that has offered me and finding where my fit is.”

Franklin is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound prospect who has played quarterback, receiver and linebacker. He is being recruited as a general athlete by many schools, including Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Northwestern and Syracuse who have all offered him. Michigan State sees him as a defensive prospect primarily, a linebacker or potentially even a defensive end depending on how his body grows.

Having seen Carlson grad Kodi Kieler succeed at Michigan State, he admitted the Spartan offer was an emotional moment for him and his mother.

“I was at a loss for words,” Franklin said, “and my mom and I broke down. It was all so surreal.”

Harris, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound recruit, now holds offers from the Spartans, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, West Virginia and more. After visiting, seeing practice and a basketball game, Harris says he already feels a vibe from the staff he did not get from other places.

“All the schools that have offered all showed love, but Michigan State showed me a certain kind of love and respect to my family that I hadn’t seen before,” he told Wieber.

Mangham is a bruising 6-foot-2, 212-pound back who was a big part of Cass Tech’s state title run last season. He was recently named running backs MVP at The Best of the Midwest Combine in Indianapolis. The Spartans join Indiana, Mississippi State, Kentucky and more on his offer list.

In addition to those prospects who were given offers on Sunday, MSU also hosted Muskegon offensive tackle Antwan Reed, who already held an offer; Utica Eisenhower defensive end Henry Janeway, and Bolingbrook (Ill.) cornerback I’Shawn Stewart, who both do not yet have offers, but are on the recruiting board.

Spartans offer 2019 in-state WR

Belleville wide receiver Julian Barnett did not attend Sunday’s junior day, but he has been to campus several times over the last two years and was offered a scholarship by the Spartans last Saturday.

Barnett (6-2, 190 pounds) had 25 receptions for 460 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore. He also returned several kicks for scores and contributed as a linebacker and defensive back as well.

Iowa State, Kentucky, Missouri and others have offered him as well.

Jaylan Franklin profile

Michael Furtney profile

Meechi Harris profile

Allen Trieu began covering the state of Michigan for Scout.com in 2005 and began managing the entire Midwest in 2009. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.