The loss of highly-rated receiver Nicholas Marsh is a blow for Michigan State and Coach Mel Tucker’s program. Despite committing to the Spartans in July 2022, the high four-star receiver from River Rouge, Michigan, backed off his pledge on Tuesday, sending shockwaves through the college football recruiting world. While Marsh has not ruled out Michigan State completely, other top teams are expected to pursue him, and his decommitment has been given a sting factor of 8 out of 10 by Rivals.com.
Local experts noted the loss of Marsh is significant, as he was the highest-rated committed player in MSU’s 2024 class and was expected to earn playing time right away. While Marsh mentioned that Michigan State will still be one of his top choices, it is rare to see a recruit who decommits wind up in the signing class for that program. Losing Marsh hurts, but MSU has a lot of options at the position it is pursuing in the 2024 class.
On the national level, Rivals’ recruiting director Adam Gorney noted that while the loss of Marsh is a blow to Michigan State, early commitments often don’t stick, and it remains to be seen if the Spartans will stay a main player in his recruitment. Regardless, it will be tough for MSU to get Marsh back in the class, but it’s not impossible.
Marsh’s decision highlights the fickle nature of college football recruiting, where top prospects are pursued by multiple programs and can change their minds at any moment. Michigan State will need to regroup and pursue other options as they continue to build for the future.
Source: Rivals