Michigan now trending to potentially steal MSU’s top recruiting target away from them

It appears we have our first true bit of recruiting drama between the Michigan State Spartans under new head coach Mel Tucker and the Michigan Wolverines. East Lansing wide receiver Andrel Anthony is set to make his college decision on Friday between Michigan, MSU, Penn State and Notre Dame with the Spartans as the presumed leaders for quite some time.

Not so fast, my friends.

A pair of 247Sports Crystal Ball picks came in on Wednesday afternoon ($) in favor of the Wolverines (with a confidence level of “8”) from Steve Wiltfong and Allen Trieu, who are as connected as they come in the national recruiting landscape. This would come as a swift blow to the Spartans’ in-state recruiting efforts for this class, as Anthony has been one of their top targets and a player they have been hoping to build the class around.

Add in the fact that he may be heading to the chief rival that already has three wideouts committed in 2021 in four-stars Cristian Dixon and Xavier Worthy and three-star Markus Allen and it certainly hurts.

Tucker and his staff have had a rough go of it since being hired to replace Mark Dantonio, who abruptly left the program in February. It is already hard enough for a first-year staff on the recruiting trail, but the pandemic has severely limited their ability to pitch the program by getting guys on campus. The idea of Michigan potentially pulling a kid almost literally right in the Spartans’ backyard has to be so frustrating.

Anthony is a three-star prospect himself and the No. 529 player in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. His primary recruiter for Michigan is tight ends coach Sherrone Moore, who is quickly developing a reputation as one of the most impactful assistants on the trail in the country.