Analysis of the football potential of Jonathan Smith, Michigan State, with primary goal

The Michigan State Spartans are excited about 2025 three-star athlete Desmond Straughton, a junior from Roseville High School who plays safety and running back. The Spartans recently secured their first cornerback in the 2025 class, with three-star player George Mullins announcing his commitment during his official visit.

However, Straughton would still be a great addition to the Blue Adams safety coach. I spoke with Straughton’s coach in Roseville, Vernard Snowden. Snowden is no stranger to talent, his son Amare plays defensive back at Wisconsin.

“(Straughton’s) athletic ability and work ethic alone will take him to places and heights that have never been seen and reached before,” Snowden told me when I first spoke with him in May.

I had also spoken with Straughton, who was the favorite to play Michigan State at the time according to 247Sports’ Crystal Ball. During our conversation, he gave me a quick rundown of the top schools on his list.

“Arizona State, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan State — this isn’t a ranking, they’re all up there,” he said. “I really want to put out an official ranking sometime in a couple of weeks or so.”

Snowden himself had originally told me that he expected Straughton to make a decision by the end of May.

“Michigan State is definitely one (of Straughton’s top schools),” Snowden said. “But he’s talked to other schools and visited them … I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Now it’s almost July, and a new challenger has emerged – a new favorite in its Big Ten rival, Illinois.

Straughton attended a camp hosted by the Illini and received an offer on June 15. He soon had an official visit scheduled for the weekend of June 21, just before summer break.

Straughton did not take an official visit to East Lansing during the official visit period. Illinois is now the favorite, as the experts at 247Sports’ Crystal Ball, from Spartan insiders to national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu, prefer Straughton to the Illini.

All signs point to the Illini signing Straughton. It would be a big loss for the Spartans, who have had their eye on the prospect since February when he attended Junior Day and connected with head coach Jonathan Smith’s team.

Straughton is the 14th-ranked player in Michigan and the 49th-ranked athlete in the class of 2025.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated’s Michigan State recruiting reporter and covers all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive coverage of the Spartans recruiting.

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