Rivals250 RB from Georgia serious about Michigan State

When Mel Tucker said he wanted to increase Michigan State’s recruiting scope to the national stage and set out to enhance the Spartans’ ability to pull highly-ranked prospects from different regions of the country, a guy like Damari Alston is what he had in mind.

Tucker, with running backs coach Will Peagler serving as the point man in this recruitment, has helped put Michigan State squarely in the race for the four-star running back from College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy.

Alston is ranked the No. 183 player in the nation by Rivals.com. He has offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Florida, Colorado, Georgia Tech, LSU, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and many others.

The schools that have given him the most attention have remained high on his radar. Michigan State is among them.

“I haven’t dropped a list of my top schools or anything but Michigan State is definitely one of the top schools that I like right now,” Alston said. “They are recruiting me pretty hard.”

Not long after Tucker was hired and assembled his staff, MSU’s first-year head coach tasked his assistant coaches with devouring high school film, and determining which 2022 recruits to offer and pursue, while also working on 2021 recruiting.

That early, heavy workload resulted in Peagler and Tucker pinpointing Alston as a high-ranking sophomore on the Spartans’ wish list last spring. Now, Alston is a junior, heading toward his senior season next fall, and the Spartans are benefitting from those early seeds of hard work.

Last April, Michigan State sent out word to Alston’s coaches that the Spartans liked Alston. The Spartans requested that he call Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins. This was before the point in the recruiting calendar when coaches are eligible to call the recruits directly.

“I had to call Coach Hawkins and he just told me that Coach Peag wanted to offer,” Alston said. “And we went on from there. We’ve been texting, calling.”

Peagler’s relatable personality and dedication has struck a chord with Alston.

“Oh yeah,” Alston said. “He keeps it real with me so I know nothing he is telling me is fake love, so that makes me feel loved. He said he feels like I’m that complete back that Michigan State needs in that offense. He feels like I can change the game. He said he wants a big-time back in this class, and he’s chasing after me.”

Michigan State, Ohio State, Auburn, Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, Vanderbilt, Nebraska and Penn State were among the schools that called him on Feb. 1, the first day that coaches were allowed to make contact.

Alston produced 1,943 all-purpose yards as a junior in 2020, with 27 touchdowns.

In his high game of the year, he rushed for 201 yards in a 29-26 victory over Riverwood on Sept. 25.

Listed at 5-11, 205, Alston has good speed and balance through contact. One of the skills that sets him apart is his vision. He has an uncanny knack to cut to daylight and crease a defense.

“They always tell me I’ve got pretty good vision and my breakaway speed is great,” Alston said.

Alston has had virtual visits with six schools thus far: Michigan State, Auburn, North Carolina, Louisville, Nebraska and Colorado.

Michigan State was his latest virtual visit.

“I just loved it,” Alston said. “I felt like it was a good visit. It was set up well. That was one of the better virtual visits that I’ve been on.”

Alston’s mother and grandmother sat in on the virtual visit.

“The coaches got to speak with my family,” Alston said. “Coach Tuck got on and talked to me a little bit. Coach Peag got on and talked with me, talked some ball with me.

“I haven’t been up to (MSU’s) campus so I just learned some things that they have on campus.”

What about mom and grandma?

“They thought it was good too,” Alston said. “They showed us videos, and my mom made sure she was recording so she would have all the information. She was taking notes and stuff like that.

“That was my first Zoom meeting with the Michigan State coaches. Usually me and Coach Peag just FaceTime and we just talk for a little bit. But this was the first time on Zoom.”

Alston’s father, Jamaah, is also heavily involved in the running back’s world view. On Alston’s Twitter page, the phrase “Trust Nobody” is emblazoned in large letters, in black and white.

“When I grew up, my dad always said don’t trust nobody,” Alston said. “That’s what I go by. Just follow my path, follow God’s path. God has it all set out for me and I just have to take the risk that people don’t believe I can, and just keep going.”

Michigan State is among the schools that has gained favor within that circle of trust. There are no concerns from the family about going far from home for college.

“They don’t have a problem with it,” Alston said. “My mom, she actually wants me to get out of the state of Georgia.

“At the end of the day, it’s up to me. It’s my decision, but they don’t mind if I get out of the state.”

Rather than go over all the schools that have offered Alston, SpartanMag.com asked him about the schools that have played host to him for virtual visits.

On North Carolina: “North Carolina is my hometown. It’s where I was born. It’s just a good school overall, good football program. Javonte Williams and Michael Carter really put them on the map a lot. Coach Mack Brown is a good coach and Coach (Larry) Porter, who just came in for Coach (Robert) Gillespie, he’s been recruiting me hard even before he got in the office. So I just feel the love from North Carolina.”

Gillespie left North Carolina to become running backs coach at Alabama in late January.

On Auburn: “Auburn is just a good school, a good football school, a good SEC program. Coach Cadillac Williams is on me pretty hard. Coach (Bryan) Harsin is on me pretty hard. They are just keeping in contact with me.”

On Louisville: “Louisville is a good school. Coach (Norval) McKenzie was recruiting me but he left for Vanderbilt and now he is recruiting me at Vanderbilt. Now Coach De’Rail Sims is at Louisville and is recruiting me pretty hard.”

On Colorado: “Colorado is one of my first offers. They kept it real with me ever since. It’s pretty far but like I said I don’t really care about being out of state. It’s a good school and they run the ball a lot so that’s my type of party.”

Alston was hoping to arm himself with information this spring to make a decision by the end of the summer. But factors keep changing.

“It kind of is getting overwhelming just because they (the NCAA) are extending their dead period (to May 31),” he said. “I want to make my decision before my senior year but if I can’t then time will tell. Like I said, God has a path for me. I’m just staying calm right now and taking it day by day and seeing what happens.”

What about taking unofficial, self-guided tours of campuses?

“Yeah, it’s possible,” he said. “If I don’t have to do it, then I won’t. If it comes to a point that I have to, then I will.”