Spartans land another 4-star recruit
SpartanMag.com has been able to confirm that 4-star offensive line prospect Nate Klatt of Canal Fulton Northwest High School in Ohio has committed to Head Coach Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans.
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Klatt selected the Spartans over a host of offers, including Northwestern, Kansas, and Indiana. Klatt also received heavy interest from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Rivals.com rates the 6-foot-4, 286-pound Klatt the #4 offensive center prospect in the nation for the class of 2009.
Klatt's decision came on the heels of him taking a summer tour of his finalists and speaking with the coaching staff's of each school at length.
Klatt was at Michigan State back on Saturday the 21st of June. The Spartans held a Big Man Camp that day and Klatt was able to work extensively with Offensive Line Coach Dan Roushar.
The Spartans are limited on scholarships this year, but they definitely want to address the offensive line position with high-level talent. Klatt joins fellow Spartan Camper Micajah Reynolds as possible future stalwarts on the Michigan State offensive line.
The Rivals.com recruiting database list fellow 4-star Spartan commitment Blake Treadwell as an offensive center prospect as well. From what SpartanMag.com has learned Treadwell will be starting his career on the defensive side of the ball as a three technique defensive tackle. That is the position currently played by Spartan senior Justin Kershaw.
Klatt is known as a brawler on the football field. His style of play is very physical and he should be an excellent fit to the power-style of football Coach Dantonio has brought to East Lansing. Klatt also moves very well for a person his size. Klatt is often seen downfield blocking defensive backs on long runs out of the backfield.
One other aspect of Klatt's recruitment that was a positive for the Spartan staff is the fact that he is a strong student. Klatt carries a 4.0 GPA and his intelligence is one of the reasons why he is so highly coveted as a center prospect.
It was not long ago that the Spartans had a center whose play is reminiscent of Klatt, current Oakland Raider, Chris Morris. Morris was 4X Academic All-Big Ten selection after red-shirting. It is not a surprise that Coach Dantonio was an assistant at Michigan State when Morris was recruited to East Lansing.
The commitment of Klatt gives the Spartans a total of ten commitmemnts for the class of 2009. Seven of the ten commitments are rated as 4-star recruits.
Last week Rivals.com ranked the Spartans as having one of the top ten recruiting classes in the nation at this point. The commitment of Klatt will certianly do nothing but solidify that lofty status.
SpartanMag.com will have much more on Klatt, including quotes from the newest member of the Green and White, in the near future.