Top JUCO offensive lineman Keyshawn Blackstock signs with Michigan State
In what has turned into a position of need, Michigan State was able to land a significant commitment for the class of 2023 in junior college (JUCO) offensive lineman Keyshawn Blackstock.
Blackstock ranks as the No. 3 JUCO prospect and No. 1 JUCO offensive lineman in the 2023 class, according to Rivals.
The highly-touted prospect took an official visit to MSU during the weekend of Dec. 9, where he was able meet with coaches and get a feel of the program and campus.
Blackstock is rated as a four-star JUCO prospect and received nearly 40 scholarship offers. Back on Dec. 14, Blackstock released a top-five schools list of Michigan State, Oregon, Tennessee, USC and Oklahoma.
Blackstock comes to the Spartans after spending a couple years at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas. Rivals currently lists Blackstock at 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, but his profile at Coffeyville shows 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds. Though he's listed as an offensive guard, the Spartans view him as a swing player, meaning he can play inside or outside at tackle.
He joins a 2023 class that already features some good talent but needed to add more depth up front. Blackstock joins three-star Stanton Ramil and four-star Cole Dellinger as MSU's 2023 commitments on the offensive line.
Michigan State also announced that Blackstock officially signed his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday.
Michigan State could return several offensive linemen who played at least 215 offensive snaps last season (snap counts according to Pro Football Focus): left tackle Brandon Baldwin (405), left guard J.D. Duplain (742), center Nick Samac (803), right guard Geno VanDeMark and right tackle Spencer Brown (783). Additionally, left tackle Jarrett Horst declared for the NFL Draft, while guards Brian Greene and Matt Carrick have exhausted their eligibility and at least Carrick will pursue the draft as well.
Despite all of the returning experience along the offensive line, Blackstock should be able to earn a role as a rotational player or starter. He will have two to three years of eligibility remaining.
Blackstock's commitment gives MSU 14 total verbal commitments, including seven four-star prospects. Despite the low number of commits overall, the Spartans are on pace to have their most four-star prospects in a class since 2016.
For the latest information on various recruits throughout the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes, head over to the Spartans Illustrated Premium Forum.