m footbl stats 020200aaa html - Michigan State University Athletics

Feb. 2, 2000

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

Michigan State's 2000 Football Recruiting Class

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown/High School
Dominick Brown	LB	6-4	230	Lansing, MI/Sexton
Brian Burns	RB	6-4	225	Independence, OH/Independence
James Cooper	TE	6-3	210	St. Louis, MO/Hazelwood East
Tyrell Dortch	RB	5-11	195	Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken
Damon Dowdell	QB	6-2	190	Detroit, MI/Henry Ford
Clifford Dukes	LB	6-3	235	Lexington Park, MD/Great Mills
Jeremy Fairrow	DB	6-1	197	Evansville, IN/Evansville Central
Mark Goebel	RB	6-2	215	Milford, MI/Brother Rice
Jason Harmon	DB	6-0	185	Ironton, OH/Ironton
Quentin Jackson	OL	6-7	320	College Park, GA/Fork Union Military Acad.
Bradshaw Littlejohn	LB	6-2	246	Gaffney, SC/Gaffney
Roderick Maples	DB	6-0	170	Detroit, MI/Cass Tech
Jeremiah McLaurin	DB	6-0	180	Saginaw, MI/Saginaw
Luc Mullinder	TE	6-4	235	Mississauga, ONT/Applewood Hts
Sean Poole	OL	6-7	285	Flint, MI/Flint Central
Charles Rogers	WR	6-4	195	Saginaw, MI/Saginaw
Jesse Sias	DL	6-3	305	Dallas, TX/Kimball
Lonnie Simmons	DL	6-5	265	Columbus, OH/Northland
Jeff Smoker	QB	6-4	190	Manheim, PA/Manheim Central
Greg Taplin	DL	6-4	255	Hollywood, FL/Hallandale
Dwight Whitfield	DL	6-3	275	St. Louis, MO/Vashon
William Whitticker	OL	6-5	320	Marion, IN/Marion
Greg Yeaster	DL	6-1	265	Montrose, MI/Montrose

Dominick Brown
LB, 6-4, 230
Lansing, MI/Sexton HS

Named to SuperPrep's All-Midwest Team . . . ranked among the state's top players by the Detroit Free Press (No. 7), The Detroit News (No. 8) and Lansing State Journal (No. 10) . . . selected Area Defensive Player of the Year in 1999 by the Lansing State Journal . . . three-year starter for Coach Rob Meyers at Sexton High School in Lansing, Mich. . . . all-state linebacker recorded 159 tackles, including three sacks, as a senior while helping the Big Reds to a 9-0 regular-season mark and the Capital Area Conference title . . . also had three interceptions and three fumble recoveries in '99 . . . runs 4.7 in the 40.

Brian Burns
RB, 6-4, 225
Independence, OH/Independence HS

PrepStar All-American . . . rated among the Midwest's top linebackers (No. 6) by PrepStar . . . named to SuperPrep's All-Midwest Team . . . ranked among Ohio's top players (No. 35) by The Midwest Football Recruiting News . . . two-time all-state running back for Coach Mark Raiff at Independence (Ohio) High School . . . selected Division 6 Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press . . . rushed for 1,733 yards (8.5 avg.) and 31 touchdowns in nine games as a senior to earn conference MVP honors . . . picked up nearly 1,600 yards rushing and scored 23 TDs as a junior . . . gained 4,615 rushing yards during his prep career and scored 72 TDs . . . runs 4.5 in the 40 . . . plans to pursue a degree in aviation.

James Cooper
TE, 6-3, 210
St. Louis, MO/Hazelwood East HS

Ranked among the nation's top 100 players (No. 76) by ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming . . . also rated among the nation's top tight ends (No. 15) by Lemming . . . named to PrepStar's All-Midlands Team . . . caught 41 passes for 780 yards (19.0 avg.) and 10 touchdowns as a senior for Coach Rick Gorzynski at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis . . . runs 4.6 in the 40 . . . plans to major in kinesiology.

Tyrell Dortch
RB, 5-11, 195
Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken HS

Consensus prep All-American . . . listed among the nation's top 100 players by PrepStar and Tom Lemming (No. 58) . . . ranked among the country's top 10 running backs by Lemming (No. 5), SuperPrep (No. 7) and PrepStar (No. 8) . . . rated the Eastern Region's No. 2 running back and No. 11 player overall by PrepStar . . . named New Jersey's Offensive Player of the Year in 1999 by The Newark Star-Ledger . . . all-state running back rushed for a school-record 2,605 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior . . . gained 289 yards and scored four TDs to lead Hoboken (N.J.) High School to a 27-7 win over Wayne Hills in the '99 North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 championship game . . . earned all-state honors as a junior after rushing for 1,730 yards and 25 TDs . . . three-year starter for Coach Eddie Stinson, helping Hoboken to back-to-back North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 titles . . . finished his prep career with 4,846 rushing yards and 60 TDs while averaging 11.1 yards per carry . . . runs 4.4 in the 40.

Damon Dowdell
QB, 6-2, 190
Detroit, MI/Henry Ford HS

PrepStar All-American . . . rated among the Midwest's top quarterbacks (No. 5) by PrepStar . . . ranked among the state's top players by The Detroit News (No. 9), Lansing State Journal (No. 18) and Detroit Free Press (No. 21) . . . all-metro selection by both The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press . . . completed 112-of-199 passes (.563) for 2,001 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, with only three interceptions . . . rushed for 617 yards (9.1 avg.) and nine TDs while helping Henry Ford High School in Detroit win the Public School League title in 1999 . . . threw for 1,793 yards and 22 TDs as a junior . . . added 580 yards rushing and scored six times in '98 . . . rewrote the school record book in only two seasons as the starting quarterback for Coach Mike Marshall . . . set career passing marks for completions (230), attempts (405), yards (3,840) and TDs (45) . . . sacked only five times in two years . . . runs 4.6 in the 40.

Clifford Dukes
LB, 6-3, 235
Lexington Park, MD/Great Mills HS

Ranked among the Mid-Atlantic's top players by SuperPrep (No. 13) and Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report (No. 30) . . . rated among the state's top fullbacks (No. 3) by Lemming . . . recorded 105 tackles (56 solos, 49 assists), including eight for losses, and intercepted two passes as a senior for Coach Bill Greer at Great Mills (Md.) High School . . . also forced four fumbles and recovered three . . . rushed for 619 yards on 119 carries and scored seven touchdowns in '99 . . . runs 4.7 in the 40 . . . plans to pursue a degree in animal science.

Jeremy Fairrow
DB, 6-1, 197
Evansville, IN/Evansville HS

PrepStar All-American . . . named to PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midwest Teams . . . ranked among the Midwest's top players (No. 16) by the Detroit Free Press . . . listed among the Midwest's top running backs (No. 6) by PrepStar . . . rated the No. 2 prospect in Indiana by The Midwest Football Recruiting News . . . two-time all-state selection (running back in 1999 and outside linebacker in '98) for Coach Mike Owen at Evansville (Ind.) Central High School . . . voted Metro Player of the Year . . . gained 1,785 yards on 278 rushes and scored 24 touchdowns in only seven games as a senior . . . registered 95 tackles, including 20 for losses, and caused 12 fumbles as a linebacker . . . rushed for 1,888 yards and 27 TDs as a junior . . . had 58 tackles and six interceptions in '98 . . . runs 4.5 in the 40.

Mark Goebel
RB, 6-2, 215
Milford, MI/Brother Rice HS

Featured on PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midwest Teams . . . ranked among the state's top players by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report (No. 11), Lansing State Journal (No. 12), The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 14), The Detroit News (No. 16) and Detroit Free Press (No. 25) . . . earned all-state and all-metro honors in 1999 . . . rushed for 1,585 yards (5.7 avg.) and 15 touchdowns as a senior . . . finished the regular season as the fourth-leading rusher in Oakland County . . . recorded 126 tackles from his linebacker position . . . picked up nearly 900 yards rushing as a junior and scored 12 TDs . . . three-year starter and three-time team MVP for Coach Al Fracassa at Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. . . . runs 4.6 in the 40.

Jason Harmon
DB, 6-0, 185
Ironton, OH/Ironton HS

Earned first-team All-Ohio and All-Southeast District honors as a senior . . . voted Southeast Ohio District Offensive Player of the Year . . . selected to play in the Ohio North-South and Ohio-Pennsylvania Big 33 All-Star Games . . . rushed for 1,500 yards (6.7 avg.) and 21 touchdowns as a senior while helping Ironton (Ohio) High School to a 10-4 record . . . led the team with 24 catches for 640 yards (26.7 avg.) and seven TDs . . . recorded 112 tackles and intercepted six passes . . . played four positions (running back, wide receiver, cornerback and safety) for Coach Bob Lutz plus returned kicks . . . earned second-team all-state honors as a junior and sophomore . . . named Southeast Ohio District Defensive Player of the Year in 1998 . . . runs 4.5 in the 40.

Quentin Jackson
OL, 6-7, 320
College Park, GA/Fork Union (VA) Military Academy

Played for Coach John Shuman at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy in 1999 . . . PrepStar All-SEC Region selection in '98 . . . listed among the Southeast's top offensive linemen (Nos. 36-46) by The National Recruiting Advisor . . . ranked among the Dixie Region's top players (No. 59) by SuperPrep . . . graded out 80 percent in his blocking assignments as a senior for Coach Don Shockley at North Clayton High School in College Park, Ga.

Bradshaw Littlejohn
LB, 6-2, 246
Gaffney, SC/Gaffney HS

PrepStar and Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report All-American . . . named to PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Mid-Atlantic Teams . . . ranked among the Atlantic Region's top 30 players (No. 28) by PrepStar . . . rated the No. 4 athlete in the Mid-Atlantic Region by PrepStar . . . ranked among the nation's top tight ends (No. 14) by Rivals.com . . . listed among the state's top players by SuperPrep (No. 9) and South Carolina Prep Football (No. 11) . . . his 65-yard touchdown pass in the North-South All-Star Game proved to be the game-winner . . . all-state quarterback completed 47 percent of his passes for 702 yards and 10 TDs as a senior . . . had 17 receptions for 165 yards and two scores . . . all-region QB threw for 755 yards and 11 TDs as a junior . . . rushed for 262 yards (4.9 avg.) and seven TDs in '98 . . . compiled a 24-5 career record (.827) as the starting quarterback for Coach Joe Montgomery at Gaffney (S.C.) High School . . . runs 4.6 in the 40.

Roderick Maples
DB, 6-0, 170
Detroit, MI/Cass Tech HS

Named to PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midwest Teams . . . ranked among the state's top players by The Detroit News (No. 11), The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 11), Lansing State Journal (No. 14) and Detroit Free Press (No. 19) . . . all-state and all-metro defensive back had 46 tackles, 11 interceptions and eight pass break-ups as a senior . . . returned three interceptions for touchdowns . . . picked off three passes against Detroit Pershing . . . caught 23 passes for 320 yards (13.9 avg.) and five TDs . . . returned three punts and two kickoffs for scores in 1999 . . . had 15 receptions for 689 yards (45.9 avg.) and seven TDs as a junior . . . returned three kickoffs and two interceptions for TDs in '98 . . . four-year starter for Coach Thomas Wilcher at Cass Tech High School in Detroit . . . runs 4.5 in the 40.

Jeremiah McLaurin
DB, 6-0, 180
Saginaw, MI/Saginaw HS

PrepStar All-American . . . ranked among the Midwest's top players by PrepStar (No. 24) and SuperPrep (No. 53) . . . rated among the Midwest's top defensive backs (No. 3) by PrepStar . . . listed among the state's top players by the Lansing State Journal (No. 11), Detroit Free Press (No. 13), The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 15) and The Detroit News (No. 24) . . . all-state and All-Saginaw Valley selection as a senior . . . registered 34 tackles and intercepted nine passes in 1999 . . . picked off a pass on the final play of the Division 2 state championship game to preserve Saginaw (Mich.) High School's 14-7 victory over Birmingham Brother Rice . . . produced 38 stops and seven interceptions as a junior . . . three-year starter for Coach Don Durrett had 23 career interceptions . . . high school teammate of Spartan signee Charles Rogers . . . runs 4.5 in the 40.

Luc Mullinder
TE, 6-4, 235
Mississauga, Ontario/ Applewood Heights HS

Ranked as the No. 3 player overall in Canada by scout Ron Dias . . . two-time all-star selection . . . named Ontario Varsity Football League Receiver of the Year in 1999 . . . led the league in receiving with 24 catches for 605 yards (25.2 avg.) and six touchdowns as a 13th grader . . . scored three rushing TDs, with one score coming on an 85-yard reverse . . . had seven TD receptions in '98 . . . two-year starter for Coach Brian Canton at Applewood Heights High School in Mississauga, Ontario . . . runs 4.6 in the 40 . . . enrolled at Michigan State at the beginning of the spring semester . . . plans to pursue a business degree.

Sean Poole
OL, 6-7, 285
Flint, MI/Flint Central HS

PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American . . . listed among the region's top players by The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 29) and SuperPrep (No. 23) . . . ranked among the nation's top offensive linemen by Rivals.com (No. 13) and SuperPrep (No. 32) . . . rated amond the Midwest's top offensive linemen (No. 6) by PrepStar . . . ranked among the state's top prospects by the Lansing State Journal (No. 4), Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 8), Detroit Free Press (No. 10) and The Detroit News (No. 12) . . . earned first-team all-state honors as a senior . . . two-time All-Saginaw Valley selection . . . did not allow a sack in 1999 . . . three-year starter at offensive tackle for Coach Joe Eufinger at Flint (Mich.) Central High School . . . runs 5.2 in the 40 . . . bench presses 400 pounds.

Charles Rogers
WR, 6-4, 195
Saginaw, MI/Saginaw HS

Consensus prep All-American . . . rated the nation's No. 1 prospect by ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming . . . also ranked among the country's top players by SuperPrep (No. 8) . . . listed among the nation's top receivers by Lemming (No. 1), PrepStar (No. 2) and SuperPrep (No. 3) . . . labeled the No. 1 player in the Midwest by PrepStar, SuperPrep and the Detroit Free Press . . . named Midwest Region Offensive MVP by PrepStar . . . rated the state's top player by the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News and Lansing State Journal . . . three-time all-state selection . . . caught 40 passes for 760 yards (19.0 avg.) and 14 touchdowns as a senior . . . had a 60-yard TD catch in the Division 2 state championship game, helping Saginaw (Mich.) High School to a 14-7 win over Birmingham Brother Rice . . . had 15 carries for 125 yards and two TDs . . . returned two punts for scores, covering 65 and 85 yards, respectively . . . had 53 catches for 956 yards (18.0 avg.) and 14 TDs as a junior . . . three-year starter for Coach Don Durrett at Saginaw . . . his prep career totals include 126 receptions for 2,644 yards (21.0 avg.) and 39 TDs . . . has won three state track titles, including the 400 meters in 1999 and the 100 and 200 meters in '98 . . . runs 4.4 in the 40 . . . plans to major in broadcast journalism.

Jesse Sias
DL, 6-3, 305
Dallas, TX/Kimball HS

Named to PrepStar's All-Midland's Team and SuperPrep's All-Southwest Team . . . rated among the state's top 100 players by SuperPrep (No. 89) and The Dallas Morning News . . . second-team all-state selection as a senior . . . also earned all-district, all-area and all-metro honors in 1999 . . . voted Texas District II-5A Defensive Player of the Year . . . recorded 60 tackles, including 12 sacks, as a senior for Coach James Jones at Kimball High School in Dallas . . . runs 5.1 in the 40 and bench presses 400 pounds.

Lonnie Simmons
DL, 6-5, 265
Columbus, OH/Northland HS

PrepStar All-American . . . ranked among the Midwest's top prospects by SuperPrep (No. 66), Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report (No. 74) and Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 75) . . . rated among the region's top defensive linemen (No. 6) by PrepStar . . . selected to play in the Ohio North-South and Ohio-Pennsylvania Big 33 All-Star Games . . . earned first-team all-state, all-district and all-city honors as a senior . . . two-way starter, at defensive end and offensive tackle, for Coach Jim Miranda at Columbus (Ohio) Northland High School . . . recorded 80 tackles, including 10 sacks, in 1999 . . . credited with 91 tackles as a junior . . . runs 4.8 in the 40 . . . plans to pursue an engineering degree.

Jeff Smoker
QB, 6-4, 190
Manheim, PA/Manheim Central

Consensus All-American . . . ranked among the nation's top prospects by SuperPrep (No. 23) and ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming . . . rated among the country's top 10 quarterbacks by PrepStar (No. 3), SuperPrep (No. 3) and Lemming (No. 6) . . . ranked as the Eastern Region's No. 1 quarterback and the No. 4 player overall by PrepStar . . . named to PrepStar's All-Eastern and SuperPrep's All-Northeastern Teams . . . first-team all-state QB completed 150-of-235 passes (.638) for 2,458 yards, 26 touchdowns and only seven interceptions as a senior . . . rushed for nearly 600 yards and 10 TDs in 1999 . . . connected on 110-of-173 throws (.636) for 1,993 yards, 17 TDs and only five INTs as a junior . . . compiled a 30-4 record (.882) as a three-year starter for Coach Mike Williams at Manheim (Pa.) Central High School . . . runs 4.7 in the 40.

Greg Taplin
DL, 6-4, 255
Hollywood, FL/Hallandale HS

Featured on PrepStar's All-Southeast Team . . . ranked among the state's top defensive ends (No. 4) by Florida Prep Football.com . . . rated among Florida's top defensive linemen (No. 19) by Bluechips Illustrated . . . selected to play in the Florida-Georgia and Broward-Dade County All-Star Games . . . earned first-team all-state and all-county honors as a senior . . . produced 65 tackles, including 11 sacks, in 1999 . . . also had 18 QB pressures, eight pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries . . . credited with 69 pancake blocks as a starting offensive lineman . . . played for Coach Prince Pearson at Hallandale (Fla.) High School . . . high school teammate of current Spartans Josh Shaw and Jimel Cofer while attending South Broward High School in Hollywood, Fla. . . . runs 5.0 in the 40 . . . intends to major in secondary education.

Dwight Whitfield
DL, 6-3, 275
St. Louis, MO/Vashon HS

PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American . . . ranked among the nation's top defensive linemen by ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming (No. 14) and SuperPrep (No. 24) . . . rated among the top defensive linemen in the Midlands by SuperPrep (No. 12) . . . named to PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midlands Teams . . . recorded 42 sacks in two seasons, including 19 as a senior . . . led the state in sacks as a junior with 23 . . . made 82 solo stops in 1998, including 35 for losses . . . two-year starter for Coach Anthony Mitchell at Vashon High School in St. Louis . . . runs 4.85 in the 40 . . . plans to major in business.

William Whitticker
OL, 6-5, 320
Marion, IN/Marion HS

Listed on PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midwest Teams . . . ranked as Indiana's No. 1 prospect and the Midwest's No. 43 player by the Midwest Football Recruiting News . . . three-year starter at offensive tackle for Coach Mark Surface at Marion (Ind.) High School . . . runs 5.0 in the 40 . . . attends the same high school that produced Spartan basketball signee Zach Randolph . . . plans to major in business.

Greg Yeaster
DL, 6-1, 265
Montrose, MI/Montrose HS

Named to PrepStar's and SuperPrep's All-Midwest Teams . . . ranked among the region's top players by SuperPrep (No. 77) and The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 88) . . . rated among the state's top prospects by The Midwest Football Recruiting News (No. 13), Lansing State Journal (No. 20), Detroit Free Press (No. 22) and The Detroit News (No. 30) . . . all-state defensive lineman recorded 18 sacks as a senior . . . had 70 tackles as a junior, including 18 sacks, while helping Montrose (Mich.) High School to its first-ever state championship . . . three-year starter on the defensive line and two-year regular at tight end for Coach Dennis Reinsart . . . led Montrose in sacks for three-straight seasons . . . runs 4.8 in the 40 . . . plans to major in sports medicine.