4-star WR Nick Marsh solidified Michigan State’s commitment on the catch

RIVER ROUGE – Nick Marsh’s catch Thursday night wasn’t his best.

The 2024 four-star wide receiver was transferred from River Rouge High School in Ras Ghanem while fishing from a dock in Wyandotte and then had to deal with bones. Although Marsh prefers bass, his frequent outings around Detroit aren’t just about reeling, cleaning, and cooking.

He said, “This is the thing I do just to clear my head, have some free time, just sit back, relax and really focus on the moment.”

Marsh fished until 10 p.m. Thursday and used that time to make an important decision in his life. With a scheduled commitment looming in less than 24 hours, he’s found an answer.

Marsh’s mother, Yolanda Wilson, recalled, “I went to get him, and he said, ‘I’m ready. ‘”

The 4-star WR committed to Michigan for the second time

Marsh announced his commitment to Michigan State Friday night at the River Rouge Auditorium. It was his second commitment after initially giving one to the Spartans last year and then breaking off the commitment before becoming the rare recruit to make the same verbal pledge twice.

“Sure, I feel great,” Marsh said. “Everyone knows where I’m going so it’s not like ‘Nick, where are you going?'” “I don’t have to worry about college until I get there. I can just focus on my football season now and come in and dominate.”

Marsh, 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, has offers from some of the top programs in the country and chose Michigan State over other finalists — Penn State, Oregon, Pittsburgh and Kansas. The downriver talent said location was a factor in his decision and that having family within an hour of watching him play in East Lansing was important.

“Home is where the heart is,” Wilson said of her son, “and he’s always said that about Michigan State from day one.” “That’s what it is – home.”

Michigan State began recruiting Marsh after his freshman season at River Rouge and established relationships with coach Mel Tucker and wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins. He committed to the Spartans in July 2022 but was released in March while he weighed his options.

“I felt it wouldn’t be right to travel (to other schools) while still being committed,” said Marsh. “That’s one of the biggest reasons I decommissioned and saw what was out there. Just being able to see other schools and see their culture and just knowing that Michigan State is still home was a huge thing.”

While Marsh has been interested in other programs around the country, he said Michigan State will continue to be one of the best choices. He also appreciated how the Spartans handled the operation.

“Coach Tucker really relaxed,” Marsh said. “After committing and then decommitting, you don’t want to keep applying pressure, so some just relax and keep it real.”

Marsh, whose performances include Michigan, Notre Dame and Auburn, had a strong junior season while recording 57 receptions for 723 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games last year. He made state visits to Pittsburgh, Penn State, Kansas and Michigan State in June, and he said the Spartans have moved up front in the past week or so. His journey to East Lansing was assisted by Marsh’s family, including his mother, grandmother, and sister.

“I love that my family is able to travel close to me, and I love that they come over to watch the games and be able to support me close to home,” said Marsh. “That’s a big part of it.”

Marsh is listed as Michigan’s No. 3 player, No. 16 wide receiver and No. 99 recruit overall in the class of 2024 at 247Sports Composite. If the ranking is correct, it would be the highest rated receiver the Spartans have landed since Aaron Burbridge in 2012. A conversation with Tucker on the official visit played a huge role in the selection of the Spartans.

“They see me as a dominant receiver on the outside who plays a little bit on the inside, too,” Marsh said of his college outlook. “I see myself going far with Michigan State. I see us going into the playoffs, doing very big things and having good runs.”

For Marsh, Michigan State was again the choice. He became the 12th player committed to the Spartans class of 2024, the first receiver and the highest ranking member of the group. Plan to be an early affiliate while staying close enough to home.

“After the official visit, just talking to my family and checking all the boxes,” Marsh said. “Michigan State came out on top.”

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