[GoRU]

'09 MI OC Blake Treadwell

Offensive center
East Lansing (MI) East Lansing

Ht: 6-foot-3
Wt: 261 lbs
Class: 2009 (High School)

Greenandwhite.com: MSU adds East Lansing lineman to 2009 class

Blake Treadwell's college decision might seem obvious.

But the East Lansing High junior's verbal commitment to Michigan State and coach Mark Dantonio on Sunday came a month after he first received a scholarship offer from the Spartans.

He even made a list of pros and cons about taking that offer - none of which included the chance to play under his father Don Treadwell, MSU's offensive coordinator.

"I always wanted to play in the Big Ten. That was my goal since I was a young kid because it's one of the best conferences," Blake Treadwell said. "(My dad) said just really follow your heart. MSU is in my heart."

The 6-foot-3, 273-pound lineman was a two-way starter for the Trojans last fall. Playing left tackle, he was the top blocker for an offense that averaged 341 yards and 27.4 points per game in advancing to the Division 3 state semifinals. He also was a dominating defensive lineman, switching between nose guard and end, and for his play on both sides earned a Division 3-4 all-state special mention.

He is the Spartans' sixth verbal commitment for 2009, a class already featuring arguably the state's top two junior running backs and best quarterback.

East Lansing coach Bill Feraco has believed since last summer that Treadwell would emerge into such a target. More interest may still come, but Treadwell said other schools backed off some after MSU started during the football season and Treadwell reciprocated interest.

Still, Treadwell ending up in the program for which his dad coaches was not a sure thing.

"It was hardly a formality," Feraco said. "(MSU) was extremely thorough. They evaluated him very, very closely. In fact, it was all based on performance, as it should be."

Treadwell has gained about 10 pounds since the end of last season. He also ran a 4.9-second 40-yard dash two weeks ago, a good time for a player his size.

"The strides he made offensively by the end of the year ... were just quality. He did some things in the latter stages of the season in the run game and the pass protection that were just excellent," Feraco said.

Treadwell said he's open to playing on either side of the ball, but likes defense better because "you get to hit somebody," he said, admitting some of that mentality might have been brewed from being part of a coaching family.

"I always had that when I was a kid."