Michigan State football’s recruiting blitz continues. The Spartans added Alessio Milivojevic and Andrew Brinson IV to their 2024 class today.
On Sunday evening, Michigan State football landed a pair of recruits within a few short hours of the first commitment. Defensive back Andrew Brinson IV was the first domino to fall, announcing his commitment to the Spartans around 7:15 p.m. ET. An hour later, Alessio Milivojevic, or A-Mil(l)i, as the Spartan Shadows staff likes to call him, committed.
Andrew Brinson IV brings speed and physicality to the table
Andrew Brinson IV was a player that the Spartans have been targeting since Jonathan Smith was announced as the head coach. He was a former Oregon State commit, and Blue Adams has been adamant about bringing him from his Tampa high school to East Lansing. Brinson is ranked as the No. 1,015 prospect in the 247Sports composite and the No. 91 athlete in the nation. When watching the tape, it is clear to see that Brinson is fast. In almost all highlights, he runs stride for stride with an opposing receiver. The one or two times a receiver gets a jump, Brinson is repositioned to break the ball away by the time it arrives.
Another other major “plus” for Brinson is his physicality. Brinson will not be a corner that has a “non-aggression” pact with an opposing receiver. The defensive back will lower the shoulder, deliver the hit, and remain standing after leveling a player. He is not afraid of a bigger ball carrier, with one highlight showcasing the smaller Brinson driving his man to the ground. Brinson wants the contact, and he will win the hit. Blue Adams and Jonathan Smith got a good one.
Brinson committed to Oregon State in June after visits to both UCF and the Beavers. Another Big Ten school tried to acquire the athlete’s talents, as Purdue hosted Brinson on June 22. Following Jonathan Smith and Blue Adams’ departures from Oregon State, Brinson took a step back from his commitment to weigh his options. He decommitted on Nov. 25, and the Spartans came calling two days later in one of the first offers from the new staff. Brinson visited the Spartans this weekend, and made his commitment official today.
Alessio Milivojevic might be the biggest gem in the class
Following the decommitment of Henry Hasselbeck, the Spartans faced an empty quarterback room. The staff brought in Aidan Chiles early last week, and now land their (first of a pair?) class of 2024 quarterback. Milivojevic was a late bloomer in this class, with Ball State landing the quarterback in June. A-Mili currently ranks as the No. 1,161 prospect in the 247Sports composite, and the No. 67 quarterback in the country. 247Sports has him a bit better than the composite, ranking Milivojevic at no. 50. Personally, I still believe that is much, much too low. It appears I am not the only one. Ten days ago, Smith and the Spartan staff started pitching hard for Milivojevic, becoming his first announced offer since his commitment to Ball State.
Milivojevic has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Midwest this season, ranking No. 2 in the state of Illinois for passing yards and touchdowns. He added over 300 yards on the ground and nine more touchdowns. All of this came with efficiency, as the quarterback completed nearly 73 percent of his passes and only threw four nterceptions.
When you turn on the film for A-Mili, I do not think you will find a non-”wow” play. I do not believe there is a single throw A-Mili cannot hit. At the first sign of trouble, Milivojevic is aware but does not panic. He showcases the ability to move in the pocket or roll out but keeps his eyes downfield. He is an active runner, trying to make a play and not afraid of contact. If you played Road to Glory in an old NCAA football game as a quarterback, A-Mili’s game looks very similar to who your created player turned out as.
The Spartans hosted A-Mili starting on Dec. 15, and he decommitted from Ball State the next day. On Sunday, he made it official with Michigan State football. Now, he gets to learn from Brian Lindgren and Jonathan Smith, two of the best quarterback minds in the game.
With a veteran pocket presence and arm ability already, the future of East Lansing after Aidan Chiles has arrived. We may even see flashes of A-Mili in 2024, too. Smith tried to work Chiles into the game during most of the Beaver’s 2023 contests.
The Michigan State football recruiting blitz continues as the early period for National Signing Day is only a few short days away. The Spartans have now moved up to no. 60 in class rankings, with a few prospects on the board who are heavily favored to the Spartans. The job is not done yet for Michigan State football.
MORE SPORTS5 days ago