Michigan State football: Leo Hannan tabbed as third-string QB

Michigan State football has tabbed freshman Leo Hannan as the team’s third-string quarterback behind Aidan Chiles and Alessio Milivojevic.

Leo Hannan, the Anaheim, Calif., native, has been officially named the third-string quarterback for Michigan State football by offensive assistant Jon Boyer during a press conference on Tuesday morning.

It may not mean much now, but with Hannan establishing a clear gap between himself and fourth-string sophomore Ryland Jessee, the freshman is moving up the ranks.

Hannan, a former three-star prospect, was described as “operating on a high-level with being able to process and execute with what we are asking him to do offensively” by Boyer.

The Spartans are not the only ones who believe on Hannan’s ability either. Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst from 247Sports wrote, “Hannan is a big, strong 6-foot-4, 210 pound signal signal-caller with a really nice upside to him. He has a big arm, can throw the deep outs and posts on a rope and shows the ability to make plays from the pocket as well as outside the pocket. He’s an easy Power 4 prospect and we like where his game is trending.”

As the quarterback in head coach Jonathan Smith’s first recruiting class at State, Hannan was valued highly by the staff, with both Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren recruiting him together, out of California.

Hannan’s basketball background helped groom him for football as well. Footwork and technique are two qualities that are practiced and harped on in basketball, and they both have easily transitioned to the gridiron for Hannan.

The Spartans had to fight off other schools such as Arkansas, Colorado, and Washington for Hannan’s commitment. And so far, the payoff has already shown just two weeks into Hannan’s freshman season.

Aidan Chiles is currently scheduled to graduate after next season. Sophomore Alessio Milivojevic is the current backup, but after his performance in Week 1 against Western Michigan, throwing only one pass that was intercepted for a touchdown, Hannan could see an opportunity to climb higher on the depth chart, as the season moves along.