Rivals250 quarterback Michael van Buren commits to Mississippi State
New Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby isn't wasting time on the recruiting trail. Rivals250 quarterback Michael van Buren was one of the high profile recruits the Bulldogs hosted this weekend and now the Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy standout has announced his commitment.
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IN HIS OWN WORDS
"Getting around the coaching staff and the people in the building made me and my mother feel comfortable about me being here," van Buren said. "We were talking to coach Lebby about how I'd be developed, how I'm going to get better day to day, and about their plans for me.
"It's a great family environment," he said. "Everybody is closely connected and you can see that with who coach Lebby is hiring. They all have a family culture, which fits me.
"Before I came down there, coach Lebby came to see me earlier this week and he was telling me about the guys they're recruiting and the guys they've got ready to hop onboard," said van Buren. "He was pretty much telling them about me and I've started connecting with those guys. That definitely helped me in my decision, knowing that I'm possibly going to have a lot of guys coming in to make a lot of plays.
"All the guys that were there this weekend - SanFrisco (Magee) who just committed, (Braylon) Burnside, and (Mario) Craver - we've been talking about how we can put together something special come Signing Day," he said. "Those are the guys I'm ready to get locked in."
RIVALS' REACTION
Van Buren is a talented prospect we’ve scouted many times over the last few years, but this season was a difficult one for the former Oregon commit. Van Buren is on the smaller side but has shown in the past he is able to throw the ball accurately and on time while on the run or in a clean pocket, which he hasn't had very often this season.
Without many consistent playmakers around him, Van Buren often tried to do too much himself this season, making questionable decisions with the ball and that snowballed on him at times. In the past he's been able to effectively distribute the ball to his receivers and create big plays, but that hasn't carried over to this season.