WATCH: Michigan State WR commit Nick Marsh runs kickoff back 95 yards for TD
In a battle between two star-studded Michigan high school football programs, River Rouge (Mich.) four-star wide receiver Nick Marsh is having a night to remember.
Near the end of the third quarter, Marsh took a direct snap into the end zone on the ground, putting River Rouge down 21-14. Belleville quarterback, 2025 Five-Star Plus+ and No. 1 overall player Bryce Underwood, put Belleville up 28-14 at the end of the third quarter.
Marsh responded in the biggest way. He took the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to the house, pulling River Rouge back within one score. Marsh then brought the score even with 38 seconds to play and his second rushing touchdown of the night.
Marsh is the nation’s No. 126 overall prospect and No. 23 wide receiver in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 3 player in Michigan.
Marsh headlines MSU class
Marsh committed to Michigan State in early July, choosing to stay home over schools like Pittsburgh and Penn State.
“Honestly, I’m not even sure if it was the ‘OV’ that did it,” Marsh told On3. “It was just a long talk and conversation that I had with my mom. We just got to breaking down the pros and cons. Michigan State stood on top, so that was one of the biggest factors. The pros and cons of it — just being close to home, having that hometown advantage sometimes. I’ve got people who root for me close by, so that fanbase is going to be a lot bigger. That part really stood out to me.
“Another thing is, I know that I could go to Michigan State and I could be that guy. That was another big thing about it. That’s what I want to do with going to college, I just want to be that guy and get noticed. I want to be noticed, I think that’s the best place to do it.”
Marsh is the highest-rated prospect in Michigan State’s 2024 class. He is joined by two other blue-chip pledges: Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day four-star running back Anthony Carrie and Mount Pleasant (Mich.) four-star offensive lineman Andrew Dennis.
Marsh currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $117,000. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.