RADAR ’27: Recruiting heating up for Michigan State legacy OL Dewey Young of Kalamazoo

EAST LANSING – The summer football recruiting program has never been busier for college coaches, and Michigan State’s staff has been serving all facets of the operation in recent days.

Michigan State coaches will play host to its annual elite prospects camp on Sunday, with players from the 2027 and 2028 classes gaining evaluations. Meanwhile seven 2026 recruits will be wrapping up their official visits to Michigan State on Sunday.

One week earlier, Michigan State coaches were at the Sound Mind Sound Body National College Showcase in Detroit, where they viewed many players who won’t be at the Spartans’ on-campus camp but could push for official visits next year.

Among those players was Dewey Young, a four-star 2027 offensive tackle prospect from Kalamazoo. Young put together excellent sophomore film last fall and had a solid showing in Detroit. He’s not expected to camp at Michigan State, due to the fact that the Spartans have already extended an offer, and he has visited Michigan State four times.

Michigan State is continuing to watch Young closely, and he’s giving them a lot to see.

Young (6-5, 285) is ranked the No. 305 player in the nation in the combined On3 Industry Rankings, and No. 6 in the state for 2027. On3 lists him No. 155 in the nation and No. 3 in the state. 

Young is the son of former Michigan State tight end Duane Young, who was one of the top blocking tight ends of the George Perles era. Young was Second-Team All-Big Ten in 1989 and 1990, the second- and third-best teams of the Perles era.

Despite having only 12 catches as a senior for the ground-bound Spartans in 1990, Young was drafted in the fifth round by the San Diego Charges. He played six seasons in the NFL, and played in Super Bowl XXIX with the Chargers. 

POWER FOUR OFFERS ROLLING IN

Michigan State offered Dewey Young a scholarship on May 12. He also has offers from Iowa State, Purdue, Boston College, Kansas, Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota and Mid-American Conference schools.

“He’s a sophomore, so Michigan State has time to embrace him, if they see the growth that they need to see,” Duane Young said. “We were happy (with the offer). I think he deserves it. Happy about it. Fortunate. Honor. All that.

“I think they did a good job. I think (player personnel coordinator) Sean Levy does a good job recruiting (for Michigan State). 

Young has met with Michigan State offensive line coach Jim Michalczik.

“Good guy,” Young said. “Knowledgeable. I understand that he has to pay attention to the ‘now’ players. I know there’s a lot going on there, so I don’t expect them to give my son all the attention.”

YOUNG HOPING TO TRANSFER TO ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S

Duane Young’s parents were principals in the Kalamazoo school district. Duane teaches in the North Elementary School in Lansing.

Duane is a product of Kalamazoo public schools, and was ranked the No. 9 football player in Kalamazoo history by MLive.com in 2019. But Duane Young would like to see Dewey transfer to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s of the Detroit Catholic League.

“That’s what he wants, that’s not what dad wants, that’s what he wants,” Duane Young said, as Dewey nodded. “And he deserves it. You’re getting a quality education, that’s number one. And then you’re getting solid football and you’re getting development. We were looking at that last year. It didn’t work out last year but I think he’s really headstrong about going this year.”

Last year, Dewey planned to transfer to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. But Duane Young said a disagreement between himself and Dewey’s mother halted those plans, leading to a court case. 

“It was a court situation where the judge decided since he (Dewey) was 15 – and I still disagree with the judgement –  that it doesn’t hurt him to stay in Kalamazoo,” Duane Young said. “I feel a judge doesn’t know everything that can happen to a kid who has a chance to move to a better situation.

“He’s 16 now, so he should make his own decision now. It’s very possible. We talked about it last year and we were all on board but it was a judge that stopped his decision last year.”

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s won the Division II State Championship in 2024. Four members of that team signed with Michigan State.

“There aren’t many schools that compare to St. Mary’s,” Duane Young said. “When a kid has a chance to go there and wants to go there, then I don’t think a judge is in position to stop that. And when I’ve asked the judge on many occasions to pull him (Dewey) into his chambers and ask him face-to-face, and the judge refused to do it. That’s not cool. I said, ‘Leave me out of this. Bring him in.’ He refused to do it.

“So we’re still at it and we’re looking at getting him there next year and finishing out the next two years at St. Mary’s.”

‘HE PLAYS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE’

Young’s older son, DJ Young, was a second-team All-Big Ten offensive lineman at Michigan State in 2010. DJ Young spent portions of three seasons in the NFL. 

Duane Young worked to develop DJ Young, who initially played for Bowling Green and then transferred to Michigan State. And Duane Young is overseeing Dewey’s development as well.

“He (Dewey) has kind of watched me and his older brother,” Duane Young said. “He picks up on the techniques. He watches a lot of film. He kind of goes from there and molds it into his own form of play. And he plays pretty aggressive. And we were aggressive. It’s good to see that aggressiveness rub off on him.”

Young starred at left tackle for Kalamazoo Central last year, showing quick feet, long arms and developing tools. Young wasn’t undefeated in his reps at the Sound Mind Sound Body camp, but learned some things along the way.

“He kind of got over his skis a little bit a couple of times, but wound it back in,” said Duane Young. “One thing about him is he can fix himself pretty quick. I think that’s a good sign; he doesn’t need dad always looking over his shoulder about fixing him. He knows enough about the game to fix himself.

“I see him as a player who is improving, with good, constant work and a work ethic. He’s doing a good job. He’s doing a good job in school and he’s a good kid; that’s what I enjoy the most about him is that he is a trouble-free kid.”

Dewey plans to attend more camps this summer, while also spending time playing travel baseball for Top Tier out of Kalamazoon. He plays first base and pitches in baseball. He cuts an imposing figure on the mound.

“I’m working on that fastball and curveball,” he said.

And more work will come on the football field as well, as he aims for what he hopes will be an autumn season in the Detroit area.