Jaren Jackson Jr.

Incoming Michigan State freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. starred as a McDonald's All-American at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, this season.

(Gregory Payan | AP Photo)

The buzz around incoming Michigan State freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. is, well, buzzing.

This week saw the 6-foot-10 forward vault in the final recruiting rankings for the 2017 class. As it stands, Jackson sits at No. 7 in the 247Sports Composite ranking, which equally weighs ratings from all major recruiting outlets. He's also popping up as a projected lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

That, of course, though, is all talk. Those are rankings and projections -- approximations and guesswork.

Next year, all that will matter is how ready Jackson is to take the floor for the Spartans -- how he fits, where he contributes.

That's all Tom Izzo is concerned with.

Jackson is joining a frontcourt with returning starter Nick Ward, returning veteran fifth-year senior Gavin Schilling, returnee Kenny Goins and incoming freshman Xavier Tillman.

Among that grouping, Jackson's skillset is all his own. He's long and lean and is a particularly mobile athlete. He can block shots on the defensive end and make 3-pointers on the offensive end. His size and versatility has the attention of pro scouts.

At Michigan State, Jackson will fill the role of the "consummate four man," Izzo told Scout.com's Evan Daniels on his weekly podcast.

"He keeps growing. He's only 17 right now. He's got that long wingspan and he's a very smart kid, both book-wise and basketball-wise. I think when you are that way and you're driven, you continue to improve. He's got to get stronger. He's got to get even quicker. But I think he's going to be a consummate four man who can post you up, shoot the ball, be a stretch four."

While Ward, Tillman and Schilling are pounding, physical presences in the paint, Jackson comes with a more fluid, light-footed style of play.

As Daniels told MLive earlier this week: "He's got good hands. He's got a hook shot over both shoulders. He's very active. He can get on the offensive glass. Defensively, his length impacts things. He blocks shots. He moves his feet well. He's still gonna need to get stronger and I still think there's room for improvement, which is good."

Jackson's insertion at the four position will allow Miles Bridges to slide over to the three. At 6-foot-7, he'll be widely considered as the best small forward in the country.

In theory, with Bridges and Jackson at the three and the four, respectively, and Ward at the five, the Spartans' will present a diverse and potentially dominant front line of skill and athleticism.

" I just think it will be a chance for us to be not only talented at each position, but also have some backups that have some experience," Izzo told Daniels. "I think they're going to fit together well. They get along already. They've all gotten to know each other already."