Donovan Edwards seemed like a long-shot not too long ago, but Mel Tucker has gotten Michigan State football back in the race.

The last time Michigan State landed a running back from the state of Michigan, he panned out almost immediately. Elijah Collins, from Detroit, redshirted in 2018, but eventually earned the starting job in 2019, rushing for 988 yards and five scores.

Well, Michigan State could dip back into the talent-rich state of Michigan for another star running back in 2021: Donovan Edwards.

The four-star from West Bloomfield is ranked in the top-40 nationally and looked like a long-shot for the Spartans not too long ago. Mel Tucker has changed that.

The new head coach has been putting on the full-court press and has made him feel like a priority which is something Mark Dantonio should have done. Did the former head coach believe he was too far behind in this recruitment to have a shot? Possibly, but that ground seems to have been made up and Edwards even gave Michigan State fans some hope via his Instagram story on Saturday.

He was asked what his dream school was as a kid and he posted a picture of himself with Dantonio on a visit to Michigan State.

During an Instagram Q&A, 2021 4-Star RB Donovan Edwards called MSU his dream school in this post. He also agreed that him & Elijah Collins would be quite the duo. Edwards, from West Bloomfield HS in Michigan, is one of the top targets for Coach Tucker's staff in this cycle. pic.twitter.com/wcfOtqpnE3 — Spartans SZN (@SpartansSZN) March 21, 2020

Social media can be a dangerous place for fans when it comes to recruiting, but whenever a prospect admits what his dream school was, it gives that program a realistic chance. There’s something that Michigan State has that no other program he is being recruited by has — a former fan. He grew up as a fan of the Spartans, apparently, and that’s big.

Right now, though, it seems like Ohio State, Georgia and maybe even Michigan lead the way for Edwards, but Michigan State is gaining some steam. He seems to love the hire of Tucker and he’s being pursued in East Lansing.

Edwards is beginning to feel like a priority for the Spartans and that’s something that could help Tucker land his first big fish as Michigan State’s head coach.