Signing Day: Simeon’s Mikeshun Beeler makes it official with Michigan State

It wasn’t always easy, but Mikeshun Beeler kept the faith.

In the post-pandemic era, it’s harder for high school football players to get scholarships as coaches increasingly look to restock their rosters in the transfer portal.

The prep standouts who do land Power Five offers almost always make it official in the early signing period in December, fearing schools will move on if they don’t commit as soon as possible.

But there are the rare few like Beeler, a 6-4, 280-pound defensive lineman from Simeon, who can afford to let the process play out and still wind up at their dream school.

Beeler, the No. 24 senior in Illinois according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, signed his letter of intent with Michigan State on Wednesday.

“It was definitely stressful,” Beeler said. “My recruiting wave I went through — I started off with nothing freshman, sophomore year. I had nothing. ... I just kept working. I kept doing what I had to do and I went to as many camps as I could afford so that I could start getting some more attention.”

During his junior season, interest picked up. The Power Five offers started coming in — they wound up including Arizona State, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon and Texas A&M.

But with coaches being fired or getting new jobs, the process slowed down. Beeler didn’t lose hope though.

“I kept working, I didn’t give up,” he said. “I knew I was going to be a P-5 player. And senior year I just balled out and I gave it everything I had.”

It didn’t hurt that he was half of arguably the best pair of defensive linemen at any school in the state.

Christopher Burgess Jr., a 6-4, 240-pound junior is the No. 5 player in his class in Illinois, according to 247Sports. He committed to Notre Dame this offseason.

“Chris, he helped me, I helped him,” Beeler said. “His dad took me to my first college football game. We’re training hard together, we’re like brothers.”

Beeler didn’t come off the board in the early signing period in December, though he felt pressure to do so.

“A lot of coaches [were] telling me, ‘Mike, you need to commit, you ain’t getting no more P-5 [offers].”

But with recruiting adviser Levi Bradley helping, Beeler remained patient. And he was rewarded when Michigan State offered him less than a month before signing day.

“A miracle happened,” is how he describes it.

“Michigan State, It felt like home when I got on campus,” he said. “And that’s what you need, to be at home for all three to four years. You don’t need to be in the portal. I don’t think I’m ever gonna leave.”

Incoming Simeon coach Sinque Turner, who coached against the Wolverines at Kenwood, expected Beeler would land on his feet despite waiting to sign.

“He fits the profile of what a portal kid looks like coming out of high school,” Turner said. “It was a no-brainer for those guys. ... He’s just got all the tools that you’re looking for.”