What Does Josh Jackson's Kansas Pick Mean For The Michigan State Spartans?

Josh Jackson, one of the top recruits in the nation - if not the best - for the class of 2016 will be attending Kansas next season.

Next year I will be attending Kansas University ❤️ #RCJH pic.twitter.com/rmBiF85n4J

— Josh Jackson (@j_josh11) April 12, 2016

This is significant news for the Michigan State Spartans, as they were one of the three finalists for Jackson's special talents. The Detroit native is a 6-7 shooting guard with a Swiss-army knife set of skills that will likely put him in many of NBA Draft discussions a year from now.

Jackson's decision to not be a Spartan isn't quite make-or-break for Tom Izzo and his staff. Michigan State still has the No. 3 incoming recruiting class for next season, according to both ESPN and Rivals. Forward Miles Bridges and guard Josh Langford are both considered to be five-star prospects and guard Cassius Winston and forward Nick Ward aren't far behind in the Top 40 of rankings.

Between the four newcomers, Eron Harris, Tum Tum Nairn, Matt McQuaid, and possibly Deyonta Davis, there will be plenty enough talent in East Lansing to contend for another Big Ten Championship.

Jackson may have been a difference maker, though, and turned the Spartans into an immediate national title contender. His ability to do almost everything on the floor would have been a big asset for a team that's losing a similar player in Denzel Valentine.

Now Spartan fans will just have to wait on the Davis' NBA decision to see what the final roster will look like for the 2016-17 season. As always, there will be plenty of transfer options if Izzo is willing to play that game again. With the positive results Harris, Bryn Forbes, and Brandon Wood have brought over the past few years, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Michigan State in that market again.