Four-star recruit with legal issues officially signs with Mich. St.

A touted recruit who postponed inking on National Signing Day has officially put his Herbie Hancock on a National Letter of Intent.

Auston Robertson confirmed to 247Sports.com that he has signed a letter of intent with Michigan State and will play his college football for the Spartans. The defensive lineman had been committed to the Spartans but did not sign with MSU in February after he was charged with misdemeanor battery in his home state of Indiana.

According to media outlets in the area, Robertson was accused of inappropriately touching a female classmate at his high school. Earlier this month, Robertson entered into a pretrial diversion program that would lead to the charge being dropped in one year if he fulfills the terms set out in the agreement and stays out of trouble.

“It’s a lesson learned,” Robertson told the recruiting website of the legal issue. “I’m just thankful that my team never gave up on me and I’m just ready for the next level.”

That wasn’t Robertson’s only legal issue in the last year, however. From the Detroit Free Press:

He previously faced misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, damaging or defacing property, and resisting arrest in a different incident, but those charges were dropped Sept. 10 in Allen Superior Court 5.

Robertson was a four-star recruit according to Rivals.com, rated as the No. 10 strongside defensive end in the country and the No. 2 player at any position in the state of Indiana. Only one MSU defensive signee in this year’s class was rated higher than Robertson -- Illinois defensive end Josh King.

The signing of Robertson, who had also considered, among others, Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State, bolstered what was already a stout class for Mark Dantonio. In fact, Robertson’s signing has had an impact on Rivals’ team rankings.

#Spartans signed No. 20 class on NSD 2016. W/ 4* DE Auston Robertson, they jump to No. 18: https://t.co/PLHrFcWmkA pic.twitter.com/mJajjHiPWD

— Josh Helmholdt (@JoshHelmholdt) March 30, 2016

UPDATED 6:05 p.m. ET: On Twitter, the football program confirmed that Robertson has signed his NLI.

Defensive end Auston Robertson (6-5, 240, Wayne High School, Fort Wayne, Ind.) has signed a National Letter of Intent and Big Ten Tender.

— Spartan Football (@MSU_Football) March 30, 2016