Most of the big recruiting weekends in Big Ten country have come and gone, however, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio will host most of the top prospects left on the Spartans' recruiting board this weekend.
Heading up the list of uncommitted prospects scheduled to make official visits to Michigan State this weekend are a number of Ohioans, including defensive lineman Jibreel Black (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wyoming), linebacker Davion Rogers (Warren, Ohio/Harding), defensive back/linebacker Mike Dorsey (Warren, Ohio/Harding) and offensive lineman Eric Franklin (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney).
Black is considering four schools, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Michigan and Indiana, and has scholarship offers from all four schools.
Rogers and Dorsey are committed to West Virginia, but want to take a look at Michigan State.
Franklin is looking at Michigan State, Nebraska, Air Force and perhaps a couple other schools. However, he needs to take care of everything academically, so this is the only visit Franklin has set at this time.
Defensive lineman Bruce Gaston Jr. (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) will also visit MSU this weekend. He has made official visits to Wisconsin and Purdue. In addition to Michigan State, Gaston may visit Notre Dame, Arizona and/or Boston College.
Offensive lineman Alex Lewis (Phoenix, Ariz./Mountain Pointe) will be in East Lansing this weekend on what will be his first official visit. In addition to the Spartans, Lewis is considering scholarship offers from Colorado, UNLV and Air Force.
Dantonio will also welcome in a number of the prospects that have already committed to Michigan State, including defensive end William Gholston (Detroit, Mich./Southeastern) and offensive lineman Skyler Schofner (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut).
Cooper schedules fifth visit
Defensive back Corey Cooper (Maywood, Ill./Proviso East) will make Florida State his fifth official visit the weekend of Jan. 22. Cooper, who committed to Illinois last April, has made official visits to Illinois, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Arizona.
"I'm still committed to Illinois," Cooper said. "But I'm still looking at the other schools. Hopefully I won't wait until signing day to decide. But I have to see how my Florida State visit goes."
Illinois coach Ron Zook will make an in-home visit with Cooper sometime next week. Cooper is not sure when Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher will make his home visit. Head coaches from the other three schools have already made their visits.
The 6-foot-1, 193-pounder made 84 tackles and intercepted two passes during his senior season. He also played wide receiver and caught 52 passes, including 11 touchdowns.