Michigan State OL Target, NFL Legacy Sets Official Visit
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Class of 2027 offensive lineman Quinn Buckey has set an official visit to Michigan State after recently announcing his top 12 schools, which included the Spartans.
Buckey announced via the following social media post that he will visit East Lansing the weekend of April 11.
Go Green! 🟢⚫️ pic.twitter.com/6nNAKZJ1lk
— Quinn Buckey (@Quinnbuckey) March 19, 2025
Buckey, who plays for Liberty High School in Bakersfield, is rated a three-star by 247Sports, which ranks him as the No. 64 offensive tackle in his class and the No. 81 class of 2026 prospect in California.
The Spartans are locked in a recruiting battle for Buckey alongside the likes of UCLA, Minnesota, Northwestern and Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith's former school Oregon State, among others.
The 6-foot-7, 290-pound lineman possesses a great mix of power, aggression and agility. Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik loves an athletic tackle who can execute a number of different blocks in their zone running game. Buckey can be all of that and more.
Buckey is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Jeff Buckey and the younger brother of Stanford defensive end Zach Buckey and UCLA defensive lineman Grant Buckey. That kind of pedigree is rare to find and typically results in a great prospect who is mature enough to handle the ups and downs of the process. It's easy to draw those connections to Stanford and UCLA, but where do the Spartans fit into this picture?
Michigan State has made it very clear that they intend to compete for some of the best talents on the West Coast. A majority of the staff in East Lansing now has come with Smith from Oregon State and have deep ties to the west coast area. Those roots are still strong and have made Michigan State extremely competitive for talent in California and the surrounding areas.
There is no doubt Buckey is near the top of the Spartans' big board and will have their best pitch for him when he comes to town in April. Getting another big-time lineman to solidify the offensive line room and securing a recruiting win against Big Ten foes are at the top of their mind in East Lansing.
Notching a recruiting win over your old team might not be so bad either for Smith.
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Graham, the founder of High School Football Frenzy, covers high school football, hockey, and basketball across the Big Ten. He provides in-depth reports on prospects at all levels and builds strong relationships with coaches and players. Joining the On SI team as a Big Ten Recruiting Beat Writer, Graham brings extensive knowledge of the Big Ten region, recruiting prospects, and high schools.