2027 Quarterback Prospect Details His Michigan State Recruitment
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With the 2026 college football transfer portal window coming to a close, coaching staffs across the country are shifting their focus toward the high school recruiting trail as the 2027 cycle heats up.
New Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald and his staff have already made progress with several talented 2027 recruits, including a three-star quarterback who recently spoke with Spartan Nation about the program’s recruitment of him.
Three-Star 2027 QB Speaks on MSU Recruitment
Throughout the 2027 recruiting cycle, Michigan State has been targeting Cooper Newman, a three-star quarterback from Sevier County High School in Sevierville, Tennessee. The previous Spartans staff extended him an offer in May 2025, and the new staff is already building a relationship with him.
On Jan. 16, new Spartans offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian traveled to Sevier County High School to speak with Newman. Shortly after, the young quarterback spoke with Spartan Nation about Michigan State and his overall recruitment.
When asked about his conversation with Bajakian, Newman explained that it was great to meet the new Michigan State offensive coordinator and that he even had the chance to throw in front of him. The young quarterback also noted that the new coaching staff has brought a win-now mentality to East Lansing, which he's looking for in a program.
- "It was great getting to meet him [Coach Bajakian] and throw for him to show him my talents a little bit," Newman told Spartan Nation. "He seemed like a great guy along with being a great coach. They seem like they are there to win right now and that’s what you want in a coaching staff that you could potentially play for."
Newman is one of the top quarterback recruits in the country and is being pursued by several programs. Rivals' industry rankings list him as the No. 762 overall player in the 2027 class, the No. 55 quarterback, and the No. 21 prospect from Tennessee.
Regarding what Newman is looking for in a program, he told Spartan Nation that relationships with the coaching staff and a scheme fit will be the most crucial factors in his decision.
- "Relationships with the coaches and scheme fit are the [two] things that are important to me." Newman said.
As of now, Newman told Spartan Nation he hasn't scheduled any visits during the offseason, but he plans to take a few before making a decision. He added that he's already visited East Lansing twice with the previous staff and would be open to returning this offseason.
- "I don’t have any planned to the day at this point. I will take a few in the coming months before I make a decision but Michigan state is great," Newman said. "I have already visited [two] times with the previous staff once for a game and once in the summer so I’ve seen it first hand. As far as visiting again I think that would be a good possibility."
While several programs are pursuing Newman, no school currently appears to have a clear lead in his recruitment. If Fitzgerald and his staff continue to make progress with the three-star quarterback, they should be well-positioned to add him to their 2027 class.
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Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.