MSU Sets Visits with Twin Brothers, 2027 EDGE Prospects
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Michigan State is continuing to line up visitors for this upcoming spring.
Two of the latest players to add to the list is 2027 EDGE defenders Griffin Benke and Cooper Benke. Both of them announced on social media Friday morning that he would be visiting MSU from April 6-7, which lines up with the beginning of the Spartans' fourth week of spring ball out of five.
Both of these Benke brothers play for Highlands High School, located in Fort Thomas, Ky. Griffin received an offer from Michigan State last Friday, Feb. 6, while Cooper has not just received an offer from MSU just yet.
The Spartans, with the recruitment presumably led by defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III, seem to be entering into this recruitment early. MSU is the only Power Four team to offer Griffin so far, and that would also be the case for Cooper. Both brothers did take a visit to Purdue a few weeks back, though.
More on the Benke Brothers, Recruiting Outlook
Even though neither recruit has gotten a star rating just yet, that doesn't mean they don't have promise. It's relatively common for FBS or Power Four recruits this early in the yearly cycle to not have official ratings yet.
This past season, as a junior, Griffin claimed 39 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, and seven sacks. His size, listed at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, already makes him an intriguing prospect. As for Cooper, he is listed at an inch shorter, at 6-foot-5, but is up at 250 pounds. He claimed 50 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 33 quarterback pressures, and five sacks during his junior season.
Turning on the film, the size of both of them stands out. Griffin's size is a bit more intimidating, but Cooper seems just a bit more polished by a hair. But for both of them, that size can become pretty dangerous to opponents if harnessed, and I'd expect that it will be enough to get both of these twin brothers into mid-to-high three-star range. If the Spartans are the only power conference team still interested down the line, it would be a little bit surprising.
Finding and making these twin brothers quickly and prioritizing them is a win for this staff. High school recruiting is the time to project and look at someone's potential. Michigan State is getting itself into the race for not one, but two players here who have lots of it.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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