MSU To Host 4-Star OT From Rivals’ Backyard on Visit
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A highly touted offensive lineman from a state that Michigan State may want to form a pipeline in is taking an official visit to East Lansing.
On Sunday, Noblesville (Ind.) offensive tackle Caleb Johnson announced that he would be taking an official visit to MSU. His trip to Michigan State spans from May 29-31. He also has official visits set up with Indiana and Iowa, which are two programs that are not bad to be competing with offensive linemen for.
OV Locked In🟢⚪️@NoblesvilleFB @greinerzd68 @CoachTabacca @coachfitz51 @Bryan_Ault @LemmingReport @KyleNeddenriep @SWiltfong_ @adamgorney @AllenTrieu @IndianaPreps pic.twitter.com/37CANWwz9P
— Caleb Johnson 4 ⭐️ (@CTJohnson27) February 22, 2026
As of now, Rivals is the only major recruiting service that has formally evaluated Johnson and given him a rating. They like what they see out of the 6-foot-5, 270-pound prospect, as Rivals made him a four-star recruit at 180th overall in the class of 2027. He's also ranked 15th among offensive tackles and sixth among prospects from Indiana.
Pat Fitzgerald and his staff (offensive line coach Nick Tabacca, in this instance) have really been following through on that they will be prioritizing recruits from the Midwest. The staff seems to be generating interest from several higher-end three-star recruits and four-star prospects, Johnson included. What means is if Michigan State can turn that interest into commitments.
Current 2027 Outlook for MSU
There will definitely be some need at offensive tackle for Michigan State next offseason. Both of MSU's projected starters for 2026 are on their final year of eligibility. UConn transfer Ben Murawski will probably hold down the left tackle spot, and then Conner Moore is returning to probably hold down the right side of the Spartans' line.
Offensive tackle is actually one of the spots where the future seems the brightest for the Spartans. Michigan State also got Georgia Southern transfer Robert Wright Jr. this past offseason to help solidify the team's depth at the position --- he has three years of eligibility remaining and started at right tackle in 2025, where he didn't get penalized once.
MSU also retained Rustin Young this offseason. He played 448 offensive snaps in 2025 for the Spartans, often filling in for an injured Stanton Ramil at left tackle, and seemed to hold his own relatively well across five starts as a redshirt freshman.
The top incoming recruit from Michigan State's 2026 recruiting class is also an offensive tackle. Four-star prospect Collin Campbell, who is from Gilbert, Ariz., was ranked 220th overall in the class of 2026 on the Rivals Industry Ranking. That placed him 21st among those at his position and second among Arizonans.
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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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