Some of the best recruits from the Midwest are making plans to visit Pat Fitzgerald and the new-look Michigan State football program this spring and summer.
Fitzgerald has been locking in visits left and right over the next couple of months and it looks like he's aiming high with some of the best recruits from the region. He's already locked in officials with some top in-state guys like Myles Smith and Bryce Kish, but there are some Ohio-based prospects deserving of attention, too.
On Thursday, Corey Robinson of 247Sports reported that Michigan State had locked in another big visit, this time in an unofficial capacity.
The Spartans will reportedly be hosting four-star defensive lineman Reinaldo Perez on April 4.
Update: According to @C_Robinson247 2027 4 Star Defensive Lineman Reinaldo Perez has scheduled an Unofficial Visit to MSU!
— Bleed Green MSU (@BleedGreen_MSU) February 25, 2026
He will be in East Lansing April 4th. Go Green! pic.twitter.com/yikLx9zYtf
This is yet another big-time visitor for Fitzgerald and the Spartans as Perez already holds two dozen offers from the likes of Arizona State, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio State, Tennessee, USC, and Wisconsin, among others. He's got an absolutely loaded offer sheet which means that he's probably better than his ranking and he's going to be a tough pull.
It's good to see Fitzgerald working on the top recruits in the region, however, especially along the defensive line.
Perez is the No. 288 recruit in the 2027 class and he's also the 34th-best defensive lineman, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Michigan State is prioritizing the defensive line
Fitzgerald is clearly trying to help new defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere II out by giving him some fun pieces to work with. He's inheriting a defensive line that essentially had no pass rush last year or really in the entire Jonathan Smith era.
That needs to change and Fitz is already on the case.
The Spartans have offered nearly 50 defensive linemen (including edge rushers) in the 2027 class, and that just goes to show that the new head coach is taking this weakness seriously.
Myles Smith might be the top priority along the defensive line in the class, but Fitzgerald is also pushing hard for Perez as well as Nehemiah Ombati who just scheduled a summer official with Michigan State and has the Spartans in his top eight.
I'm excited to see what comes of the defensive line in the 2027 class.