Midwest Rumor Mill: Standout prospects return from weekend visits

Recruiting news is flowing fast and furious as prospects return from key visits, and Rivals national analyst Greg Smith has all the latest buzz from the Midwest.

The 2027 standout from Ohio picked up an offer from Michigan State this weekend while he was on campus for a visit. It stood out to Dennis that the crowd was so into the game. The family vibe between the coaches and players was something that stood out to him as well. His recruitment is taking off right now but there are no other plans for visits at the moment.

Guthrie took in the Kentucky game against Georgia over the weekend. The four-star offensive tackle enjoyed his time on campus. The two things that stood out to him was the passion of the fan base and how the coaching staff has made him a top priority. It’s a great feeling knowing that the SEC program has prioritized him as he narrows down his contenders.

Hicks is a prospect to watch out of Decatur Central in Indianapolis. The defensive back is having a strong start to his season and schools are noticing. His latest offer is from Illinois. Hicks was very thankful for the opportunity from the Illini especially since they are a program known for defense. His visit schedule is packed right now as he’ll visit many regional programs but he wants to make it back to Champaign after the offer.

The Dexter, Mich., standout was just named one of the top 100 prospects in the 2027 class. He’s got offers from around the country including Georgia and Alabama. But he was at Michigan State this weekend where he thought the energy was amazing in East Lansing from start to finish. Niemi also kept a close eye on how much the team used its tight ends. He’ll take several more trips this fall and is one of the top tight end prospects in the country.

The Omaha (Neb.) Millard South standout was at Kansas Friday night for its loss to UNLV. Jackson enjoyed the trip despite the loss. Talking with the staff, they told him how all three of their big receivers are seniors so he would have a chance to get on the field early. That appeals to Jackson who will also hit Iowa State and Kansas State in the next two weeks for visits.

The four-star offensive tackle from Ohio is one of the top offensive lineman in the Midwest in the 2026 cycle. He holds 25-plus scholarship offers but Michigan State’s new staff has made him a big priority. Riley was in East Lansing to see the Spartans big win. He thinks Jonathan Smith is building a winning culture there. An X-factor in this recruitment is how much Riley believes in offensive line coach Jim Michalczik and how he coaches the position. Up next, Riley will visit Ohio State when they play Nebraska and Clemson when they matchup with the Citadel.

Thomas was in Lexington for Kentucky’s near-upset of Georgia. The atmosphere was electric and really showed the Ohio native what Wildcats fans are all about. Thomas got to campus as early as possible so he could meet with the program’s coaching staff. They let him know they will be at Lakota West soon to visit him as a group. He’s one of their priority targets for the 2026 class. Kentucky is a major player here for the four-star inside linebacker.

Virginia was the first Power Four program to come through with an offer for the quarterback out of Virginia. So he returned the favor by taking a game day visit where he was impressed. It felt like a family during his time on campus because of everyone the great energy around the team. Coming out of that visit Walker wasn’t ready to name Virginia his top school but he feels UVA is building a great program that would be a great place to play.