Comp's Recruiting Briefing

EAST LANSING - Michigan State’s football recruiting efforts for the class of 2019 is expected to get a boost during this weekend’s visits for the Notre Dame game.

Whereas Michigan State is expected to get visits from an interesting array of senior (class of 2018) recruits, a slew of intriguing junior visitors are set to experience a Spartan Stadium night game.

Among the 2019 visitors:

* Hayden Rucci, 5.7 three-star TE from Lititz (Pa.) Warwick. Ranked No. 4 in Pennsylvania by Rivals.com.

The Skinny: Parents were scholarship athletes at Penn State. Dad played football there, but Michigan State was the first major college to offer. PSU still evaluating. Michigan State has gained a lot of traction with him since his February visit to East Lansing. He's pumped up about this weekend's visit.

* Dwan Mathis, four-star QB from Oak Park (Mich.) High. Ranked No. 4 in Michigan.

The Skinny: Michigan State has been involved with him for a long time, predating his initial commitment to Iowa State. When he decommitted in the spring, Michigan State was in good position to pounce. Michigan State scouted him last week, has offered and is running strong.

* Devontae Dobbs, four-star OT from Belleville (Mich.) High. Ranked No. 1 in Michigan.

The Skinny: Elite recruit who has a valuable frame at a valuable position. This will likely be a long journey of a recruitment but Michigan State is keeping up with the lead pack.

* Julian Barnett, four-star WR from Belleville, (Mich.) Ranked No. 3 in Michigan.

The Skinny: Michigan State has a good name with the Belleville program. Barnett has been tweeting love MSU’s way recently. Michigan State is shaping up as the team to beat.

* Jaren Mangham, four-star RB, Detroit Cass Tech. Ranked No. 6 in Michigan.

The Skinny: Power back will return to action tonight after missing a game with an ankle injury. His father has known Michigan State associate head coach Mark Staten for more than 20 years. This helped get Michigan State off to a good start with Mangham, and the Spartans have remained solid with him.

* Andrew Kristofic, three-star OT, Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine Richland High. No. 15 in Pennsylvania.

The Skinny: He seems to love Penn State, and attended a PSU game two weeks ago, but the Nittany Lions haven’t offered. Michigan State, Pitt, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Northwestern (this week) and others have offered.

* Xavier Goldsmith, three-star DB, Detroit Cass Tech.

The Skinny: Doesn’t have an ideal frame at 5-foot-8, but has offers from Colorado and Mississippi State. Still in the evaluation stages.

* Carter Colquitt, 5.7 three-star OT, Buford (Ga.) High. Ranked No. 43 in Georgia.

The Skinny: Attended the Miami camp in June. Listed Auburn, Miami, Florida and Michigan State as primary schools of interest two weeks ago.

He plans to visit Miami, Auburn, Florida and others in the coming weeks. He plans to settle on a final five “by midway through this year.” This weekend’s visit to Michigan State will go a long way toward deciding whether the Spartans will hang with the southern contenders for him.

Others of note:

* Dezman Cooper, 5.6 three-star LB, Reynoldsburg (Ohio) High. Ranked No. 15 in Ohio.

* Jeremiah Burton, DT, Westerville (Ohio) North.

* Ormendell Dingle, WR/DB, Detroit Cass Tech.

* Sam Jackson, DB, Troy (Ohio) High.

* Nate Martens, QB, St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet.

SIDE NOTES:

* Hayden Rucci visited Syracuse last weekend for Syracuse's game against Central Michigan.

"That was my first-ever gameday visit," Rucci said. "Last winter when I received my first offer on my first ever college visit (from Michigan State) it was already past the season so I didn't have the chance to attend any games as a recruit last year."

As for other visits this year:

"The MSU-ND game is the only visit set in stone for right now. (I) have a couple ideas of the games I would like to get to but still not totally sure which ones I'm going to yet, besides this weekend."

He picked up an offer from UConn last week, and an offer from Indiana the week prior.