The Michigan State football program hosted a large group of recruits on campus for a big visit day on Saturday, March 30.

After finishing up with their visits, Spartans Illustrated caught up with several prospects who were in East Lansing to field exclusive reactions to their visits (in no particular order).

Morelan told Spartans Illustrated that he believes Michigan State will be in the right hands under the leadership of newly-hired head coach Jonathan Smith.

"I think the program is heading in the right direction, especially with the rebuilding they are (undergoing) with the new coaching staff," he said.

The in-state prospect met with members of the coaching staff, who showed him "love" and made him feel comfortable.

"I got to speak to a couple of coaches, and they made me feel welcome," Morelan said.

Morelan noted Blue Adams, Michigan State's secondary coach, gets straight to the point. Morelan knows what Adams is looking for in a defensive back, and is aware of what it will take to earn a scholarship offer from the Spartans.

"(Adams) was straightforward and honest," Morelan explained. "He doesn't sugarcoat anything. I appreciate that."

The two-star athlete who has tendered offers from Central Michigan and Penn State, and who has also visited Syracuse and Notre Dame in the past, was also able to touch base with a few players currently starring for the Spartans. One player Morelan was able to connect with was sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles, who followed Smith from Oregon State to the Michigan State.

Morelan also did several other things in East Lansing while on the big visit and got a better feel for campus. He toured the practice facilities and got to check out the new weight room.

"The facilities were very nice," he said.

The 2026 cornerback hasn't earned his offer from the Spartans just yet, but Michigan State's coaches are high on the prospect's potential.

"They loved my height and size," Morelan said.

He plans to check back in with the Spartans in the near future, but in the meantime, Morelan will be grinding and honing his craft.

"I plan on working on speed and strength training," Morelan explained. "I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to (MSU) at some point."

Harris, a newly-minted three-star offensive lineman who has received offers from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and several Group of Five schools, reported an excellent visit to Michigan State. This was the second weekend in a row Harris was on MSU's campus.

Harris expects to see a resurgence from Michigan State's program during the Smith era.

He was impressed with everything the Spartans had to offer, even going to the length of calling Michigan State "like my second home."

The structure of practice, the intensity and the overall atmosphere all stood out to Muskegon offensive tackle.

"The program is fantastic," Harris said. "I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse components and their structure and impressive operational methods."

Harris was able to receive a tour of the Spartans' state-of-the-art facilities via general manager Cole Moore, who showcased Michigan State's locker rooms, nutrition bar and amenities.

Harris and other prospects also visited the weight room to register their height and weight measurements with the program. They also saw Spartan Stadium.

"(Michigan State) provided us with a remarkable experience," he said.

Practice sessions were lively and "filled with energy," according to Harris.

"The defense hyped up players after a stop, and the offense encouraged each other to improve," he said.

Rice, an intriguing prospect out of Farmington Hills that has been recruited by Michigan State since his freshman season, has received offers from several Mid-American Conference and Ivy League programs. Meanwhile, other major Big Ten and Power Four programs, such as Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State Florida State, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas have shown interest.

Rice said he foresees the MSU program trending in a positive direction under Smith.

"They're definitely heading in the right direction," Rice said about the Spartans. "This staff is definitely good. You can just see the experience and greatness throughout."

It was a big day in East Lansing for Rice, who took in practice and met with coaches for the first time under the Smith regime.

"You can tell that they know what they're doing," he explained. "The practices are efficient, but most of all, you can tell that the players want to be there. The energy that the staff brings feeds off on the players."

The defensive lineman is excited to see what the Spartans will bring to the table as a new era of football kicks off in the Big Ten.

"I'm excited to see what they do this year," Rice said about Michigan State. "(Defensive line coach) Legi Suiaunoa is a great coach and a great person. You can tell that the defensive line room really connects with him. They respond well to him, and there is mutual respect between (Suiaunoa and the players.) They want to play for him."

Rice was also able to tour the Spartans' state-of-the-art football facility and check out MSU's beautiful campus.

"I thought the facilities were awesome," Rice noted. "The new renovations throughout the entire building were nice. Their setup is (beneficial) for the student-athletes."

Finishing off the strong group of in-state prospects catching up with Spartans Illustrated about their recent visits to Michigan State is offensive tackle Justin Bell, a strong blocker in the trenches who has garnered offers from Indiana, Cornell and several MAC schools

He returned a positive review regarding the Spartans' operation under Smith and what could be in store for the future in East Lansing.

"The program is amazing," Bell said about MSU. "The coaches have only been there a couple of months, and they have already installed so (many concepts). All of the players understand it."

Bell liked the way Michigan State's practice ran under Smith, and he enjoyed watching the offensive linemen work.

"Coach Smith ran a great, competitive practice with one-on-ones with (players) making each other better," Bell said. "I like how he keeps the energy high, and everyone gets into it. It's a fast-paced practice with (offensive line coach and run game coordinator ) Jim Michalczik because he spends a lot of time with the offensive line. They are ready for practice. (Michigan State) is a great program, and I can't wait to see what happens this season."

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