Michigan State Extends Offer to 4-Star Tackle

Recruiting never stops, as Michigan State has extended an offer to a big man poised to take on a big role no matter where he goes.

Pat Fitzgerald and offensive line coach Nick Tabacca extended an offer to offensive lineman Ben Coleman.

Coleman lines up as a hybrid tight end and sixth blocker for Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Illinois. His size, combined with his quick feet, makes him a highly sought-after prospect.

The blocker stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 285 pounds. When you watch him play, it's almost laughable how monstrous he looks compared to his peers. On top of that, he looks mean on the football field.

Coleman mauls his opponents, who look half-tempted to just turn and run away when he comes barreling down at them. His size is intimidating, but his quick feet allow him to get to defenders faster than they expect and get out in the flat to make blocks for his runners.

On top of all that, don't let his frame fool you. Coleman can show off some skilled hands when it comes to catching the ball, too. In his hybrid role, there are a few highlights that stand out, making him look like a mini version of Darnell Washington of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Per 247Sports, Coleman ranks as a four-star recruit, slotting in at No. 234 nationally. His rating of 90 puts him above the threshold for a three-star prospect and into the four-star category. He is also ranked as the No. 26 offensive lineman and the No. 12 prospect coming out of Illinois.

Then there's the consensus rating of the top recruiting sites, also known as the composite score. That has Coleman rated at 0.8933, which still puts him in the four-star grouping. The composite ranks Coleman a little lower than 247Sports does, placing him at No. 365 nationally, No. 36 among offensive linemen in the 2028 class and No. 15 among prospects from Illinois.

Fitzgerald understands that winning games in the Big Ten with a program still doing its best to climb out of the gutter begins in the trenches. Using one of his valuable offers on a top offensive lineman is exactly up Fitzgerald's alley.

The Spartans had their center, Matt Gulbin, drafted last year and have their current center, Trent Fraley, on the Rimington Trophy watch list this season. Although Coleman isn't a center, it shows how much attention to detail Michigan State puts into its offensive line.

Coleman would fit in perfectly with Fitzgerald's passion and energy. The way Coleman plays on the field seems to match exactly what Michigan State is looking for. Unfortunately for the Spartans, so do a ton of other college teams.

Currently, Michigan State joins programs such as Iowa, Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech and Kentucky in pursuing Coleman, among many others.

Still, the hat is now thrown into the ring, and Michigan State has made its interest known. We'll continue to monitor Coleman's recruitment and see where his decision takes him.