Michigan State’s preseason work has done more than fill out a depth chart. It’s starting to show what the roster could look like well beyond this fall.
With kickoff nine days away, the Spartans are working through a camp that’s been shaped by a huge influx of newcomers - 62 in all, including 32 transfers and 30 freshmen. That kind of turnover changes the present, but it also tells you plenty about the future. And right now, a few areas are already standing out.
The offensive line is the clearest example. Michigan State’s decline has tracked closely with the slide up front, and last season’s numbers were ugly: second-most sacks allowed in the Big Ten at 37, plus the fourth-fewest yards per carry at 3.78. Pat Fitzgerald and the staff have clearly made the line a priority, and they’ve leaned hard into it.
Three projected starters this season were elsewhere in 2025: Ben Murawski from UConn at left tackle, Trent Fraley from North Dakota State at center, and Nick Sharpe from South Carolina at right guard. There’s still some long-term value on the depth chart, though.
Murawski, Fraley, Sharpe, and left guard Conner Moore are all in their final seasons of eligibility. The one projected starter who should still be around in 2027 is right tackle Rakeem Johnson, who is entering his redshirt sophomore season.
There’s more coming behind them, too. Rustin Young is the likely backup at left tackle after starting five games for MSU last year, and another year in that role could set him up to take over in 2027.
On the other side, Georgia Southern transfer Robert Wright Jr. looks like the top reserve at right tackle. He started last season and played 752 snaps without drawing a penalty.
Then there’s Collin Campbell, who may not have a clean path to the field this year but still matters in the big picture. That’s not unusual for a true freshman in the trenches, and Campbell arrived as the highest-rated player in Michigan State’s 2026 recruiting class, checking in at No. 197 overall in the 247Sports Composite.
Luka Vincic is part of that future picture as well. He’s listed as a redshirt senior this season, but a medical waiver from last year should leave him with eligibility for 2027. Redshirt freshman Drew Nichols also appears to be climbing into the backup center role.
Receiver is another spot where the staff seems ready to spread things around. Fitzgerald said this month that Michigan State plans to use a rotation at the position this year, a noticeable shift from the way the Spartans have operated in the past under Courtney Hawkins. Last season, none of the backups at receiver played more than 132 snaps.
Fitzgerald said as many as eight or nine receivers could get some burn. That might hold early in the year, but eventually the group probably gets trimmed to five or six.
Charles Taplin is the young receiver leading the way right now. He’s been working with the starters in practice and got plenty of first-team reps during the spring scrimmage in April. His freshman season produced only one catch for eight yards and 10 offensive snaps, but he’s made a real jump and should be a much bigger part of the offense this fall.
Bryson Williams and Samson Gash are in the mix as well. Williams brings a dynamic skill set after beginning as a hybrid running back/wide receiver; last year he had one catch for eight yards and two carries for 20 yards. Gash has the kind of blazing speed that can play immediately, and he remains one of Michigan State’s most prized recruits from the previous cycle.
On defense, Tyran Chappell has emerged as one of the more interesting offseason developments. He’s likely looking at a CB3 role behind Charles Brantley and Tre Bell III, but there’s still plenty of runway ahead for him. Chappell is a redshirt sophomore this season and should be eligible through 2028.
Michigan State got him from Houston Christian this offseason after a strong 2025 in which he intercepted four passes and earned First Team All-Southland Conference honors. Even with that production and three years of eligibility left, he wasn’t treated like one of the more coveted portal players. His PFF grade of 86.2 ranked eighth among FCS corners who played at least 500 snaps, yet he was slotted 1,714th overall by On3 and 2,175th by 247Sports.
In Other News...
Michigan States New Defense Has One Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Michigan State is heading into its first season under Pat Fitzgerald with a defense that looks far more established than it did a year ago. As the Spartans prepare for the opener against Toledo, the staff has pieced together a unit built around returning veterans and transfers, with experience across the defensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary. There is more proven leadership in place now, and that alone gives this group a different feel entering the fall.
The concern, though, is hard to miss: depth still looks thin enough to matter. Michigan State can lean on veteran starters to begin the year, but the real test may come if injuries start to hit and the Spartans have to go beyond the top layer of the roster. For a defense that was rebuilt around experience, the ability to survive those inevitable stretches could end up shaping how reliable this team is over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States New Offense Still Has A Few Crucial Camp Battles
Michigan States new offense is starting to take shape in fall camp, and the early projection gives a decent sense of where Pat Fitzgeralds staff may be leaning. Alessio Milivojevic appears to be the quarterback to watch, Cam Edwards is lined up at running back, and the rest of the offensive picture is beginning to settle as coaches sort through the first-team and backup options at each spot.
Even so, there are still a few places where camp is likely to decide more than reputation or early buzz. The offensive line and receiver group both have some uncertainty attached to them, and those battles matter because Fitzgeralds first offense in East Lansing will need enough stability to function from the start. The depth chart may look clearer by the day, but a handful of key jobs still feel very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Is Already Treating Toledo Week Like Game Week
Michigan State is already moving into a regular-season mindset as it prepares for a Friday night opener against Toledo, tweaking training camp so the schedule feels more like game week than summer work. Pat Fitzgerald said the staff is shaping practices to match the rhythm of the season, with the Spartans building toward a mock game, special situations work and a fuller weekly routine designed to get everyone on the same page before kickoff.
Fitzgerald also said the program is bringing in Big Ten officials for rules education, another sign that the details matter as much as the physical work this time of year. His broader approach is to plan well ahead through the season, and with an early opener waiting, Michigan State is treating the stretch before Toledo less like a countdown and more like the start of the real deal. [Read more 🡒]